Alice Mogwe – a member of APJN – has been elected President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Her priority will be to raise attention and protect human rights defenders, who face an unprecedented wave of attacks all over the world.
Last year Alice became the first civil society leader to address the United Nations General Assembly. She spoke on behalf of over 250 human rights defenders from around the world, and reminded the Assembly that human rights defenders – who work peacefully for the protection of the dignity of all persons – are often forgotten, under-resourced, discredited, discriminated against, criminalized, arrested, tortured, disappeared and their NGOs closed down. She lamented the shrinking and closing of independent civil society space.
These are the issues she will seek to address as President by supporting the 192 independent human rights NGOs affiliated to FIDH. Human rights defenders need rapid practical support when faced with threats and attacks and she will seek to ensure they are linked in to global networks.
Alice’s commitment to human rights is rooted in the Botswana value of Botho: the conviction that one’s humanity is bound up with the humanity of each and every person in the world. It means that every person has the right to be treated with dignity.
Botho is a widely held African understanding of human dignity widely known in its Zulu form – Ubuntu, or Ujamaa in Kiswahili. Botho is lived out through Indaba – the place where human dignity is respected through listening. This emphasis on human dignity also resonates with her Christian belief in a God who in Christ demonstrated his respect for all he encountered. To disrespect any human is to disrespect all.
Modern technology offers opportunities for increased networking and can facilitate cooperation between human rights groups in different parts of the world so they can fully utilise their collective power and capabilities. Technology can develop Botho.
However, modern technology is also being used to track the activities of whose who seek a peaceful and just world. The rise in authoritarian states has placed human rights defenders at risk and technology can be used as a punitive tool. Alice will seek to strengthen the resilience of human rights defenders to such abuses.
A Call to Prayer
Last year Alice called upon all Anglicans to honour and protect human rights defenders. Please pray this for the dignity of all people:
O Lord hear us as we call to you:
For activist human rights defenders who work to protect the
environment and those who, confront corporate greed to preserve the collective
rights of their community to the land.
Lord hear our prayer.
For activist human rights defenders who are being
criminalised, delegitimized and defamed for their work in saving lives at sea
and protecting migrants.
Lord hear our prayer.
For activist human rights defenders who are criminalised,
tortured and jailed for exercising their freedom of expression and opinion,
especially through social media.
Lord hear our prayer.
For activist human rights defenders who are silenced for
calling for free, fair, and transparent elections and pursuing peaceful,
democratic transitions.
Lord hear our prayer.
For activist human rights defenders, including lesbian, gay,
bisexual, trans and intersex defenders and women human rights defenders – who
advocate for the right of all to live free and equal in dignity and rights.
Lord hear our prayer.
Lord, in your mercy, let us be your activists to bring about that day when the dignity of all is respected. Amen