WCC FEATURE: WCC sees fruits of visits to Angola, Madagascar as Universal Periodic Review unfolds

The Universal Periodic Review—a mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 5 years—of Angola and Madagascar took place on 23 and 27 January. Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth Pictures 10 February 2025 In both reviews, many recommendations were made which have relevance to the issues raised in World Council of Churches (WCC) reports based on input received during the visits to those countries in 2022 and 2024. These reports were compiled with WCC partner Geneva for Human Rights. Issues raised included gender-based violence, rights of the child (particularly access to education, freedom from violence, early marriage, and child labour), people with disabilities, and access to health. A WCC and partner visit to Madagascar took place from 31 October – 8 November 2022. The purpose of the visit was to meet WCC member churches and learn more about the issue of obstetric fistula in Madagascar. Obstetric fistula, a severe injury which can occur during childbirth, not only affects women's health but also gravely undermines their dignity and quality of life. It affects millions of women around the world – mainly in sub-saharan Africa and south Asia. At the last Universal Periodic Review of Madagascar in November 2019, no specific recommendations were made about obstetric fistula, which was indicative of the alarming lack of attention by the mechanisms of the UN human rights system to this serious but largely hidden human rights violation. Accordingly, WCC welcomes and attaches particular significance to the recommendation concerning obstetric fistula, made by the Government of Mali, during the review of Madagascar at the most recent review on 27 January. “It was extremely encouraging to hear the recommendation from Mali, explicitly mentioning the issue of obstetric fistula”, said Jennifer Philpot-Nissen, WCC programme executive for Human Rights and Disarmament.“We hope that this reference will be the beginning of the end of the deafening silence in the Human Rights Council about this most tragic condition for women and their families. We call upon other Governments to add their voices in efforts to end obstetric fistula” A delegation from WCC had visited Angola from 21-28 January 2024 to learn more about the situation of obstetric fistula in Angola, and how the churches can help prevent this condition from occurring. At that time, the WCC had newly released a “Guide for Churches on the Prevention of Obstetric Fistula.” The visit provided direct insights into the situation for human rights in Angola. The WCC delegation hosted a workshop in Luanda with church partners - adults, youth and children (girls and boys), where the purpose and function of the Universal Periodic Review was explained, and participants were invited to share their concerns and recommendations for human rights in Angola. Ahead of the WCC delegation arrival, Geneva for Human Rights and other partners visited several clinics and hospitals in different provinces in Angola, and spoke to medical staff including midwives, doctors and surgeons, organisations working to help women dealing with obstetric fistula and recovering from fistula surgery, and such women themselves. They visited cities and villages in the provinces of Bié, Huíla, and Cuanza Sul.   WCC urges UN Human Rights Council to address obstetric fistula (WCC news release, March 2024) WCC guide raises awareness of obstetric fistula (WCC news release, October 2023) Free download of the WCC publication: "A Guide for Churches on the Prevention of Obstetric Fistula" Learn more about the WCC work on "Human dignity and rights" See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland