AACC hosts the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Africa Region Gender Justice Conference.

The urgency to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in Africa is undeniable. With 31% of women reporting intimate partner violence at some point in their lives, Africa has one of the highest rates of GBV globally.

These alarming statistics contradict the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which emphasizes interconnectedness and humaneness. In response, the ELCA Africa Region Gender Justice Conference is being held at the Desmond Tutu Conference Centre from 8th  until October 11th, 2024.

The event is co-hosted by the ELCA Companions and the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church (KELC), and the main host is the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) under the theme "The Bible, Theology, and Gender Justice in the African Ubuntu Perspective," aims to bridge the gap between theological concepts and societal realities.

In his welcome remarks on behalf of the AACC General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Lesmore Ezekiel, the AACC Director of Programs, emphasized the church's role in addressing societal gaps concerning GBV. "It is important to acknowledge how the Bible has been weaponized to legitimize gender-based violence," he said. Quoting John 10:10, he called upon the participants to unite and foster Ubuntu in pursuing gender justice.

He commended AACC's efforts in promoting gender justice through its programmatic pillar on Gender and Women. 

In photo - [ participants of the ELCA conference in Nairobi ]