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• Adventists Protest Religious Intolerance to UN Human Rights Commission
• Church Reacts to UN AIDS Program
• Adventists Affirm UN Call for Girls' Right to Education

Adventists Protest Religious Intolerance to UN Human Rights Commission
April 15, 2002

Geneva, Switzerland... A statement on behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to the United Nations Commission to Human Rights on April 9 deplored the "ever-increasing rise in religious intolerance, conflict and violence," and protested persecution of religious minorities.

Adventist UN liaison director, Jonathan Gallagher, said that it was important to raise such issues in such an important international forum. It's estimated by Freedom House that 100 million Christian believers have been killed in the 20th century. More Christians have died through persecution between 1990 and 2000 than in all the previous centuries combined although Christians are not the only religious group that have suffered.

"We as a Church continue to be appalled at the rising tide of religious violence that is engulfing the world. To persecute and to attack another human being just because of religious differences is a terrible indictment of how religions can be hijacked for hatred. As the statement says, 'The Seventh-day Adventist Church adds its voice and its resources to this global battle against the forces of evil intimidation and persecution, determined to do its part to ensure human rights-particularly freedom of religion or belief for all peoples.'"

The statement cited Saudi Arabia, China, Sudan, North Korea, and some central Asian states as examples of religious persecution that has led to violence and death and appealed for an end to such violations of fundamental human rights:

"The appeal of the Adventist Church is that such deplorable violations of human rights not be excused or ignored because of political convenience or national interest, that persecution and intolerance be clearly identified and vigorously protested, and that all such proponents be called to account for their crimes against humanity."

The statement also identified the problems that happen when religions are themselves hijacked for other ends, Gallagher comments. The statement concludes:

"The Adventist Church recognizes and deplores this ongoing tragedy, and calls upon all nations, religions and individuals to reject any and all forms of violence, particularly violence carried out "in the name of God." [Viola Hughes]

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Church Reacts to UN AIDS Program
April 9, 2002

Geneva, Switzerland... The Seventh-day Adventist Church reacted to a speech by the executive director of the United Nations AIDS organization pleading for greater action and commitment to the treatment of HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact.

Speaking to the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 3, Dr. Peter Piot of UNAIDS said that "in today's world, AIDS constitutes one of the most pervasive threats to the right to health. And for the millions of people affected by AIDS around the world, AIDS is one of the most pressing causes of stigma and discrimination." Globally, more than 60 million people world wide have been infected. Twenty million have died. Piot concluded his speech to the Commission stating that "a right is worthless if it cannot be realized. The right to health cannot be realized without appropriate HIV prevention, care and treatment for AIDS. AIDS is killing and weakening people. Without healthy people, no country can progress or prosper."

Jonathan Gallagher, UN liaison director for the Adventist Church, reacted to the UN plea. "Listening to Dr. Piot's words, some of the statistics really hit home. The fact that life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa has dropped from 62 to 47 years just because of AIDS demonstrates its huge impact. To lose 15 years on average from everyone's life shows the dramatic cost in human suffering and death caused by AIDS."

Gallagher said that while there was appreciation for work to combat the impact of AIDS, much more needs to be done. The Adventist Church and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) continue to develop projects in many countries to combat both the medical and the societal aspects of AIDS.

Dr. Allan Handysides, health ministries director the Adventist Church, says that he and a team of health professionals has just returned from Africa and Asia. "The vital task is to promote awareness, behavior modification, education and abstinence," he asserts. "We visited schools, churches and hospitals, conducting sessions dealing specifically with myths surrounding HIV/AIDS including cultural issues."

A seven-part video series produced by the Adventist Church is being broadcast by satellite to 400 downlink sites in southern Africa. These community events are expected to reach at least 250,000 people. ADRA also operates many AIDS awareness programs, as well as projects designed to support AIDS sufferers and their families. The Adventist Church's many hospitals and healthcare facilities provide direct medical help to HIV/AIDS victims.

In a parallel development, the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) announced March 19 the launch of a new initiative to help provide women involved in the AIDS epidemic. Not only suffering from AIDS themselves, women are also being forced to give up their work and studies to care for families ravaged by AIDS. The USD 3 million UN project aims to help women so affected in ten developing countries. [Viola Hughes]

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Adventists Affirm UN Call for Girls' Right to Education

Silver Spring, MD... United Nations special rapporteur Professor Katarina Tomasevski called on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to do more to promote the right to education, especially for girls, during the UN Commission on Human Rights meeting April 4, 2002, in Geneva, Switzerland. "Religion, culture, and economic excuses are often raised as reasons for discriminating against education for girls and women. To be sold into marriage is still a fate of many girls in the world today. We need to work for the full enjoyment of all human rights, which will mean that educating girls will not be seen as a burden to the family. By building support for human rights among women, we will also strengthen their own motivation for education."

Tomasevski added that she appreciated that the question of gender was now on the educational agenda-since girls are so frequently discriminated against when it comes to the right to education. "As yet, the principle of the right to education has not become a reality and greater involvement is needed," she affirmed. She also pointed to the lack of data especially on discrimination, and also the need to make sure education for all was made a top funding priority.

"The key human rights contribution is converting education from discretionary to obligatory budgetary allocation," she observed. "Human rights obligations are a corrective for budgetary allocations."

Latest global literacy figures released from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reveal that nearly two-thirds of the estimated 875 million illiterate adults are women.

"The Seventh-day Adventist Church, both in principle and in practice, demonstrates its endorsement of the right to education," commented UN Adventist representative Dr. Jonathan Gallagher who attended the Commission in Geneva. "Discrimination by gender denies girls the opportunity to develop their God-given potential, and seriously harms their development, as well as negatively affecting society. I appreciated the opportunity to tell Professor Tomasevski that we fully support the UN 'education for all' initiative, and that through our world-wide school system are doing our part to make it happen." [Viola Hughes]

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