Participation of African Catholic Sisters in G20 Interfaith Forum Commendable: Kenya-based Hilton Foundation Official

The Catholic Sisters’ participation in the G20 IF20 demonstrates that efforts to strengthen their voices in key decision-making platforms are yielding positive results, she said.

The Kenyan member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Mombasa (SSJ) told ACI Africa that it is gratifying to see women Religious “represented in forums where issues are discussed, because they are the ones who know where it hurts for the people.”

“We are religious leaders, and our voice should also be heard in the Interfaith Forum,” the Nairobi-based Hilton Foundation official told ACI Africa on August 12.

“People are very excited to see Sisters and in all the panel discussions that we are attending so far, or we have attended or participated in so far, we are able to tackle issues. This is a very powerful place where now the Sisters are very visible,” she said.

Sr. Njeri further said that the expectation of the Sisters at the IF20 forum is “to voice their concerns about what's happening on the ground” and “to create awareness that Sisters also exist as well as to show that our work matters.”

According to her, the delegation of Catholic Sisters from African countries at the five-day forum set to conclude on August 14 is advocating for the G20 Summit to address, among other issues, access to healthcare, poverty and hunger, gender equality in leadership and decision-making, and the inclusion of persons with disabilities and youth.

Credit: Sr. Agnes Njeri

She also highlighted the impact of debt repayment on African nations as an important issue, adding that it is hurting ordinary citizens and depriving vulnerable populations of essential services.

“We’ve realized that African nations are suffering a lot because they’re paying debt. The crisis is really affecting the common citizen and the most vulnerable. Everything they get in the form of taxes, instead of going back to help in education and health, is being taken away to settle the debts,” lamented Sr. Njeri.

She went on to express hope that collective advocacy from religious communities, civil society, and policymakers can result in reforms that prioritize people’s well-being over debt repayment. She added, “We know it’s not easy, but together we can.”

The Hilton Foundation official also shared her views on the theme of the IF20 forum, “Ubuntu in Action, Focus on Vulnerable Communities”.

The theme, she said, reflects the recognition that religion has at times been a source of division rather than harmony. “We’ve seen that many times religion is also bringing division, and there’s no way we can survive without each other as religious leaders,” Sr. Njeri noted.

The theme, she went on to say, challenges religious leaders to reflect on why, despite the large number of people professing various religions worldwide, the world still faces conflict, injustice, and mistrust.

For her, the theme of the G20 IF20 is also an invitation to faith-based leaders to embrace the “golden rule” common to all traditions, treating others, as one would wish to be treated, and to lead the people of God by example.

Credit: Sr. Agnes Njeri

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“The religious leaders are the mirrors to the community. If you see the community rotten, then it is staring from the head. That is why we need Ubuntu — we must work together,” she said referring to the theme of the G20 IF20.

Meanwhile, in a statement on August 7, the Chairperson of the IF20 local Organizing Committee in South Africa, David Musoma, said that the objective of the event is “to assemble the religious leaders to craft practical solutions informed by the tenets of their faith.”

Mr. Musoma said, “The religious actors will be required to use the conference as a mining field of ideas where the interplay of theory and practice of faith is interwoven and sharply articulated in a world that is hurt and hungry for justice, transformation, and restoration of human dignity.”

“I encourage delegates to use the conference to network, build bridges of unity and collaboration, and create far-reaching, practical solutions that benefit communities in South Africa, Africa, and the globe,” he said.