Churches in Africa are being urged to speak out more forcefully about sexual violence against women, an issue highlighted by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Speaking at a United Nations conference in New York, Annan said there has been progress in the past decade with regards to women's rights, but further action is needed to stop violence against women. "That means leadership in showing, by example, that when it comes to violence against women and girls, there are no grounds for tolerance and no tolerable excuses."
In a response to such urgency, the Kenyan-based Tamar Campaign was recently launched in Nairobi. The initiative is named after the Biblical figure Tamar who was raped by her half brother Amnon. (2 Samuel 13) "Gender violence is escalating," said Rev. Fred Nyabera, acting director of the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa. "Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war. The Church has a moral obligation to respond to this."
Rev. Nyambura Njoroge, a minister with the Presbyterian Church of East Africa in Kenya and a program executive of the World Council of Churches, said clergy have a responsibility to speak out about sexual violence against members of their churches.
"It is a scandal, unacceptable and sinful that those set apart to invite parents, guardians and believers to bring children for dedication and baptism remain silent when their bodies are violated and left for dead."
Critics have said the mostly-male church leadership in Kenya has been largely silent about reports of child sexual molestation, incest and rape.
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