Fer Ghanaa Ansari from Musawah speaks at the side event about the reformation of Muslim family law. Photo: LWF/ C. Kästner-Meyer
"God’s gift of human dignity and gender justice”
(LWI) - At a time when human rights and gender justice face growing threats, a high-level side event titled "Holding the Line: Advancing Human Rights and Gender Justice in Shrinking Space" convened multilateral and civil society voices at the United Nations in Geneva.
The event, co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Sweden and Brazil, the EU, ACT Alliance, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), World Council of Churches and other key partners, focused on collaborative strategies to push back against increasing restrictions on civic space, particularly for women and marginalized groups.
Pushback against women's rights
In their opening remarks, moderator Joanna Lilja (Act Church of Sweden) and Ambassador Magnus Hellgren, Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN in Geneva, highlighted a concerning trend of pushback against the rights of women and girls, as well as a global climate that is erasing the achievements of the past few decades.
"Around the world, we are witnessing a troubling rise in fundamentalisms—religious, political, and economic—that distort doctrine and appropriate faith to justify inequality, consolidate power, and fuel discrimination," said Rev. Dr. Elaine Neuenfeld, ACT Alliance's Gender Justice Program Manager.
Faith is not the problem. The distortion of faith is.
Rev. Dr. Elaine Neuenfeld, ACT Alliance Gender Justice Program Manager.
She underscored the importance of "Do No Harm" theology and inclusive religious interpretations. "Faith is not the problem. The distortion of faith is. And that's exactly where our response must begin."
God's gift of human dignity
Faith-based actors played a central role in the event, highlighting their dual role as moral voices and trusted community leaders in different contexts. "Churches hold a unique position in our society," said Mervin Sol H. Toquero, Deputy General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines.
"Beyond serving our role as a moral voice in society, we are also called to speak truth to power. We can use our prophetic voice and influence to denounce various human rights violations that further constrict civic space while announcing the protection of God's gift of human dignity and gender justice."
The panel at the side event featured human rights defenders from different regions and organizations. Photo: LWF/ C. Kästner-Meyer
Fer Ghanaa Ansari from Musawah, a global movement that advocates for equality and justice in Muslim family laws and practices, highlighted the power of reforming family laws by grounding them in justice-oriented interpretations of Islam. "Egalitarian laws are not just women's rights issues—they are justice issues that affect daily lives," she explained, detailing Musawah's global advocacy strategies.
Grassroots realities of discrimination
In an intervention from the floor, Epiphanie Nodjikoua Dionrang, from LWF's local partner organization, Chadian League for Women's Rights, shared about the challenges in advancing women's rights in her country. "We provide psychosocial, medical, and judicial support to women victims of gender-based violence," she explained. "We are attacked, we are molested, we are intimidated. On top of that, we are being persecuted because we make the government, and the authorities face their responsibility concerning these crimes."
Events like this help ensure that the lived experiences of women and marginalized groups from across the globe shape international human rights discourse and are not left out of the decisions that impact their lives.
Sikhonzile Ndlovu, LWF Senior Advocacy Officer Gender Justice
“Side events at the Human Rights Council provide space to bring grassroots realities into high-level discussions,” said Sikhonzile Ndlovu, LWF Senior Advocacy Officer Gender Justice. “We work alongside vulnerable communities—often affected by conflict, displacement, and poverty—where gender-based discrimination is both persistent and intensified. Events like this help ensure that the lived experiences of women and marginalized groups from across the globe shape international human rights discourse and are not left out of the decisions that impact their lives.”
The event reaffirmed the Beijing Platform for Action and called for strengthened alliances between governments, UN agencies, civil society, and faith actors. As Lilja concluded, "In this moment of backlash, we are grateful to those who raise their voices. Their courage guides the path forward."
LWF is actively participating in the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (16 June–9 July 2025), advocating for human rights in Iraq, Venezuela, and for the protection of women and girls. LWF also co-hosts a side event on advancing rights and gender justice amid shrinking civic space, amplifying the voices of communities it serves globally.
