Human Rights & Peacebuilding
We support legislation and policies that protect human rights, prevent atrocities, promote gender justice, and work towards reconciliation around the world. We also partner and work with provinces throughout the Anglican Communion.
Peace and Conflict
We call on the U.S. government and governments around the world to respect the dignity and human rights of every person and to support diplomatic resolutions in areas of conflict. We recognize the unique role that the U.S. and Congress can play in addressing and taking action on these issues.
Israel/Palestine
The Episcopal Church has a longstanding policy in support of reconciliation and restorative justice and advocates for sustainable, long-lasting peace. We advocate for a just and peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We lift up the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and their mission and life-saving ministries.
Yemen
OGR Spotlight: Yemen
The U.S government has engaged in a multi-pronged response to the conflict in Yemen. While it supports the United Nations efforts to find a political settlement, the U.S. continues to provide military assistance to the Saudi-led coalition, including the selling of armaments and munitions to the coalition in support of the US export market. It also continues to provide funding contributions for humanitarian aid. Read more.
Iran
Northern Triangle: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a multi-dimensional challenge: it deprives people of their human rights and freedoms, it is a global health risk, and it fuels the growth of organized crime. Human trafficking has a devastating impact on individual victims, and it undermines the safety and security of all the nations it touches.
The Episcopal Church, through General Convention, has long supported efforts to combat human trafficking. The Church supports legislation that protects human trafficking victims, particularly women and children. The Church also advocates for policies oriented to the recovery and reintegration of trafficking victims into society. We urge the U.S. government to work towards solutions to end modern slavery in all its forms and to partner with NGO’s, religious groups, and other governments to ensure we end this violation of human dignity.
As a member province of the global Anglican Communion, The Episcopal Church actively collaborates with international Anglican partners to confront the complex web of challenges around global migration that play a significant role in human trafficking.
Resources
In 2000, Congress enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.” (22 U.S.C. 7102)
There are currently more than 40 million human trafficking victims around the globe. The vast majority of those victims are women and children. This illegal underground industry generates roughly $150 billion each year.
Resources Developed by The Episcopal Church
- Updates from Episcopal News Service
- Episcopalians Against Human Trafficking
- Diocese of Texas Video: The Episcopal Church Fights Human Trafficking
- Diocese of New York Task Force Against Human Trafficking
- Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina Resources
- ”Unbind and Let Go” curriculum for congregations
- “Unbounded” anti-trafficking brochure
- NOT IN MY HOTEL toolkit
- Diocese of North Dakota brochures on addressing human trafficking
Resources Developed by Partners
- Archbishop of Canterbury and Ecumenical Patriarch commit to tackling modern slavery
- National Human Trafficking Hotline
- What to expect when you call the National Human Trafficking Hotline
- Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
- ECPAT-USA: To Prevent the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Children
- World Childhood Foundation USA
- Blue Campaign Against Human Trafficking
- The Polaris Project
- United Nations Political Declaration
- The Global Plan of Action to Stop Trafficking in Persons
- Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
- Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons
- 2018 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (GLOTIP)
- 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report, U.S. Department of State
Gender Justice
The Episcopal Church promotes gender equality around the world, and condemns all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls. By supporting U.S. foreign aid programs that prioritize the achievement of gender equality and empowerment of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, we seek to achieve a just world for all.
Gender-based violence is a particular international problem. Around the world, 1 in 3 women experience physical, sexual and psychological abuse in their lifetime. Women and girls in developing countries experience particularly high rates of gender-based violence. In addition to depriving women and girls of their human rights, gender-based violence impedes economic growth, destabilizes communities, and prevents women and girls from achieving better lives for themselves and their families
Gender-based violence, as defined by the United Nations in 1993, is any act “… that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.” According to the United Nations, gender-based violence is widespread across countries, classes, races, cultures, and religions and affects individuals, their families, and communities. It should be noted that men and boys are also subject to gender-based violence.
Resources
Resources Developed by The Episcopal Church
- Policy: Endorse Efforts Against Gender Violence
- Policy: Prioritize Gender Equality Concerns in Foreign and Church Aid
- Episcopal Relief and Development on Gender Equality
Resources Developed by Partners
- 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
- UN Women on Ending Violence Against Women
- WHO on Gender, Equity and Human Rights
- Anglican Alliance: Gender Justice
- Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Against Men: Know the Signs
- FaithTrust Institute
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Rape/Domestic Abuse Program
- Safe Horizon
- Sanctuary for Families
- White Ribbon Campaign
- Women’s Law Hotline
Contact:
The Office of Government Relations
eppn@episcopalchurch.org