Latest News
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Defending democracy: Was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo elected or nominated?
Calls for a votes recount in the December 30, 2018 Presidential and parliamentary elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo came from countries in Africa, Europe, and North America and from international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU). However, the Congolese government…
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A Glove that translates sign language
Roy Allela is a 25-year-old Kenyan engineer who has recently received recognition for inventing smart gloves that allow sign language to be translated into audio speech via an Android application. The inspiration behind the creation of these gloves, known as Sign-IO, was Allela’s 6-year-old niece who was born deaf. He noticed she was having a…
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AFJN referenced in the International Institute for Counter Terrorism
On January 13, 2019, the Africa Faith and Justice Network was referenced in Dr. Shaul Shay’s article “Egypt and the CEN-SAD counterterrorism” in International Institute for Counter Terrorism. Read the full article here: https://www.ict.org.il/Article/2314/The_CEN_SAD#gsc.tab=0
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Catholic Nuns Ask Government to Protect Communities not Big Investors
Introduction Investments that aim at eliminating poverty, creating jobs, and promoting prosperity are generally lauded and promoted. But when investments compromise the ability of the individual or community to achieve prosperity, enriching the few on the back of the others, that investment should be called out and outlawed. Large scale agro investments have potential gains…
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Labor Export or Human Trafficking: Tackling the Labor Laws in Uganda
The Africa Faith & Justice Network’s (AFJN) Women Empowerment Project is making impact across Africa, this time in Uganda and in partnership with the Association of Religious in Uganda (ARU). The coalition set out to tackle Human Trafficking with concrete results to show but the hard work to hold those responsible, and prevent Ugandan youth…
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A Message From Catholic Church Sisters of Dioceses of Southern Highlands Regions of Tanzania to Leaders of Tanzania About the Large Scale Investments on Agriculture
From October 9 – 12, 2018, we sisters from the Dioceses in Southern Highland Regions of Tanzania in partnership with the African Faith & Justice Network (AFJN) met in the Monastery of Kamalidolis, Mafinga to pray and to reflect together about the challenges facing our sisters and brothers living in places with large investors in…
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Letter to President John Magufuli: Protect the people of Muwimbi Village from land grabbing
After returning from Iringa District in Tanzania where, from October 7-13, 2018, he trained and mobilized women religious and the community to tackle issues of land grab and dislocation of families in the area, Fr. Aniedi Okure, OP, could not remain silent after witnessing firsthand how people have been affected by the evil of land…
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Catholic Nuns fight water and land grab in Muwimbi Village in Iringa District/ Tanzania
Africa Faith & Justice Network (AFJN) continues to move forward with its women empowerment project for social, economic, and political transformation for Africa’s most vulnerable and exploited. This November AFJN conducted advocacy training for Catholic nuns in Tanzania. Using the acquired skills, the nuns conducted town hall meetings in several villages, including Muwimbi village in…
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AFJN’s 35th Anniversary and Policy Briefing: Dr. Kimberly Stanton Comments (standing in for Rep. James P. McGovern)
My sincerest apologies that Rep. McGovern had to cancel his appearance at the last minute. He very much regrets that he is unable to be here this morning and sends his congratulations on your 35th anniversary. (Download PDF File) I first met Rep. McGovern in the early 2000s, when I was advocating on behalf of…
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Melania Trump to Visit Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt following President Trump’s Remarks on Africa
Melania Trump, first lady to the United States, recently visited Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt as a part of her “Be Best” campaign which promotes the physical, mental and emotional health of children worldwide. She began her trip at the Ridge Hospital in Ghana, focusing on the high mortality rates the country faces. Melania’s time…
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Africa in Global Perspective then and Now
Stop for a minute and think of the saying attributed to the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus: “The only thing that is constant is change.” Then take a cursory look at the changes that have taken place in the last thirty five years, a period that coincides with the age of the Africa Faith & Justice Network…
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Open Letter: Zambia Must Respect International Law
August 24, 2018 Dear Mr. President, Re: Zambia Must Respect International Law The Africa Faith & Justice Network (AFJN) unequivocally and in the strongest words possible condemn Zambia’s asylum rejection of Mr. Tendai Biti, a Senior member of Zimbabwe’s opposition MDC Alliance. This action is a blatant violation of International Refugee Law, sets a…
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AFJN’s Exe. Director Rev. Aniedi Okure, OP featured in the Voice of America
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is an American civil rights icon, but his influence traveled far from the shores of the U.S. From Australia to Germany to Niger, boulevards and streets bear his name, illustrating how he inspired others, especially in Africa.
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Anxiety as Tanzania Pressures Burundian Refugees to Return Home
The decision of Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term in 2015 triggered a political crisis and widespread violence in that country, with hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees fleeing to neighboring Tanzania. Three years later, the government of Burundi now claims that political stability has been restored and is working with…
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AFJN’s Rev. Aniedi Okure, OP mentioned in The Catholic Sun
In its infancy, many of the parishes in the Phoenix Diocese were founded by priests from Ireland who left their native land to serve in the Southwest.
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Nigerian teenagers win World tech innovation challenge
Despite all odds, women in Nigeria are breaking the code in technology. Yesterday, August 9th, five teenage girls from a Catholic Secondary school Regina Pacies in Onitsha Anambra state Nigeria challenged the world of technology and emerge as the gold winners among 2000 technological giants from around the world. The team, who developed an app…
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Nigeria is Proud to Have a Winning Contestant in the Worlds Most Global Literary Prize
This years 2018 Commonwealth Short Story Prize announced a Nigerian-German writer Efua Traoré as the regional winner for Africa. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is the most global literary award, it holds competition for the best piece of unpublished short fiction stories open to Commonwealth citizens at least 18 years of age. The prizes are…
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Come one, Come all ! Join us for a Policy Briefing on “Africa in Global Perspective”
Please mark your calendar for the celebration of Africa Faith & Justice Network’s 35 Years of Advocacy, Capacity Building and Education for Transformation. The 35th Anniversary Celebration is scheduled for Friday September 14, 2018 from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm in Washington DC, Dirksen Senate Building, Room SD 106. The theme of the Public Event…
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Summary of US Army Presence and Engagement in Africa
In March 2018, General Thomas D. Waldhauser, Commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), testified in front of the House Armed Services Committee, as he gave command’s annual Posture Statement to Congress. Part of the importance behind military Generals testifying before Congress is to consider funding for various national defense and military operations. The…
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Uganda’s Post-Colonial History of Dictators and a Warning for the Future
A brief account of the major Uganda’s regimes cannot possibly do justice to their impact to on the country today, but in order to understand, one must begin somewhere. However, this short piece is designed to provide an overview into the deep-seated issue of authoritarianism in Uganda. Uganda gained its independence from the United Kingdom…
