By Virginia Siebela and Ryan Mumo
More than 150 religious leaders from across the world have pledged to champion gender equality, reproductive health, and the inclusion of women in key decision-making spaces.
The leaders, drawn from Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, the Bahá’í Faith, and African Traditional Religions, also committed to becoming ambassadors of peace within their communities.
The commitments were made during the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the International Interfaith Convention, held in Machakos under the theme “Faith Actors: Stewards of Change.”
The four-day gathering was organized by Faith to Action Network and honored delegates for their contributions to social transformation.
Lenox Sirinka, a youth leader from Kilifi County and recipient of the Change Makers Award, spoke about the plight of adolescent girls facing teenage pregnancies.
He attributed the challenge to the absence of open dialogue and mentorship, pledging to use his recognition to “foster intergenerational conversations between elders and youth, addressing the barriers that prevent young people from speaking out.”
Pastor David Mwambo from Migori County underscored the importance of empowering youth with faith-based values.
“We have become change makers because after this we are going to implement what we have learned. Some of our girls are getting early pregnancies at a young age, but through the knowledge we acquired, we are going to talk to our youths so they can understand they are God’s temples,” he said.
Mwambo added that leaders will spread the message across churches, schools, workplaces, and recreational centers to help young people embrace responsibility and make informed choices about their lives.
From West Africa, Iogoba Wolsi highlighted the value of continental collaboration.
“We have 11 countries in West Africa, and we came here as a group to contribute to the interfaith convention with our ideas and experiences. One important thing we are getting from here is networking, which is key for our work in the region, as well as partnership and unity in the campaign for gender justice,” he explained.
Wolsi pointed out that similar initiatives had been carried out in Togo, where 20 religious leaders were honored for championing gender justice.
Shina Mbao, Programs Manager at Faith to Action Network, praised the convention for amplifying authentic voices of faith leaders.
“For the three days that we have had faith leaders from around the world, the most important thing that has happened is that authentic faith voices have spoken about peace and gender justice. They are going to help society,” she said.
Mbao noted that the annual gathering will continue, with faith leaders encouraged to step beyond the pulpit and actively engage with societal issues, integrating their perspectives into community development efforts.
The convention also created space for dialogue, training, and the exchange of experiences, giving religious leaders renewed motivation to challenge harmful misconceptions about the role of faith in addressing social challenges.
