The Anglican Provinces in East Africa Safe Church Conference is meeting in Nairobi, Kenya (April 30 - May 4). The event is being hosted by the Anglican Church of Kenya, delegated to Anglican Development Services (ADS) and led by Executive Director Bwibo Adieri, who is the Kenya Provincial Representative to the Safe Church Commission.

Featuring local experts, testimony from survivors and panel discussion, the conference has gathered bishops, clergy and laity from across East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.

The theme of the conference is “Breaking the Silence: Restoring Dignity”, inspired by Proverbs 31:8-9, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

In his opening words, the Primate and Archbishop of all Kenya, The Most Reverend Jackson Ole Sapit said, “Our theme is not merely a conference slogan. It is a divine call: a call to repent, to reflect, and to reform. A call to speak where the Church has been silent. A call to restore what has been trampled – the dignity of the wounded, the trust of the faithful, and the holiness of the sanctuary.”

Bwibo Adieri, the Executive Director of the Anglican Development Services (ADS) Kenya and conference director, told the Anglican Communion Office, “The intentional and deliberate approach the Anglican Communion has taken to build the capacity for Safe Church at every level of her churches’ leadership has enabled this buy-in by the provinces in East Africa to address and prevent abuse. In Kenya, the investment from the very top – from our Archbishop and including the whole House of Bishops – is set to transform the way the church handles safeguarding issues, particularly the prevention and mitigation of existing abuses. I want to see all churches across East Africa having a safeguarding policy and, importantly, implementing this in their churches.”

One of the speakers, Bishop Rose Okeno of the Diocese of Bukere in the Anglican Church of Kenya, affirmed Safe Church as central to mission in the East Africa Provinces: “Safeguarding is not an attack on the church: it is the fulfilment of her mission."

Mandy Marshall, the Director for Gender Justice for the Anglican Communion who was invited to join the local organising team, commented, “Safeguarding is central to the good news of Jesus. Implementing safeguarding policies, practices and procedures are critical to ensuring all who come into contact with our church and church workers are not only kept safe from harm but also can worship without fear.

“The Safe Church Commission wants to see provinces and churches taking action and utilising the resources of the commission and bringing it 'home' to their own provinces and dioceses. It is wonderful to see how the provinces in East Africa are responding to the challenge and embracing the principles,  adapting them as needed for their own culture and context.”

The conference will conclude its programme of input, fellowship and collaborative planning on the 4^th May.

Find out more about the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission.