World Communion of Reformed ChurchesNIFEA group calls for reimagined alternatives
Meeting at the same time as the G20 summit in Delhi, India, a group of social thinkers, community activists, theologians, and religious leaders has called for “radical alternatives” to be reimagined “as an alternative to capitalism, state domination, patriarchy, ableism, cis-heteronormativity, and all forms of racism and casteism.”
“Multiple spheres of systemic alternatives are already present, from Indigenous ecological resilience and wisdom, radical democracy, economic democracy, culture and knowledge diversity, social justice, and well-being,” stated a communiqué issued by the group.
During their deliberations on the issues of life and livelihood that were important in the Indian as well as the global context, the group heard the voices of women, Dalits, Indigenous people, sexual minorities, and people living with disabilities.
“Climate change is causing extreme weather disasters, and biodiversity and pollution are making it harder for vulnerable people to live in a sustainable way,” noted the communiqué. “Poverty, hunger, and social inequality are at an all-time high, and a huge debt crisis puts countries at risk of losing their economic sovereignty. All of this calls for a shake-up in the global economic system that is fair and sustainable.”
“The vulnerability of the global systems has exposed the crisis as regards the unsustainability of the current development paradigms, which continues to perpetuate deadlyhoods rather than livelihoods, contrary to sustainability of the local economic and financial architecture.”
The group called “upon the G20 to reiterate its commitment to achieving an inclusive, gender-just, equitable global order in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.”
The meeting was brought together through the New International and Financial Architecture (NIFEA) process. NIFEA is a collaborative ecumenical effort of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Methodist World Council, and Council for World Mission. It is supported by funds from Otto per Mille.
Image: Indigenous women gather for a rally at the United Nations climate change conference COP27, calling for justice and for Indigenous women’s voices to be heard (Albin Hillert/Life on Earth).