Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa

FECCIWA is about more than just charity programs. We take action to build new relationships based on human dignity and justice among all men and women in an effort to bring all Christian churches into a visible unity in one faith as the agent of change in West Africa.

FECCIWA promotes the visible involvement of national councils and churches in holistic development in West Africa. 

FECCIWA supports West African church leaders in developing engagement strategies for the region. It also encourages them to cooperate with intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations in West Africa. Moreover, FECCIWA is a resource centre for grass-roots and community-based organisations working on peace and conflict transformation in the region.

FECCIWA focuses its efforts on the following areas:

Climate change

Climate change is threatening to undermine churches’ efforts to achieve human and social development in West Africa. Erratic rainfall and extreme weather associated with climate change are jeopardizing agriculture in many West and Central African States. The heaviest burden associated with  climate change today is being borne by  the poorest of the poor in many countries in West Africa. FECCIWA is developing a strategy to mitigate the effects of drastic climate change.

Food security

We campaign for adequate access to food as a basic human right. To protect small-scale farmers and poor consumers - we promote fair-trade and just food policies. We are looking for new and adaptable technologies for farmers to improve their farming practices. We are campaigning for: 'Eat what you Grow – Grow what you Eat' to protect local markets from being flooded with foreign goods and to strengthen local products and farmers to ensure food security. We promote relief systems for low income people who are suffering from hunger as a result of injustice, natural catastrophes, or conflicts.

Combating corruption

Corruption hurts everyone and undermines democracy. Corruption violates political and civil rights by rendering political institutions and processes ineffective. Corruption weakens the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. Corruption infringes on economic and social rights by denying equitable access to public services such as health and education and creates obstacles to earning a livelihood. Therefore we campaign for 'Zero Tolerance on Corruption'.

Human rights

We campaign for human rights, justice and equality in West Africa.

FECCIWA is fostering solidarity for people living with HIV and AIDS and works towards reducing the stigma attached to HIV and AIDS affected people.

FECCIWA is working to eliminate small arms and light weapons in West Africa to ensure sustainable peace in the region.

FECCIWA addresses the root causes of gender-based violence in West Africa. FECCIWA seeks to increase women’s participation and numbers in church leadership. It also seeks to increase awareness and analysis among member Christian councils and churches of the implications of structural economic violence against West African women. It also campaigns for better laws and better implementation of existing laws against rape in West Africa. FECCIWA is working to abolish harmful and discriminatory traditional practices against women.

Good governance

We work to promote and strengthen civil societies in West Africa the level of accountability, democratic values and security. We work together with decision-makers to improve the lives of people in West Africa. FECCIWA monitors elections in the region to ensure that they are free, fair and transparent.

Capacity building

We build leadership capacity through capacity-building workshops on:

• Lobby and advocacy
• Human rights and the rule of law
• Peace building and peace making
• Trauma healing and reconciliation
• Group training on financial management and church administration.

We believe that every citizen in West Africa has the right to:

A livelihood

We campaign for food security and better protection of natural resources.  

Education and health

Being well-educated and healthy is the way out of poverty. FECCIWA works together with decision-makers to change policies in order to pave the way for affordable and accessible health care and education for all.

Being heard

Citizens living in poverty often have little influence on decisions that affect their lives. FECCIWA cooperates with civil society organisations to help to give a voice to the voiceless.  

Being treated equally

Marginalised groups, such as women and the disabled, are more likely to be poor. We therefore work towards changing policy to ensure that all people have equal access to employment, basic social services and influence in their communities.