After a successful training workshop conducted by INERELA+ Tanzania on the 14th of May 2024 in Dar es Salam, Archbishop Charles Asher Howard one of the six participants (2 Religious leaders, 1 duty bearer, 2 male/female youth champions) confessed the new knowledge he acquired during a one-day workshop facilitated by Mr Shaabani Rulimbiye a Human rights advocate working as a consultant in Tanzania. The Pentecostal Archbishop who leads worships at Mbezi Evangelical Fellowship Church of Tanzania in Ubungo District for over 38 years started by saying: “I will take this knowledge gained to uphold the rights of different groups including children.”
He went on to testify that, “Before this training my knowledge on human rights issues was very little and limited to some issues. I didn’t know that human rights are fundamental to human being development in all aspect of human life and key to allow every human being to reach their full potential. I also didn’t know that human rights are key for all human development if at all rights preserved by all actors including government. However, I have come to realize due to its potential to human life; human rights are to be protected and promoted so as to allow people and countries to live together peacefully. Through the imparted knowledge on human rights, I will carry them to make different changes in the society and push all actors including government to practice and promote human rights for the betterment of all human being.
I will commit myself in promoting fundamental rights of children regardless of their religions background often at risks of their rights been deprived. I will also make sure that children find themselves enjoying their lives with proper upbringing. However, I will take part in upbringing the children through religious teaching to be spiritually and morally well. Since the training, the archbishop now shares from the pulpit human rights issues and encourage his congregants across Ubungo District to uphold human rights and treat all humanity equally. Archbishop is a member of the Religious Leaders’ National Peace Committee and is taking advantage of their meetings to further the cause of women and children as far as. Protecting their right is concerned. In his testimony, Archbishop committed to hold the government accountable by also ensuring that policy and legislative reforms aimed at enhancing human rights protection by the government are shared through his churches and amplify the need for positive masculinity among men and boys.