Religious leaders as mediators

In the article on sexual wellbeing in the context of religious and cultural diversity, you have seen how pastor Rachel Theodor Smith addresses sexuality in the church. In doing so, she developed herself as a mediator between public health organizations that struggle to give people from religious and cultural minority groups access to knowledge and skills to realize sexual wellbeing.

Please watch the video in which Vusi Cebekhulu from Sonke Gender Justice in South Africa and Godfrey Nakai from SAFAIDS in Zimbabwe explain why their organizations work with religious leaders to transform gender based violence and inequality.

Reflect on the following questions:

• What reasons do they give that suggest that religious leaders should be mediators of knowledge and skills on gender and sexual wellbeing?
• Can you think of other actors in religious communities that can play mediating roles (consider gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity etc.)?

We invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section.