Abidemi Sanusi Interviews Sally Mavin, Publications Editor, Christian Solidarity Worldwide

In which Christian Writer takes a look at the world of human rights and asks how and if Christian writers really can make a difference.

 

I was a human rights worker for five years. For the most part, my job consisted of managing the UK office of the charity I worked for while the other part involved travelling to post-conflict English-speaking West African countries. People thought my job was glamorous. I on the other hand wondered what good, if any, I was doing. In September 2004, I was at a gathering of African women campaigning for the ratification of the protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. The protocol was an ambitious one covering all aspects of African women's lives. Most importantly, if ratified by African governments it would facilitate the enactment of enabling laws and policies at national level. Like I mentioned earlier, the protocol was great, groundbreaking even, but one particular Article presented a whole host of challenges for me as it did the African governments who refused to ratify the protocol because of it.

 

Article 14:2c of the protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa states that:

 

States Parties shall take appropriate measures to protect the reproductive rights of women by authorising medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the foetus.

 

As evil as war and rape was, I knew what the Bible said about the value of life - all lives. Said a 60-odd devout Muslim woman at the conference, 'I am sick and tired of our women dying in backend abortion clinics that animals would not even spit on.' I asked the Lord why I was at that conference. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be back in London with my 'safe' challenges. That conference wasn’t the easiest one I went to but then, the Bible never said it would be easy. I am always grateful for the prayers of my home group leader during those years. Knowing she prayed for me while I was on my travels gave me strength. I've lost count of the number of times I would come back from my travels and she would ask, 'What happened on such and such date? The Lord had me up half the night praying for you.' We would compare notes and it would turn out that her prayers coincided with my challenging periods 'in the field.'

 

So, today, in your prayers, spare a prayer for your Christian brothers and sisters working in and making difficult choices in their capacity as human rights workers. 

I’ve often remarked that my words are all I've got. I was once a volunteer speaker for Release International. Part of my responsibilities included speaking in local churches to raise awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians around the world. I understand that not everyone can do that but there are other ways to help. You can write a letter to your MP asking him what he is doing about the plight of Christians in certain countries. Release International (RI) and Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) publish magazines packed full of daily prayer requests, many times of individuals in peril and of nations they would like us to pray for. 

 

Ever thought about working in human rights as a writer? I emailed Sally Mavin, Publications Editor of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and here’s what she had to say.

 

First thing’s first. Fairtrade coffee. Definitely a much-needed perk to start the day! For me, the great thing about publishing is that there is no monotony in terms of a regular daily routine. Depending on where I am in my schedule, each day is different. I might be editing articles for Response, answering supporter letters, proofreading advocacy reports, writing articles for magazines, meeting with printing houses or designers, brainstorming ideas for developing our publications or altering content for our website, www.csw.org.uk. At present I run a seven-week schedule, which includes allocated slots for writing, editing, designing, printing and distribution. Particularly during the designing and printing period, I spend a lot of time surgically attached to my phone checking everything’s in order!

 

 

Most editors will agree that editing your own work is the hardest thing to do, and for this reason I try to avoid writing articles for Response. I like to incorporate a variety of writing styles in the publication, so we have a number of contributors. At CSW we are extremely lucky to have many talented writers, so depending on the content of an article, the copy is generally produced by staff or interns. Advocacy Officers in particular contribute regularly to the magazine, as they are the ones travelling around the world to visit victims of religious persecution. By engaging with the persecuted Church on a regular basis, they are in the best position to find out what persecuted Christians need us to pray and protest about.

 

My faith and my work are entirely inextricable. Working for a Christian human rights organisation allows me to put my faith into action every single day, and this makes me extremely lucky. What I find most compelling about this work is the enormous challenge it has presented me with in terms of my faith. Meeting Christians who have been imprisoned, tortured, attacked and threatened is an incredible experience. Their love, generosity and enormous capacity to forgive are overwhelming, forcing me to look at my own values and behaviour and to question the legitimacy of my own complaints.

 

There is often a misguided assumption amid the general public that ‘my letter won’t make a difference’. But take the case of Hamid Pourmand, an Iranian pastor who was sentenced to death for converting from Islam to Christianity. CSW along with other NGOs mobilised supporters to write to the Iranian authorities as well as their local MPs and MEPs, asking for their intervention. At his trial in May 2005, the Islamic judge acquitted Pastor Hamid with the words, “I don’t know who you are, but the rest of the world does.” What better proof that one letter can indeed be the difference between life and death? Practical involvement from the public is essential, not just for advocacy but also for solidarity. For a persecuted Christian serving time in prison, it can be a lonely and terrifying experience. For this reason we also encourage supporters to write cards and letters to prisoners, letting them know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

 

If you are a freelance writer, it is particularly important to know your subject. More so than writing for an aid charity, human rights can be an extremely complex and sensitive subject. If you are starting out, it is a good idea to contact human rights charities to see what opportunities are available, but don’t expect to get paid much (if at all) for article contributions. However, having your name in print is invaluable for a portfolio. Mainstream publications may take the odd article on human rights, but unless you are an established journalist or linked to an NGO, you may find it very difficult to get published. As with any writing, it is important to know your audience. Before pitching an article or concept, get hold of some copies of the publication and study its style and content. As an editor, it is a frustration being contacted by writers whose emails and work samples are littered with spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors, so make sure you proofread your submission thoroughly. Most importantly, keep trying. There are hundreds of human rights charities out there, both Christian and secular, so don’t be disheartened if you are rejected. Keep writing, keep reading and constantly explore new ways to broaden your style.

 

I think in the case of many people, it is sympathy for a particular issue which draws them into human rights. For me it was the death penalty. I had begun writing to a prisoner on death row in the US through a secular charity called Human Writes. As time went on ,I began to feel enormously frustrated with the pointless concept of punishing murder with murder, and this frustration began to broaden when I considered other issues such as forced labour, torture and extrajudicial killing. I have always been an ethically-minded person, supporting a number of charities throughout my youth. For many years I wanted to be a human rights lawyer, but my degree (English and theology) took me on a different path and I began to realise that my strengths fitted perfectly for a career in publishing. Like most people wanting to embark on an arts-oriented profession, after graduating I had to slog it out for a couple of years in jobs that were painfully unimaginative (in my case online recruitment and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals!), building up the necessary editing and proofreading skills I needed to set me up in the charity sector. Sickeningly perhaps, I am proud to say that I love my job, as I am able to profess my faith and explore my interest in human rights on a daily basis. CSW’s Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas, has always said that it is God that brings staff to this organisation, and I think in my case he is absolutely right.

 

Future plans and how writers can help.

Many of the people reading this article will have never heard of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, and in many respects this is our biggest challenge. All too often Christians in the UK can be quite insular. It’s not that we don’t care about the plight of Christians in other countries, it’s simply that we’re not aware of it. Also, one of my biggest challenges as an Editor is to ensure that complicated situations of persecution can be broken down into creative and engaging articles that readers will enjoy. In 2007 we already have some exciting changes ahead. Response magazine will be relaunched in January with a brand new design, and I am looking to incorporate a wider variety of articles in terms of content and style. I am always on the look out for talented new writers and professional photographers who may want to donate their images to the magazine. In an ideal world my job would result in every Christian in the UK knowing about the persecution of Christians and actively doing something to prevent it. Now there’s something to aim for!