EKD-Bulletin Human rights versus hunger and poverty Churches as champions for those affected Human rights are still a topic for discussion and trigger many arguments. For Christians, the biblical presentation is fundamental, that all people are created by God and are equally deserving. Civil-political and economic, social and cultural rights are part of a total legal concept. It is precisely the social rights that have lately moved increasingly into the focus of church work. It may be astonishing, but the theme of human rights is for church development work closely connected with the question of how poverty can be overcome in the world.
Hunger can kill just as well as a bullet.
The right to free elections or press freedom is of little use to a starving person in Africa, when he is deprived of his basic right to nutrition. On the other hand, we know that in democratic countries with a free press and an active opposition, there is generally no famine even when there is great poverty. In a democracy, even those in power may possibly have to suffer poverty and hunger. The Church Development Service contributes to the realisation of human dignity with their work in the countries of the southern hemisphere. People are enabled, in the face of the unequal opportunities in their lives, to speak out for a just, democratic and sustainable society.