ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates Pentecostal responses to human rights violations associated with women, young people, and children. Human rights scholars and advocates agree that human rights and development are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The first part of the chapter discusses recent debates on religion, human rights and development, especially as they impinge upon the experience of women and children in Africa. This is followed by an examination of Pentecostal interventions. Nigeria has ratified several international human rights agreements fighting human trafficking and protecting the rights of women and children. It has also enacted laws to combat child abuse, human trafficking, and violence against women. Despite these measures, however, government implementation remains a problem. In response, Pentecostal churches and NGOs are joining secular NGOs and other FBOs in addressing the needs of street children, prostitutes, and trafficking victims. As I will show, these initiatives are shaped by Pentecostals’ religious worldview, their conceptions of the family, and a theology of ministry that emphasises healing, empowerment, and transformation. What sets them apart from government and other civil society organizations is their emphasis on spiritual formation, empowerment, and equipping for ministry.
