Towards Integrated Sustainable Development in Africa: A Case of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians 2019–2024

The need to promote integrated approaches to the world’s interconnected social, economic, and environmental challenges gave birth to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Faith-based organizations (FBOs) and actors are critical partners in achieving the seventeen goals by 2030. Feminist FBOs exert tremendous influence on women’s and men’s identities, behavior, and beliefs. The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians (herein the Circle) generates new narratives about the role of religion, culture, and faith in achieving gender equality. Using the Circle as a case study, this chapter examines how gender equality can be integrated with the SDGs toward achieving the 2030 Agenda. The Circle’s approach to religion/theology, environment, and SDGs, with SDG5 (gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls) as a cross-cutting issue, and religion as the lens through which the environment and SDGs are explored, as set out in its strategic plan July 2019–2024, is reviewed, given prompting integrated approach to sustainable development in Africa. The chapter argues for the integration of gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls with the other SDGs through interdisciplinary, interreligious, intersectional, and transformative approaches to development that listen to the voices of faith actors, feminist movements, religious communities, and voices from grassroots.