Mission och mänskliga rättigheter : Svenska Missionsförbundets missionsverksamhet i Kongo-Brazzaville 1909-1961 ur ett människorättsperspektiv

Sammanfattning: This paper’s purpose is to examine a Swedish missionary activity from a human rights perspective. As a scope I have chosen the Swedish evangelical mission to Congo-Brazzaville, from its establishment in 1909 to the congolese church's self-determination in 1961. I consider certain elements of the missionary activity that affect human rights, to discover wether the activity was in order with modern day human rights standards or not. During these years, Congo was part of the French colony Equatorial Africa, so the missionaries’ part in the colonial discourse is taken into consideration. Other rights areas that are considered are education, healthcare and standard of living, racial discrimination, women’s rights, the right to culture and indigenous peoples’ rights. It’s shown that European sovereignty is taken for granted and the missionaries generally consider the congolese culture and religion to be under-developed and heathen. Though, they differ from the colonists by their perspective on the congolese as a child of God with human dignity. They have also made valuable efforts in fields such as literacy and healthcare, and by creating a written language for the Congo people. The mission’s contribution to the human rights situation is ambiguous. They have made significant contributions through their social and developing programs, but have also in some ways been a part of the colonial influence and affected by contemporary colonial and racial doctrines.