The Church of the Province of West Africa, which spans 8 countries and 19 dioceses, held a Safe Church Conference between 7 and 8 November. The conference followed the provincial synod (held 3 to 6 November) in Asante-Mampong, the diocese of the Archbishop and Primate, the Most Revd Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith.

The event was the result of many months of planning after Archbishop Cyril requested a safeguarding training event in West Africa. At the invitation of the primate, two members of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission attended to contribute to the conference: Dr Daphne Audsley (Deputy Chair of the Commission and Assistant Provincial Safeguarding Officer at the Scottish Episcopal Church) and Dr Kim Barker (Facilitator and Consultant for the Commission from the Anglican Church of Southern Africa).

They worked alongside a local team which included the Rt Revd Dr Festus Yeboah-Asuamah (a former member of the Commission and Bishop of Sunyani) and the Rt Revd Dibo Thomas-Babyngton Elango (Provincial Safe Church Representative for West Africa and Bishop of Cameroon). During the conference, delegates discussed the five safeguarding principles outlined in the Anglican Communion Safe Church Charter, and considered how to implement them in their diverse contexts. They also spent time in bible study considering leadership, power and accountability, as well as vulnerability and pastoral care.

Archbishop Cyril described the conference as ‘very successful’, saying that delegates attended from Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia and Cameroon. ‘The conference was impactful, educative and gave insight into what should be done to make our churches responsible and safe for everyone’, he said.

Kim Barker told Anglican News that ‘Delegates were energised by the conference and expressed strong commitment to strengthening safeguarding in the dioceses. Each diocese developed clear action steps to be taken on their return. What’s more, there was a heartfelt request for further capacity building and training.’

In recent years, similar events have been held in other provinces and regions, such as the Anglican Provinces in East Africa Safe Church Conference in Nairobi in April 2025 and a capacity-building event hosted by the Church of the Province of Central Africa in Zimbabwe in September 2024. In collaboration with the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission, these events are vital for providing training on safeguarding principles and for establishing how global best practices can be implemented across different cultural contexts.

The primary role of the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission is to develop high-level standards and capacity-development resources that enable every province, regardless of its location or resources, to build a safe church. Its work is grounded in the Charter for the Safety of People within the Churches of the Anglican Communion, which outlines five core commitments for every church organisation: to provide support for the abused, to ensure an effective response to allegations, to equip churches through education and pastoral ministry, to cultivate a culture of safety that prevents abuse and to conduct rigorous suitability checks for church staff and clergy.

More information

Learn more about the Anglican Communion Safe Church Commission and the Safe Church Charter.

See articles about previous Safe Church Conferences in East Africa and Central Africa.