Be aware. Do good. International Women’s Day 2012

March 8th is “International Women’s Day, a day of remembrance and reflection celebrated around the world since 1913,” according to Episcopal News Service.

Here are a few of the posts on our blog that have sought to increase awareness of the needs and issues of women and girls throughout our world and right in our own neighborhoods. As always, my hope and prayer is that with increased awareness of need and the whisper of the Holy Spirit, individual and collective action to meet these needs will result. Blessings on this International Women’s Day. ~dan

Episcopal Women’s Caucus and Anglican Women’s Empowerment – introduced on the Seventh Day of Christmas, this post includes links to other organizations by and for women and girls

Two Against Gender Violence – introduced in our Advent Calendar Day 14, this post links to ECS Julian’s Housing Program for Women and Children and Shelter from the Storm

Anglican Women gather in New York to consider Communion’s Advocacy Efforts – a post linked to an Anglican Communion News release in January. The post indicates how the Anglican Communion is addressing the issue of empowering women in rural settings.

charity: water – posted in our Advent Calendar, Day 24, this post raises awareness about how women and girls are adversely impacted by doing the work of obtaining water for the household (“women’s work”) and how charity: water by bringing water to a village (via wells, or filtration and storage systems) positively impacts the lives of these women and girls (Recommended: Water Changes Everything video)

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Image 1 from the International Women’s Day website | Image 2 from 3 inspiring french women

Anglican Women gather in New York to consider Communion’s advocacy efforts

Posted On : January 19, 2012 1:40 PM | Posted By : Anglican News Service
By Rachel Chardon, at the Anglican United Nations Office

Quote . . .Twenty Anglican women from countries1 including Australia, Bangladesh, Uganda and India are visiting the Anglican United Nations Office AUNO next month to engage with the UN’s 56th Commission on the Status of Women, which this year has ‘empowerment of rural women’ as its priority theme2.

Read the entire post: Anglican Communion News Service: Anglican Women gather in New York to consider Communions advocacy efforts.

I offer this as an invitation to continue in study, prayer, and action. During Advent and Christmas our Sunday Morning Forum offered several windows into the important work being done on behalf of women.

The article (I encourage you to read the whole post) mentions the need for clean water as a way to empower rural women. Again, our Opportunity Calendar can lead you to more information and your prayers will lead you to action.

Let’s keep learning, praying, and working to extend God’s reign and share God’s Peace, God’s Shalom. ~dan

Advent Calendar Day 7: 16 Days of Activism

16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

It’s never too late to be a voice to end violence. The final week of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (Nov. 25 – Dec. 10) sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University begins today (12/3).

Quote . . .Anglican Women’s Empowerment (AWE), the Episcopal Women’s Caucus (EWC), Episcopal Church Women (ECW) and Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) have teamed up to promote this year’s Episcopal 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, November 25-December 10. …

The Episcopal 16 Days campaign targets faith communities in the Episcopal Church and challenges them to participate in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, an international campaign sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University. Since its founding in 1991, more than 3,700 organizations in approximately 164 countries have participated in CWGL’s 16 Days campaign. The Episcopal Church began participating in 2010. (from the EWC E-newsletter of 29 November 2011)

Raising Awareness

“Since 1991, the annual 16 Days Campaign has mobilized more than 3,700 organizations in 164 countries to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of the multiple forms of violence women face. From Afghanistan to Iceland, the 16 Days Campaign has grown into a powerful platform to educate the public and governments about violence against women and human rights.” (from the 16 Days Press Release)

For the rest of the story: 16 Days Home Page. Hear what the Spirit is saying.

Local efforts to provide safety, raise awareness and offer “a hand up” include:
Shelter from the Storm (a Coachella Valley Resource)
Julian’s Housing Program for Women and Children (a program of Episcopal Community Services in San Diego)

Advent Calendar in one place
About the Online Advent Calendar


For further reflection

Official News Release about the campaign

New Brunswick, New Jersey—On November 25, 2011, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) will launch the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign. Hundreds of events by organizations worldwide are planned to campaign against gender-based violence, which is experienced by up to 70 % of women in their lifetime, according to the United Nations. It is estimated that worldwide, one in five women will experience rape or attempted rape. Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war, and malaria.

The 16 Days Campaign begins on November 25, the International Day Against Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10, International Human Rights Day. These dates symbolically link violence against women and human rights, and emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation. The 16 Days Campaign theme, From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!, puts the spotlight on militarism and its role in perpetuating violence against women and girls. “The violence we encounter is often profoundly influenced by national, regional, and international policies and practices, and challenges us to act in solidarity to promote an end to militarism and violence against women,” says Dr. Radhika Balakrishnan, Executive Director of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership; the coordinator of the 16 Days Campaign.

Over 250 events are planned worldwide to call for an end to militarism and violence against women, including: A Silent No More! march through Yerevan, Armenia, focusing on violence against women; Across Alice Springs, Australia, a series of arts events focused on women’s resilience is organized, including a quilt exhibition; In Lagos, Nigeria, student trainings and dialogues with media outlets will be held to sensitize communities about gender-based violence; The Center for Women’s Global Leadership will co-host a Java n’ Justice Coffeehouse, featuring a military fashion show, at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA.

This year, the Center is also partnering with Stardoll to bring the 16 Days Campaign to the online media site’s over 130 million users between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. Since 1991, the annual 16 Days Campaign has mobilized more than 3,700 organizations in 164 countries to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of the multiple forms of violence women face. From Afghanistan to Iceland, the 16 Days Campaign has grown into a powerful platform to educate the public and governments about violence against women and human rights.

View or download the Official Press Release of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign

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Photo: 16 Days of Activism official website


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