Women and Justice: Speak Out through the ELCA’s study process (June 2016-June 2017)

Members of the ELCA-Lutheran World Federation delegation at the
59th UN Commission on the Status of Women, 2015, NYC.

What does our church say about women and justice, to generate discussion and encourage action? And how can we take part? Here are links and related resources:

1. Know that an ELCA Social Message on Gender Based Violence was adopted by the ELCA Church Council on November 14, 2015. ELCA Social Messages are "topical documents" that "focus attention and action on timely, pressing matters of social concern to the church and society.”

2. You are being invited to join in on developing an ELCA Social Statement on Women and Justice that will be presented to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2019. ELCA Social Statements are teaching and policy documents that help us discuss social issues in the context of our faith and life.

The ELCA Task Force on Women and Justice: One in Christ, a 19-member group from diverse walks of life, has the responsibility for leading the study process, with an anticipated timeline. Materials will be sent to every ELCA congregation and downloadable online, to invite responses from June 2016 to June 2017. Have an idea or concern? You can send a message to the task force at any time: womenandjustice@elca.org.

3. For biblical undergirding, you can use this three-session study resource on the Bible and Women.

4. For an overview on women and justice issues worldwide, and our church's involvement, here is an excellent summary about the March 2015 United Nations meeting"Beijing+20." You can also listen to a radio show about it. The UN Commission on the Status of Women is meeting again in March 2016, with ELCA and Lutheran World Federation participation.

-- Lily R. Wu for the LPF Women's Initiative

International Women’s Day March 8, 2016 Mobilizes Global “Pledge for Parity”

How often do you celebrate the women in your life, to show your appreciation and to strengthen them? Imagine doing this and boosting women’s equality too! March 8 is International Women's Day (IWD), to honor the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and encourage concrete actions for gender equality. This year’s theme: “Pledge for Parity.”

Action ideas:

1. Email/text/announce on Facebook: “It’s International Women’s Day, and I’m so thankful for you/the women in my life!”

2. Organize an inspirational day at church for honoring women. Come up with a creative title to draw people in. Share what IWD is and its potential for your community. Use excerpts from LPF’s Women’s Path of Hope in a prayer, sermon, or interactive group reading. Inspire with quotes from LPF’s Inspiration from Women.

Host a festive lunch. Arrange in advance for a few women speakers of different generations to thank a woman or man who supported their equality. Honor unsung women too, not only visible women leaders. Find a way for achievements to be specifically named. Dream up a symbolic, visual activity; e.g. participants write on a ribbon the name of a woman they honor and attach the ribbons as streamers onto a hoop. Take a group picture with the visual and caption it before sending to Facebook, local or synodical media.

3. See who wants to meet after your women’s day, to talk more about equality. Use LPF’s Women's Resources to affirm women and girls’ empowerment, including anti-violence work. Study the ELCA’s Social Statement on Women and Justice coming out in June 2016. (Response period will end June 2017. LPF will blog more about this soon.)

-- Lily R. Wu, LPF Women’s Initiative

(Illustration from IWD 2011 on their 100th anniversary.)

February 14: Dance with the One Billion Rising Revolution To End Violence Against Women

Violence has power. But active peacemaking has power too. Have you heard of One Billion Rising? It’s the largest mass action in human history to end violence against women. This global movement is based on the horrifying statistic that 1 in every 3 women in the world will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. With the world’s population at 7 billion, that’s one billion women and girls.

Launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, One Billion Rising expanded to 200 countries by 2014. It evolved in 2015 into the One Billion Rising Revolution. In 2016, the revolution escalates!

• The rallying cry is for systemic change: “overhauling, challenging, and fighting” corrupt systems…

• The goal is justice “for all survivors of gender violence and the impunity that protects perpetrators...”

• The determination is to “create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.”

• How can we get started?

• Be inspired by mass gatherings worldwide. See the panoramic YouTube video "One Billion Rising 2015 - La Rivoluzione."

• Sing with the music video "Break the Chain” (with captions on, to catch every word)!

• Learn the dance steps at "How to: Break the Chain Choreography" and introduce it to others. Also see “How to Dance ‘Break the Chain’ -- for the mobility compromised!”

• Check out the One Billion Rising Revolution website for more ideas. Don’t miss the toolkit, under “Resources.”

• Make use of Lutheran Peace Fellowship’s Women's Peace Resources for inspiration and empowerment. See "Stopping Violence Against Women and Girls," the “Women's Video Gallery,” and more.

• Pass this blogpost on to your friends. And share with us what inspires you to stop violence against women and girls, and to promote peace instead!

Lily R.Wu and Alan Forsberg

March 8 marks International Women’s Day Inspires Women to “Make It Happen”

Speak up for women’s rights or equality, and you’ll get different reactions depending on who’s listening. It’s par for the course for an activist, isn’t it? We need inspiration, resources, and kindred spirits to sustain and encourage us. International Women’s Day (IWD) March 8 reminds us there’s a global sisterhood and its supporters: to honor women, celebrate women’s achievements, and continue to press for justice and equality.


Women Made the Movement Happen

In 1908 in New York City, 15,000 women marched to demand shorter work hours, better pay and the right to vote.

In 1908 in Great Britain, the Women's Social and Political Union adopted a purple-white-green color scheme to show solidarity with Suffragettes.

In 1910 in Copenhagen, 100 women from 17 countries formed the first International Women’s Day.

In 1915 in Bern, Switzerland, the movement took on the cause of peace. At a demonstration to urge the end of World War I, women on both sides of the conflict took part.

The United Nations has observed IWD on March 8 since 1975. Issues have included rape as a weapon of war, sexual assault, domestic violence, and physical sexual violence.

Women in Action Today

• Visit the International Women's Day website, a global hub for news, events, and resources. Learn from selected videos. See their “Make It Happen” theme page for action ideas -- including “Paint it purple.”
• Explore LPF’s Women's Resources, a five-part treasure trove to affirm women and girls’ empowerment.Who in your church would be most interested? How can you support women’s efforts to “make it happen”?
• Share this blogpost with others. Join in to inspire change, stop violence and nurture peace with women! 

-- Lily R. Wu

(Illustration from IWD 2011 on their 100th anniversary.)

February 14: Dance with the One Billion Rising Revolution To End Violence Against Women

Here’s a statistic so shocking that it defies belief: 1 in every 3 women in the world will be raped or beaten in her lifetime, according to the One Billion Rising Revolution. Such a staggering issue calls for mighty action. Now here is our opportunity!

Launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, the One Billion Rising movement expanded to 200 countries by 2014. It is evolving in 2015 into the One Billion Rising Revolution: “the biggest mass action in human history to end violence against women.”

• The call is for systemic change: “overhauling, challenging, and fighting” corrupt systems. 
• The goal is justice “for all survivors of gender violence and the impunity that protects perpetrators...” 
• The determination is to “create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.”

How can we get started?

• Be inspired by mass gatherings worldwide; see the panoramic YouTube video "One Billion Rising 2015 - La Rivoluzione." 
• Sing with the music video "Break the Chain” (with captions on, to catch every word)! 
• Learn the dance steps at "How to: Break the Chain Choreography" and introduce this brilliant activity to others. (The dancing expresses joy, community, and not being defeated by violence.) Also see “How to Dance ‘Break the Chain’ -- for the mobility compromised!” 
• Check out the One Billion Rising Revolution website for more ideas. Don’t miss the toolkit, under “Resources.” 

And have you seen Lutheran Peace Fellowship’s Women's Peace Resources for inspiration and empowerment? See our action guide "Stopping Violence Against Women and Girls," the “Women's Video Gallery,” and more.

You can help too by passing this blogpost on to your friends. And do share with us what is inspiring you to stop violence against women and girls, and to promote peace instead!

Lily R.Wu and Alan Forsberg

LPF Launches "Women Nurturing Peace" Action Guide to Celebrate International Women's Day

Who are the special women in your life, past and present, who you hold in your heart with the highest esteem? And when they have faced hurtful, unjust experiences, which issues have most compelled you toward prayer and action?

Lutheran Peace Fellowship's Women's Initiative was created in Fall 2013 to support people of faith who want to protect and affirm women and girls. For March 8, International Women's Day (Theme: Inspire Change), LPF has launched among its Women's Resources a new action guide, "Nurturing Peace: the Gifts of Women." Ideas, quotes, and many weblinks are offered to honor and inspire action with faith-based and community groups.

International Women's Day, a time to honor all women, began during the Industrial Revolution as labor movements rallied for women's rights. (In 1908, 15,000 women marched through New York City demanding shorter work hours, better pay and the right to vote.) By 1911, marches and strikes in Austria, Denmark Germany and Switzerland led to the founding of the Day.

Later the movement took on the cause of peace as well as women's rights. When a demonstration was organized in 1915 in Bern, Switzerland to urge the end of World War I, women on both sides of the conflict turned out.

In 1975, the United Nations began sponsoring International Women's Day. (Theme: "Equality for women is progress for all.") Issues of focus have included rape as a weapon of war; sexual assault; domestic violence (603 million women live in countries where this is not considered a crime); and physical/sexual violence (up to 70% of women in the world reporting this in their lifetime).

Please join us to inspire change, stop violence and nurture peace with women.

-- Lily R. Wu, LPF board member for the LPF Women's Initiative

February 14: One Billion Rising in 200 Countries To End Violence Against Women

What three words first come to mind when you think of February 14, Valentine's Day? You'd have plenty of company if you said "hearts, flowers, and chocolate." Heart-shaped cards and special gifts are a wonderful way to show our enthusiasm and appreciation for loving relationships.

Now, what if we also celebrated the day by finding ways to express loving support for a world of peace, focusing on "women, survivors, and justice"? What if we added to our observance of Valentine's Day our support for these much-needed efforts?

For example, playwright Eve Ensler and activist Kimberlé Crenshaw tell in a Democracy Now interview about One Billion Rising, a growing movement worldwide to stop violence against women and girls. On February 14, events are being organized in 200+ countries to focus on "justice for all survivors of gender violence and the impunity that protects perpetrators all over the world."

Here is a startling statistic: one in every three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. What's your reaction to this statement? Whether we feel disbelief, anger, or a range of other emotions, the fact remains: women and girls are widely subject to violence in many forms. It is also a fact that there are many efforts organized and being organized to stop it -- efforts that will be stronger if more people join in to help.

Anti-violence work focused on women and girls is sorely needed. The reasons why are spelled out in One Billion Rising, Lutheran Peace Fellowship Women's Peace Resources, and many other places. Such work will also be good for men, boys, families and communities, because promoting peace instead of violence will result in a better world for everyone.

The One Billion Rising video is one of several in LPF's new "Women's Video Gallery." LPF also put together an action guide for churches: "Stopping Violence Against Women and Girls." Please share with us what your congregation has found helpful in LPF's Women's Peace Resources. Let's boost one another's efforts to end violence, especially against women and girls.

 Lily Wu and Alan Forsberg

Observing November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

"The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble." – Psalm 9:9

Since 1981, activists for women's issues have marked November 25 as a day against violence, in commemoration of three sisters assassinated in 1960 in the Dominican Republic.

The United Nations began to mobilize on the issues in 1999, when the UN declared November 25 as an annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in 2012:

"Millions of women and girls around the world are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated or even murdered …We must fundamentally challenge the culture of discrimination that allows violence to continue…I call on all governments to make good on their pledges to end all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world, and I urge all people to support this important goal."

What can we do to stop the violence? We can build our own awareness and that of others…explore and choose an issue…support an anti-violence effort! For starters:

• Use LPF's "Stopping Violence Against Women and Girls" guide. 
• See the ELCA's Justice for Women resource page with links on ending violence against women.
• Urge your Senator to vote for ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The U.S. has signed but not ratified it, which means that the U.S. does not have to implement the Convention's provisions.

Look up the name of your elected officials here.

Let us stand together and do what we can to stop violence against women and girls!

-- Lily R. Wu, LPF Board Member

for the LPF Women's Initiative