WCC NEWS: WCC to participate in Commission on the Status of Women

The 67th Commission on the Status of Women will take place on 6-17 March in New York City and online. The World Council of Churches (WCC) is involved in online side events scheduled for 9, 14, and 16 March.  Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC 02 March 2023 The theme for the Commission on the Status of Women is “Innovation and technological change, education in the digital age for achieving gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls.” International Women’s Day is 8 March, with the theme Digit-ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. Everyone is asked to wear blue on March 8. On 9 March, a webinar will explore “Algorithms, the Digital Divide, and Polarization: Impact on Gender Justice.” Participants will discuss how we can counteract the negative effects by increased knowledge of how algorithms work and are used to create division and polarization. Speakers will share how to be more critical netizens and offer practical tools on how to make digital platforms safer. The event is being co-organized by the World Council of Churches, Church of Sweden, ACT Alliance, and the World Association for Christian Communication.   On 14 March, a webinar will cover “Resiliency of Rural Indigenous Nigerian Girls & Women: Surviving Kidnapping & Gender-Based Violence.” The event will highlight the scourge of gender-based violence but also the sense of hope and resiliency survivors are sharing with the world as a catalyst for change. The event is co-organized by the World Council of Churches, Peacemaking in Africa, Christian Council of Nigeria, International Center for Interfaith, Peace and Harmony in Kaduna, and Baptist Conference of Kaduna. On 16 March, an online discussion will center around the topic: “Reaching for the STARS: Safeguarding the Creativity, Security and Safety of our Girls.” The conversation will highlight girls who are reaching for the STARS (Science, Technology and the Arts, Realizing Success), toward a just, inclusive, and sustainable future. The event is being co-organized by the World  Council of Churches, Casey Hearing, AfriAus iLEAC, Girl Force, and Ecumenical Women at the UN.    Advance registration is required for these events: Webinar: Algorithm: The Digital Divide and Polarization, and its impact to Gender Injustice Thursday, 9 March 2023:  9am-11am EST (New York) Register HERE   Webinar: Resiliency of Rural Indigenous Nigerian Girls & Women:  Surviving Kidnapping & Gender-Based Violence Wednesday, March 14, 2023  9am-11am EST (New York) Register HERE   Webinar:  Safeguarding the Creativity, Security and Safety of our Girls in Online Spaces Thursday, 16 March 2023 at 4:30 - 6:30 am EST/ 9:30 - 11:30 am CET Register HERE See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland