WCC news: WCC delegation participates in 69th Commission on the Status of Women

A delegation led by the World Council of Churches (WCC) is participating in the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, being held from 10–21 March at the United Nations in New York City.  Artwork of the cover of the UN Women publication "Women's Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing". 12 March 2025 The WCC delegation’s presence at the Commission on the Status of Women is being facilitated by the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations, which is the WCC’s focal point for advocacy initiatives at the United Nations headquarters in New York.  The delegation will participate in a High-Level Multi-Faith Reception hosted by Multi-Faith Advisory Council Gender Working Group, and will attend a variety of dialogues and fellowship events, as well as lead prayers and a Bible study.  In addition, the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs submitted a Commission on the Status of Women statement that outlines the theological foundations of the WCC's commitment to gender equality. “Justice, in the biblical sense, ensures that all people have equal access to resources, opportunities, and protections necessary for their flourishing,” the statement reads. “For the WCC, this includes advocating for women’s rights and working towards the elimination of all forms of gender-based discrimination and violence, as outlined in the Beijing Platform for Action.” The statement also describes how economic empowerment is another key area of focus for the WCC’s work on gender equality. “The WCC’s economic empowerment initiatives are grounded in the belief that economic justice is essential for achieving gender equality,” the statement reads. “By providing women with the resources and opportunities needed to support themselves and their families, the WCC aims to break the cycle of poverty and empower women to contribute fully to their communities and societies.” The WCC delegation includes: Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director for Life, Justice, and Peace Rev. Nicole Ashwood, WCC programme executive for Just Community of Women and Men Rev. Alexa Dava, project officer for Human Dignity and Reproductive Health Rebekka Read, advocacy assistant, Ecumenical Office to the UN Bismark Asante, national president, National Union of Presbyterian Students Ghana, Presbyterian Church of Ghana Thandi Soko de Jong, Malawian-Dutch activist-theologian, PhD candidate at the Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands, Protestant Church in the Netherlands  Rev. Dr Uzoaku Juliana Williams, minister and secretary of the Directorate of Ecumenism, Presbyterian Church of Nigeria  Olivia Baro, ecumenical youth enabler for empowerment and engagement, Pacific Conference of Churches Belinda Nokuthula Crawford, Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa, staff member, University of Kwazulu-Natal Statement submitted by The Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches, a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council Learn more about the work of the Ecumenical Office to the United Nations 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland