Strengthen efforts for gender justice and women’s empowerment
Vital to maintain momentum towards CSW64
(LWI) - On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), is urgently calling on the international community, governments and its member churches to step up their work towards gender justice and women’s empowerment.
“In a context of an overall backlash against human rights, the rights of women and girls, and gender justice, this is more important than ever,” the statement released on 9 March reads. “The momentum which was building towards the 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, must be maintained to advance gender justice and equality.”
The LWF calls on governments and the international community to renew their commitment to gender equality and gender justice and remain committed to multilateral approaches such as the Commission on the Status of Women. It calls upon the LWF member churches to continue to preach, teach, and serve to end violence against women and work towards gender just communities, where all women and men can flourish.
“It is vital that we keep the momentum and resist any backlash against the rights of women and girls,” said LWF Program Executive for Gender Justice and Women's Empowerment Rev. Judith VanOsdol. “The LWF strongly reject any forces and movements that deny women and girls their dignity and rights. “