Faith to Action Network is working in Palestine to promote gender equality and women’s rights in collaboration with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). In 2019, the ELCJHL formed the ‘Gender Justice for Palestine’ coalition. This is an interfaith coalition working to address the root causes of gender injustice in Palestine and achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equity and empowerment.
The coalition held a conference on Gender Justice from a National and Religious Perspective in December 2022. The conference provided a forum for participants to have in-depth discussion and debate about the role of religion and culture in advancing gender justice. The conference’s key takeaways included the necessity of involving faith actors in the fight for gender justice and the need for a multifaceted approach that addresses the intersectionality of gender and other social issues. The importance of creating safe spaces for discussions about gender justice, as well as the role of religion and culture in shaping societal norms and attitudes toward women’s rights, was emphasized at the conference.
The event was a success in terms of bringing together a diverse group of attendees from various backgrounds and encouraging open and honest discussions about gender justice. The conference also served as a forum for participants to discuss practical strategies and tools for achieving gender justice in the Palestinian context, as well as the impact of technology, digitalization of services, the environment, and policy on gender justice in national and religious contexts.
“This is my second time participating in the Gender Justice conference and I am constantly impressed by the work of the Lutheran church in promoting gender equality. The conference provides a valuable platform for discussions on the intersection of religion and culture in shaping societal norms and attitudes towards women’s rights. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this important conversation and look forward to continuing to work with the Lutheran church in the future.” – Chris Decker, Panelist
ELCJHL works with Faith to Action Network on the Young Women for Awareness, Agency, Advocacy, and Accountability (YW4A) project. The goal of YW4A is to alter social norms and practices of community actors and religious organizations to support young women’s rights to dignity, bodily integrity, and equal participation in decision-making.
