reStOreD
natalie now works to end violence against women.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF BURUNDI
A conference on how burundian and rwandan Anglicans can prevent sexual violence ends in a march through bujumbura.
Æ and the Church of england has clear guidelines about preventing and addressing it. in india the church has run workshops for schoolgirls to give them a basic understanding of laws relating to the protection of women and the process of law. the archbishop and bishops of Southern africa have publicly committed to supporting their churches’ gender work. in rwanda, Burundi and Congo, where sexual violence as a weapon of terror has continued long after the signing of peace treaties, the anglican churches have gathered other church and faith leaders, government representatives, non-governmental agencies and United Nations bodies to work together to end to violence and abuse against women and girls. The Anglican Communion’s Women’s Desk Officer the revd terrie robinson said this growing movement can be seen at all levels, from grassroots to senior leadership: “at the last Primates’ meeting in ireland, the Primates committed themselves to action and wrote to churches of the Communion urging them to work towards restoring right relationship between men and women, boys and girls. “resolutions have been adopted by bishops at the lambeth Conference and the anglican Consultative Council. Networks such as the International Anglican Women’s Network and the International Anglican Family Network have raised up concerns about gender-based and home-based violence; the Family Network has facilitated regional consultations on violence and the Family for anglican practitioners and has even produced a model action plan which they have offered to all the churches.” She added that there are “many examples of brave and creative work going on in dioceses and parishes around the Communion”. Some of this work is helping men change their attitudes to women and getting them to speak out against abuse too. in the Democratic republic of Congo one project, started by the now Bishop of North Kivu Diocese, the rt revd muhindo isesomo, saw his ministry group travelling from army camp to army camp preaching the Gospel to soldiers. Bishop muhindo’s twin goals were sharing God’s Word and ending rape. “The [sermon] theme I was using was ‘Are you a problem, or a solution?’” he explained. “the results were very very fruitful.” in under two years, 15,000 soldiers had heard the Word of God, 13,000 responded and repented publicly of raping women and looting local communities. Natalie Collins is now employed by Christian alliance group restored that works to end violence again women. She told the recent Church in Wales conference: “violence, aggression and bullying, especially in relationships that should be characterised by love and care, are particularly horrible violations of the Christian principles of love and freedom from fear, and undermine personal and spiritual wholeness as well as personal safety, respect and self-esteem. “We want churches to send out the message that women can come forward and will be taken seriously and given the support they need.” it sounds like more and more churches of the anglican Communion are doing just that.
anglican anglican world issue 129 september 2012
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