On International Women’s Day the Anglican Church in Zambia launched a new initiative to tackle violence towards women and girls; “Remember the survivors” – Japanese Anglicans to Communion women
Yesterday on International Women’s Day the Anglican Church in Zambia launched a new initiative to tackle violence towards women and girls.
The statistics on gender-based violence in Zambia are shocking. According to one survey, 47 per cent of Zambian women have experienced some form of sexual or physical violence since the age of 15 [1]. This violence includes beatings and rape, with some attacks ending in the woman’s death.
All five Anglican dioceses in Zambia are taking action to combat gender-based violence, including setting up women’s development groups to raise awareness of the issues, provide support, and help women to establish an income and a degree of independence. The church will also be offering support and counselling. And there will be training for church workers in how to speak effectively about gender-based violence in churches.
The Britain and Ireland-based Christian charity Us (formerly USPG) is supporting this work, which will be launched in Zambia with a march and public rally organised by the Zambia Anglican Council on International Women’s Day (8 March 2013).
Janette O’Neill, Us Chief Executive, said: ‘This is an issue that is massively affecting people’s lives, not just in Zambia, but in every country. When women are financially dependent on men, have little or no access to information about their rights, and are not given a voice in their community, they are vulnerable to ill-treatment and violence. The church is well placed to take a stand against this because it serves the whole community – regardless of gender.’
She continued: ‘Jesus was a radical in many ways, including with regard to women. In John 4 we can read about how Jesus interacted with the woman at the well – a woman who was rejected by her community and forced to draw water in the heat of the noonday sun. Jesus did not condemn or reject her and instead chose to reveal to her that He was the Messiah. Jesus affirmed women, included them, respected them and refused to condemn them when the crowd challenged him to do so. The heart of God is that every person – whether female or male – should experience the fullness of life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10.’
Grace Mazala Phiri is the National Programmes Director for the Anglican Church in Zambia and an Us partner.
She said: ‘Anglicans are taking action to support women and rebuild relationships, so women can reclaim their streets, their communities, their places of work – even their homes – as places which they can use in safety.’
The Most Revd Albert Chama, Archbishop of Central Africa, said: ‘We need to support women all the way until the goal of equality is achieved in all spheres of life: education and property ownership.
‘We have to be vigilant and make sure that the voice of the Church is heard when we speak on behalf of the downtrodden.’
See also report on International Women’s Day on CNI yesterday
“Remember the survivors” – Japanese Anglicans to Communion women
The second anniversary of the triple disaster in Japan prompts appeal for prayer. Japanese Anglicans made a heartfelt plea for prayer to their Communion sisters today, following an update of the post-disaster situation in their country.
The Very Revd Tazu Sasamori and her colleagues showed a delegation of Anglican women gathered in New York a video detailing the progress of Nippon Sei Ko Kai’s1 (NSKK) Let Us Walk Together initiative.
The video highlighted the work of the initiative’s 7,000 staff and volunteers who have been involved with everything from helping to rebuild the fishing industry in Jusanhama to teaching Japanese to immigrants in Minami Sanriku, to providing support to some of the 320,000 people still living as refugees.
The video demonstrated the crucial role of NSKK in the relief and recovery phase after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster hit Japan on March 11, 2011. But it also revealed that many thousands of people were still struggling with the emotional and economic losses caused.
Dean Tazu Sasamori, herself originally from one of the worst-hit areas, Tohoku, thanked the members of Anglican Communion for their support since the disaster. Many clergy and volunteers from across Japan and South Korea travelled to the worst-affected areas to help. The Primates of the Anglican Church of Korea, The Anglican Church of Canada and The Episcopal Church were just some Communion leaders who visited. And one of the Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Missioners was working in Sendai this past year.
The Dean went on to say that the nuclear fallout in particular was still causing real concern and anxiety, particularly for young families who simply do not know what the long-term impact of the nuclear fallout will be.
“The affect of radiation will last for many years to come,” she said. “As you can imagine it affects small children and young women a lot. One of my high school students told me, ‘Now I must give up getting married to someone, or not give birth to a child.
“Among some small children they have discovered some whose thyroid glands have gone wrong. One three-year-old asked his mother ‘Will I die soon?’ So please remember them all in your prayers. For those still living in areas [affected by radiation] not being forgotten is a gift.”
Dean Sasamori—who now works in the Diocese of Tokyo, as Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Rector of St Andrew’s Church and Rector in Charge of St George’s Church, Ogasawara—also asked the Anglican Communion to pray for Tohoku Diocese.
“There are only seven priests for a huge diocese. While they are trying to help, support and pray for other people, they are also victims of this disaster themselves.”
Following the presentation, around 30 Anglican women—who are in New York for the 57th UN Commission on the Status of Women—made an immediate response to the appeal by gathering around the NSKK representatives and prayed for them and their country.