A litany written by the Rev Dionne P. Boissiere, Chaplain for the Church Centre for the United Nations The song “Do You Hear What I Hear” was written by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker wrote in 1962 around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. One article says it this way, “It’s the nativity story, retold during the Cold War.” The lyrics that mention “the star dancing in the night with a tail as big as a kite” instinctively conjures images of the biblical star of Bethlehem, leading the Magi to the son of God. However, for the writers it was an awe-filled fear of the missiles launched durin ..read more

The Rev. Nicqi Askwood is Programme Executive for Just Community of Men and Women with the World Council of Churches Amidst the hustle and bustle of Life: Thanksgiving, Advent, studies, workplace drama, shopping, bills, climate crises, wars in almost every continent, births, marriages and death - it’s almost impossible to squeeze one more thing. Particularly a 16-day campaign to end sexual and gender based Violence.   When this is compounded by rising costs and diminished resources, it is almost impossible to get on board with a call to invest in gender-just projects. Yet the needs are g ..read more

Written by Lilla Kardosne Lakatos, Area President, Europe, Continental Area of the World Federation of Methodists and Uniting Church Women Violence against women cannot be fought if the issue of female employment is not also addressed, if women are not made economically independent. Economic violence, understood as the control of resources, denial of access to and management of money or participation in the world of work, deprives women of any possibility of emancipation. In Italy, about 40% of women do not have their own bank account and we have one of the worst percentages of employed women ..read more

Kathleen Keefer is the Vice Moderator of Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (USA) Remembering the bleeding woman who Jesus cured, now, more than 2000 years later, people who menstruate continue to be shamed and even set apart because of a natural biological function of their bodies. We often think of young people growing up in Africa who are unable to go to school because they do not have hygiene products, but one in four menstruating people in the US cannot go to school or to work because they lack sanitary products or money to buy them. One-third of people of color with periods li ..read more

first published in 2020; written by LM Piotrowicz As we wait for the Advent of our God, so too we wait for justice for all. We wait to breathe in the certainty of Emmanuel - God with us - that will pierce the night of our world with the light of your love. As we wait, we pray: That women who are silenced are given voice; That women who are lowered will be raised high; That women who are vulnerable will be supported in their needs; That women who are oppressed will be freed from all restraints; That women who are abused will walk in fearlessness; That women who are trafficked and enslaved will ..read more

The International Social Justice Girls (ISJG) from the International Social Justice Commission of the Salvation Army has put a virtual museum together to celebrate and bring awareness to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Girl Advocates from ISJG have submitted poems, pictures, digital artwork and videos to the virtual museum. The themes of these pieces range from supporting women to addressing and stopping sexual assault to uniting together for women's and girls rights. Please visit and enjoy this museum ..read more

A reminder from UN Women: We want a world where women and girls can live free from fear. In every heartbeat. With every breath. At every step. #NoExcuse #16Days #EndGBV ..read more

UN Women offers an In Focus description of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Visit their page (link below) to learn more about the 16 Days Campaign, and this year's theme: "UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls". You can find facts and figures, information on gender-responsive financing, practical ways to prevent violence against women, and much more. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/in-focus/2023/11/in-focus-16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence ..read more

Kathleen Keefer is the Vice Moderator of Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (USA) These numbers should be a cause for concern. These numbers should make you angry. These numbers should be a cause for activism. * 130 million 6- to 17-year-old girls are not in school. * Two thirds of the 781 million illiterate adults – 496 million are female. * For every dollar a white man earns, a woman earns $.80. o Women of color are paid $.63 o Native American women are paid $.57 o Latina women are paid $.54 o Asian women are paid $.87 * Two and a half million US children will be brought out ..read more

PRAYER FOR PEACE Adapted from the prayer attributed to St. Francis by Rev. Laura Marie Piotrowicz Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is gender based violence, let me be an agent for change. Where there is hatred, place me as a barrier to prevent abuse. Where there is injury, let me accompany the hurt towards places of healing. Where there is doubt, open my mind to receive the stories of the oppressed. Where there is despair, let me advocate for safe spaces. Where there is darkness, let me stand with other allies to bring the light of your peace – for evil cannot live in the ..read more