wfn.org | Women's Division adopts social action resolutions

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Oct. 19, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom·(212) 870-3803·New York
10-21-71B{545}

NOTE: "Theressa" is spelled correctly in the last paragraph. This report is
accompanied by a sidebar, UMNS story #546.

STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) - Proposed resolutions on issues ranging from
adoption to hate crimes have been approved by the Women's Division of the
United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

The resolutions will be forwarded to the denomination's top legislative
body, the 2000 General Conference, for consideration. The division's action
occurred during its Oct. 15-18 annual meeting.

A resolution on international and cross-racial adoptions encourages adoptive
parents to affirm the cultural and racial background of the child, supports
increased financial assistance to middle- and lower-class families
considering adoption, and supports policies enabling more foster care
families and extended family members to adopt children in their care.

United Methodists would create resources, fund local networks, organize
letter-writing campaigns, support legislation and take other measures
against hate crimes in a resolution on that issue.

In an effort toward "responsible travel," United Methodists would respect
codes of conduct and cultural practices of other countries, raise awareness
about sex tourism, and advocate for international policies that hold the
travel industry accountable for their impact on the environment, local
economies and local traditions.

A resolution on "Pillars of Peace for the 21st Century" creates a new policy
statement on the United Nations. The pillars are political, economic and
legal accountability, liberation and empowerment, peace and conflict
resolution, human dignity and rights, and preservation of the environment.

In a resolution on child soldiers, United Methodists would work to implement
recommendations of the World Council of Churches, which include calling for
an immediate end to the recruitment and participation of children as
soldiers and promoting international standards on the issue. The
denomination also would offer humanitarian assistance to children
traumatized by their experiences as soldiers.

Other resolutions call upon United Methodists to renew their historic
support for public education and encourage both clergy and laity to use
biblical language that reflects the diversity of the church.

In other business, a proposal to change the way that appropriations are made
by the Women's Division to national mission institutions was defeated. Some
directors expressed concerns that the new approach - called SPAN (Sharing
Partners Action Network) - would be implemented too quickly and would
adversely affect the budgets of the institutions.

Later, directors approved a motion made by Sandy Wilder of Austin, Texas,
supporting the concept of SPAN but allowing staff time to further develop
the proposal and have conversations with the 90 institutions involved.

The goals of SPAN include strengthening the institutions both individually
and as a network; targeting resources to institutions struggling
financially; reducing dependence on Board of Global Ministries funding;
fostering partnerships among institutions of varying sizes and strengths and
re-allocating some financial resources for new sites and specific
programming efforts. 

Women's Division directors also:

·	Approved the hiring of Susie Johnson as executive secretary for
public policy; Marilyn Clement, executive secretary for economic justice;
Suzanne "Ife" Williams, executive secretary for racial justice; and Carolyn
Simms, executive secretary for resource development.
·	Decided to join the Coalition of People for Better TV, which works
to protect the public interest during the television industry's transition
to digital TV technology.
·	Agreed that United Methodist Women should be involved in the Global
Media Monitoring Project II, to begin in January. The project monitors the
images of women presented on television and radio and in the newspapers.
·	Presented the 2000 Theressa Hoover Community Service and Global
Citizen Award to Laurie Day of Caldwell, Idaho. Day's project will examine
the changing roles of women in Kenya.

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