wfn.org | [ENS] Anglican Consultative Council delegation to UNCSW closing

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@mail.epicom.org>]

Wednesday, March 9, 2005

Anglican Consultative Council delegation to UNCSW closing statement

ENS 030905-1

[ENS] The unity of the Anglican Communion was positively demonstrated
when
41 women from 27 provinces gathered as the Anglican Consultative Council
(ACC) delegation to the 49th session of the United Nations Commission on
the
Status of Women (UNCSW) meeting in New York 28 February- 11 March, 2005.
With others we examined the theme from the 1995 Beijing Platform for
Action
(BPfA) to review the implementation of the BPfA and the outcome
documents of
the special session of the General Assembly entitled 'Women 2000: Gender
equality, development and peace for the 21st century.'

As we came together to listen to each other in honesty and trust, we
developed a greater understanding of the body of Christ, recognizing the
hurt and pain, hopes and joys of women and children across the
Communion,
and with one voice we endorsed the reaffirmation of the BPfA.

During our two weeks of meetings we reflected on the 12 planks of the
BPfA
based on a questionnaire circulated in advance. In small group
discussions
and regional caucuses, delegates were able to identify the most pressing
women's concerns. The delegation highlighted four areas of major
importance
which impede world-wide development: poverty, poor education, violence
and
lack of access to good, affordable healthcare. These areas were the
basis
for consultations, which enabled delegates to discern God's call for
their
personal commitment and action as part of the Church's participation in
God's mission for the world.

While acknowledging the strides many governments have taken to implement
the
BPfA, this delegation calls strongly for continued action with increased
resources both human and financial, to ensure concrete results through
programs of education and legislation.

We call on the ACC to affirm the advancements our governments have made
regarding the status of women and encourage them to continue in this
work.
We strongly recommend the ACC continues to affirm the International
Anglican
Women's Network (IAWN) and again call on the ACC to adopt the goal of 30
percent representation of women in decision making bodies at all levels
in
our Anglican Communion. We call on the ACC to aim for 50 percent
representation by the year 2010, to reflect more justly the current
makeup
of our Anglican global communion.

This year, 27 provinces responded to the challenge to be represented at
the
UNCSW. We are grateful to everyone who has made it possible to finance
and
give their time to this venture. We ask the ACC to encourage those
unrepresented this year to demonstrate their solidarity with the women
of
the Anglican Communion by sending delegates to the next, 50th session of
the
UN Commission on the Status of Women.

We look forward to a time when the Anglican Communion, as part of the
body
of Christ, brings women's and men's voices into balance and so reflect
the
true and inclusive nature of God.

___________________________
To SUBSCRIBE to enslist, send a blank email message, from the address
which
you wish subscribed, to: join-enslist@epicom.org

Send QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS to news@episcopalchurch.org.

The enslist is published by Episcopal News Service:
www.episcopalchurch.org/ens