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Racial Ethnic and Women's Ministries/PW

For more information:

Rhashell Hunter
(800) 728-7228, x5494
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100 Witherspoon Street
Louisville, KY 40202

Rhasell Hunter

Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women

Rhashell Hunter, Director

The Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women ministry area equips racial ethnic congregations, develops Presbyterian communities of faith that reflect our multicultural society, builds leaders of every race and gender and works for racial and gender justice.

From the Director

God’s Beloved Daughters

 “Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’”

(Mark 5:34)

Recently, women from Presbyterian Women, Racial Ethnic Young Women Together (REYWT) and other Presbyterian and ecumenical women attended the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations in New York.  2010 marks the anniversary of the meeting in Beijing, so the main focus of CSW was a 15 year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).  Some of the areas of concern from the Beijing Platform for Action are:

  • The burden of poverty on women.
  • Unequal access to education and training.
  • Violence against women.
  • The effects of war on women, including those living under foreign occupation.
  • Inequality in economic structures.
  • Lack of parity between men and women in the sharing of power and decision making at all levels.
  • Inadequate protection of the human rights of women.
  • Discrimination against and violation of the rights of the girl child.

The Beijing Platform for Action remains unfulfilled, despite 15 years of national policies and international agreement to advance women’s rights.  People sometimes ask me, “Haven’t women arrived?  Women are serving in all kinds of positions now, so this work has been achieved, right?”  Unfortunately, this is not so.  Yes, we have come a long way, but until the day comes where all women, including those serving churches, are receiving equal salary packages as those of their male counterparts for the same work and are allowed to interview before all pastor search committees instead of being told that the committees won’t interview women (yes, this is still occurring), we have not yet arrived as God’s beloved and just community.  And women around the globe still encounter atrocities and injustices, merely because they are women.

We continue to work together towards the day when all women of different races, cultures, and generations will be able to have equal access to opportunities to thrive, as God’s beloved daughters.

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