International Women’s Day
by Sara Forrest, Commission Member
For over 100 years International Women’s Day has been celebrated on 8 March. This year’s theme is Give to Gain, a call to contribute to society. Its purpose is to advance gender equality and every year in support of that aim the UN hold a major Convention. I am old enough to have been offered a full time job at the shoe shop where I was a Saturday girl before they advertised the job for male applicants only. That was legal then.
As a Christian I follow Jesus who consistently reached out to those who were disadvantaged by the society in which he lived. He successfully challenged the unequal treatment of male and female adulterers by demonstrating the sinners of each of the men who had picked up stones to stone her with. He made it clear that he did not condone the adultery. He also helped widows and made sure that his own widowed mother would have a home after his death on the Cross.
The recent media reporting on Epstein, Al Fayed and Andrew Tate shows how easily those with power and money have sexually exploited girls and women. And have done so with impunity for years because the ‘elite’ were treated as above the law. The Right have been successful in turning the grooming gangs into an anti Muslim story when the real issue we as a society should be talking about is why we allowed so many girls in our Care System to have such low self esteem leading to them being vulnerable and then not listening when they told those in authority. I am glad that in the UK we have recognised that our organisations need to change to listen and believe. It is interesting to see the commentary on the recent UK arrests for Misconduct in Public Office and the questions now being asked in other jurisdictions.
Across the world, whatever you measure, the majority of women do less well than the majority of men. Sometimes the difference is significant.
I hope that the Catholic Church will soon speak out, as it did in Laudate Si, to advance the status of girls and women as possessing the same God Given dignity as boys and men. And address the need for structural change to advance girls and women towards equality with boys and men.
I also hope that the Vatican will challenge the powerful men of the Christian Right, especially in the Americas, who desire to exert greater control over society enhancing their own influence, wealth and status by reducing the dignity of others, especially girls and women and those who are different.
My faith in Jesus does not waver. I believe that girls and women will achieve equality as God intended. I do wish that my Church would speak out more loudly and be heard on behalf of girls and women throughout the world.
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