The Rev. Bebb Stone, member of the Presbyterian delegation to the 59th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women
An event run by United Methodist Women today (11 March 2015) at the Church Center for the United Nations brought together a panel of self-described “grassroots women.” They came from Honduras, Cameroon, Guatemala, Uganda, Georgia, and South Korea. The content of their work varied from peasants’ rights to HIV testing inclusive of the LGBT community to rights for widows; but their process for struggle was the same: Organize.
Ruth from Guatemala said,” Organizing is quite effective stuff, ladies!” The staff person from one of the UN agencies said that as she travels all over the world, one of the first requests she gets is, “Can you get us a room so we can meet?” This panel witnessed to self-empowerment through organizing people, power, and money.
Within the Presbyterian Church’s Compassion, Peace and Justice Ministry Unit is the Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association (PHEWA), whose ministry networks use and teach ORGANIZING as a best practice for justice. PHEWA has a distinguished history in the church. It is breathtaking to hear, 20 years after Beijing, the women of the world encouraging each other now to organize for justice!
Let’s hear an “Amen!”
The photo shows the Rev. Bebb Stone speaking at the Ecumenical Women orientation on 7 March 2015.