We Will Speak Out: Uniting to End Gender Based Violence
Speak Out Sunday
November 24, 2013
You and your church can make a difference. We’re calling all congregations to dedicate SPEAK OUT SUNDAY to dialogue, teaching, prayer and action about gender based violence (GBV) and its prevention.
Why this date? The United Nations has designated Monday, November 25 as the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,” which kicks off the Center for Women’s Global Leadership’s 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women, observed from November 25 through December 11. SPEAK OUT SUNDAY is the faith community’s way of uniting with and amplifying these global efforts.
Why the church? The church is a place of love, acceptance, healing and forgiveness. SPEAK OUT SUNDAY is the perfect opportunity to empower your congregation to take action to prevent and address GBV. Though the topic may be sensitive, people of faith must use our voices against violence, abuse, oppression, trafficking and other forms of GBV.
- Planning a Speak Out Sunday Service? Register with Episcopal Relief & Development here.
- You can also share your information here to publicize your event on the We Will Speak Out website.
- To learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development and Gender Based Violence go here.
- Background and history of We Will Speak Out.
The We Will Speak Out coalition was first established in March 2011 with key leadership from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Archbishop Henry Isingoma of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Archbishop Bernard Ntahuri of Burundi, at the launch of Tearfund research report ‘Silent No More‘. The report highlighted the untapped potential and challenges of the worldwide church to prevent and respond to sexual violence. The report was based on research commissioned in Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.
In 2012, Episcopal Relief & Development became a founding member of the We Will Speak Out US coalition. WeWillSpeakOut.US is a movement of diverse faith groups from across the US joining together with other leaders for action and advocacy to end the silence around sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Our mission is to work at local, national and global levels to raise awareness, care for victims, encourage law enforcement and change our culture of inaction.
