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On International Women's Day, 8 March, ecumenical leaders have urged churches to work to end violence against women in its many forms across the world.

Laws designed to empower and protect women in India have been described as “toothless” by activists who have spoken out against the government’s failure to implement them.

"Women and Men united to end violence against women and girls" was the vision discussed during a lunch-time lecture at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland on 12 March.

By Maurice Malanes (*)

Churches around the world will pray for the peoples of the Pacific as an international church initiative against violence focuses attention on the region this year. Pacific churches themselves will pray and reflect together on how best to promote peace in their communities.

Based on a candid assessment of how two decades of war have affected them, Sudanese youth told church leaders what they need most: skills training, jobs and means of participating in shaping their country's future. Sudanese women, in turn, spoke out about their vulnerability, increased by war and cultural patterns.

Concrete plans to mobilize churches around the world for peace were approved by the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee in early March. What is expected to become a major worldwide mobilization of churches for peace will culminate with an International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to be held in early May 2011 and an Ecumenical Declaration on Just Peace.

Every person living with HIV and AIDS should have access to the treatments made available by medical science and churches must advocate for this to happen, said the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee in a statement adopted at a meeting that ends today. The statement also challenges churches to a greater commitment in fighting the pandemic and welcoming positive people into their communities.

by Stephen Webb (*)

More articles and free photos at

By Hugh McCullum (*)

By Hanna Smidt(*)

By Ruth Lee (*)

Cf. WCC Press Update Pu-04-05 of 22 January 2004

Cf WCC Upcoming Events of December 2003

Alexander Belopopsky from the UK was appointed coordinator of the WCC Public Information team by the WCC officers meeting in November 2003. Belopopsky, a lay member of the Orthodox Church (Ecumenical Patriarchate), has been responsible for the WCC Europe Desk since February 1996, and will move into his new position at the beginning of 2004. He replaces Sara Speicher from the USA, who moved to the UK end-November after 7 years with the Council. Before coming to the WCC, Belopopsky served as secretary-general of SYNDESMOS, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth. He has a degree in modern history from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, France.

Cf. Press Release, PR-03-16 of 24 April 2003