We need to stop using religion to oppress women - Vuniwaqa

Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mereseini Vuniwaqa is calling on faith-based leaders and organisations to help women rise. 

While speaking at the Women in the Frontline Conference, Vuniwaqa says we need to stop using religion to oppress women.

She says faith based organizations have tremendous power to change the way our women are treated because the language of faith is the most important to many if not all.

Vuniwaqa says 84% of the world’s population self‑identify as members of a faith/religious groups and faith and religious actors play an important role in the formation of people’s values, norms of acceptable behavior and life roles.

She adds that faith actors occupy a unique position to make transformational and sustained progress towards gender equality.

Vuniwaqa says sometimes the work of empowered women, especially those standing for gender justice requires individual acts of risk and courage, but often it is accomplished by women working together, challenging and encouraging one another, and resolving to act.

She told the participants that some of this collective work involves investing ourselves in relationships and organizations that work with women.

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