Wisdom is a tree of life to all who embrace Her; happy are those who hold Her tightly.Proverbs 3:18 In honor of Mother’s Day & the Mothering Spirit who Mothers us all, you are invited to a series of online gatherings in May co-hosted by Girl Child Long Walk & WomanSpirit Reclamation. Sunday, May 14 at 9 ...
In this Courageous Conversation, we reflected on the status of women leaders in faith communities in Africa and the U.S. and discussed their impact on both faith communities and on our overall society. Why can it be difficult for women to attain leadership roles within faith communities? What difference would it make if more women ...
In this Courageous Conversation co-sponsored by Gender Equity and Reconciliation International (GERI), Hugo Sanchez and Silvia Araya-Fischer, PsyD, discussed what it looks like to grow up as a girl around the world and reflected on the work that is needed for gender equality on a global level. This conversation is mostly in Spanish and was ...
“Be grateful every time you are bleeding and in pain, allowing it to remind you of the blood and suffering of Christ.” —A group of well-meaning aunties at a “prayers for healing” gathering in Singapore in 2018 I first wrote this blog in 2017. Over five years later, little has changed. And while #endometriosisawarenessmonth is ...
This blog was adapted from a sermon given by Emily Nielsen Jones at Nyamira Girls School in Bondo, Kenya, on Mothering Sunday in the Anglican Church — March 12, 2023. There was a huge deluge of much-needed rain outside but the powerful voices of the 2,270+ girls singing their hearts out could not be overpowered. ...
In various countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, “official languages” aren’t spoken by lower-income and rural communities. This especially impacts girls and women, who often don’t have access to formal education. Language, therefore, is an essential tool of empowerment. But what can we do to overcome the language barrier, foster inclusion, and share about the ...
A few months ago, I had a dream that I didn’t quite understand. I was surrounded by people of different ages and sizes holding hands as I walked toward each of them in turn (I can’t remember exactly what I said to them). I came to a little girl who handed me something like a ...
Societal change doesn’t happen overnight and is often a slow, painstaking process that spans generations. As the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Growing up in rural Kenya, in a small village in the Kathiani region of Machakos, patriarchy was deeply woven into the fabric ...
Pathways to Healing and Gender Equality We are following broken leaders. Too many have become “broken” due to the abuse and hardship they’ve experienced, cultural ideas they’ve embraced about power and control, fear of change, and bad theology. But how do these broken leaders impact our society? And what does the journey to change look ...
The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom reading journey launched in the fall of 2018 amid the #metoo movement. Since then, much has changed, yet many of the problems that inspired our work remain the same. So, in this moment, we want to pause and discuss: Why did the reading journey begin, and why is ...
You are invited to join us for guided conversation and discussion of the Girl Child Long Walk reading journey At the heart of the Girl Child Long Walk project is a “reading journey,” accessible on the Girl Child Long Walk Hub. The reading journey is a self-paced exploration of our e-book, The Girl Child & ...
What role should boys and men play in the gender equality movement? Globally, the resources that support gender equality work are scant. Therefore, many activists believe these resources should focus only on programs for girls and women. Others strongly feel that the gender equality movement will not move forward without the inclusion of boys and ...
This year, we celebrated International Day of the Girl Child by launching a brand-new app into the world! It’s called the Girl Child Long Walk Hub, and it is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. But why the Hub? Why now? As our ever-curious Girl Child would say: What’s going on here? The ...
Friends on the Journey, if you are looking for a next step on your ongoing journey of liberation from the many layers of patriarchal religion, we offer these two summer opportunities hosted by partners in the space. Take a look at these and see if either one feels like it is calling your name. If ...
The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom’s inaugural cohort of Fellows recently celebrated the close of their 9-month journey with the Girl Child. In this interview, three of our Fellows, including our two youth Fellows, share their perspectives on the reading journey, their roles as faith-inspired change agents, and how the Girl Child Long Walk project has shaped their lives and can inspire those who join the journey.
“If you were a male, you would be further along in the denomination.” This statement has been said to me several times and was meant to be a compliment, instead, it reveals the patriarchal system that is a stronghold in the church. Come read how Rev. Arlene Hall is standing in the tension of being a female pastor and paving the way for the next generation of women in ministry.
What is the cost for girls and women around the world as silence and service are imposed and glorified? Join Girl Child Long Walk Fellows Amal Sarah and Esperande Bigirimana as they share their stories and perspectives from working in their communities to ensure that girls and women are given a voice and heard.
Jeff Bass shares his journey with the Girl Child.
Rev. Domnic Misolo, Rev. Patrick Musembi, and Jeff Bass are three men of faith who use their spheres of influence to champion gender equality by empowering women and educating and empowering men to become allies for gender justice. In this video conversation, they tell their stories and share what they’re doing as men of faith to promote gender equality.
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” Come and learn as one of our Girl Child Long Walk Fellows, Maame Afon, teaches us about courage.
Imagine being a young girl with multiple disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. You are locked in a one-room hut made of mud. It’s hot. There are no windows, water, or food. There hasn’t been any all day. When your father comes home, he beats you to get the demons causing your seizures to leave you. You have never known care from another person. All you know of God is that He cursed you. You don’t cry because no one comes to help anyway. This is all you’ve known. How you would feel is how she does. Her name is Hadija.
Priti Bhattarai shares her journey of untangling the patriarchal traditions that surrounded her upbringing and finding her own path of discovery and healing.
A lenten reflection on patriarchy unfolding before our eyes in the Ukrainian conflict while also celebrating gender equality on International Women’s Day. May the brave Ukrainian women serve as an image of Sophia Wisdom to us.
“What’s going on here?” This question animates Understanding our History of Patriarchy: What’s Faith Got to do with it?, a short animated video produced by the Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom in 2019 that succinctly explains the ancient origin and systemic nature of patriarchy, as seen through the eyes of the “Girl ...
The following remembrance is from Girl Child project advisors, Will Keepin and Cynthia Brix, founding directors of Gender Equity & Reconciliation International. My dear Brothers and Sisters, we are ONE human family. . . We can be human only together. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu We pray for the peace of the soul of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond ...
The bud stands for all things, even those things that don’t flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness. from Saint Francis and the Sow, by Galway Kinnell Advent is one of my favorite times of the year, even though I am always sad ...
“Women’s worship should be inaudible, while men’s should be audible.” He was in the middle of a tirade on how God had an “order” and men were on top, women were on bottom. Women were to submit to men in everything, they were easily deceived and should cover up lest men be tempted to lust ...
As part of our blog series #MyGirlChildLongWalkStory, we are pleased to share this personal story by Maria Lígia Conti from São Paulo, Brazil. Lígia discovered the Girl Child project after googling the word “patriarchy” which led her to our animated explainer video Understanding Our History of Patriarchy: What’s Faith got to do with it? Finding ...
At its core, the Girl Child Long Walk reading journey, the signature effort of the Girl Child Long Walk project, seeks to inspire people all over the world to “put their faith to work through love” to improve the lives of women and girls. After two years of iterating and improving the reading journey, the ...
I would like to thank The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom team. For many of us participating in the reading journey, this was an amazing experience to learn more about global issues impacting girls and fearless faith-inspired change agents from all walks of life. When I was asked to write something from ...
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