Anglican Communion News Service

Archbishop Rowan Williams will take part in a “Justice for Women” service in London to mark two global days for women.

Working with Central Africa and the Mothers Union, the Anglican Alliance produced a resource pack for churches to use for services on International Women’s Day and Mothers Day. The packs, with briefings and suggestions for action are available in English and French.

To highlight the call for justice, the Archbishop and Mrs Jane Williams will be taking part in the service at St George’s Church in Camberwell, London. The Church serves a community in which many women have struggled for justice to overcome inequalities, inspired and supported by the Mothers Union.

Grace Mazala, the development adviser for the Church in Zambia was the driving force behind the pack to empower women especially in the rural areas. Using biblical references, the pack identifies three types of justice:

• Legal justice so women can get justice when they are the victims of crime.
• Economic justice to enable women to enjoy the rewards of their work and take part in decisions about household resources.
• Social justice so women can get equal access to services, especially education and health.

It suggests actions such as:

• Holding a special church service with people lighting candles for women they know who have been denied justice, or who have succeeded in achieving it.
• Taking part in a walk of witness.
• Holding an open day for one of the many services that the Church provides for women.

At the service in Camberwell, Mrs Williams will lead the lighting of candles, and the Archbishop will respond to women’s stories about their own experiences of overcoming barriers to justice.

International Women’s Day is on March 8^th. Mothering Sunday is marked in many countries on March 18^th, or later on during the year.