CCA General Secretary’s Statement on International Women’s Day -2019

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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08 March 2019

international-womens-day

CCA General Secretary’s Statement on International Women’s Day -2019

The world needs a transformative shift to ensure gender parity

International Women’s Day is an occasion every year on March 8 to appreciate, recognize, celebrate, reflect, inspire and convey the message to people and communities across the world to be mindful of the urgent need for the participation of women and men in all walks of life with equality.

The theme of the International Women’s Day-2019, “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, once again reminds us of innovative ways in which the world can advance gender equality.  The goal of achieving a world where gender equality is ensured at all levels requires constant struggle not only by women, but by both women and men. Although women all over the world participate in socio-economic and political activities, but their contributions are not recognized. The empowerment of women is a need of the hour in every society and in all aspects of life.  Despite the fact that innovation and technological advancement provide unprecedented opportunities for people, our world continues to face a growing gender divide, as women continue to face gender inequality in many areas. A growing trend of continuing disproportionate roles of women and men in society hampers gender equality and the establishment of more inclusive systems.  In order to overcome such divisions and reach the goal of equality at all levels, the world needs a transformative shift, especially in removing structural barriers at every level of society.

The observance of International Women’s Day is a unique opportunity for all those who are concerned to convey the message of hope to the world that gender parity in all walks of life is a paramount target of humanity. Faith-based organizations have a major role in achieving the goal of shaping the future of societies and inclusive communities with gender equality.

GS Signature
Mathews George Chunakara
General Secretary, CCA