Women as Peacebuilders: 2016 Peace Sunday Packet

Use on November 6, Peace Sunday 2016, or at another convenient opportunity.

The inspiration for this year's theme comes from several sources:

• the biblical story of Jesus and the women who were drawn to and transformed by the message of his peace-filled reign;
• stories of amazing women from around the world who experience desperate situations of war and violent conflict, and yet who respond with loving non-violence;
• the growing field of “women and peacebuilding” and the learnings it offers for birthing a more just and peaceful world.

This focus on women as peacebuilders is not intended to imply that women are somehow innately better at peacebuilding than men, or that men are no longer necessary to the process of fostering and sustaining peaceful coexistence. Far from it! All people — men and women, boys and girls, young and old — are needed in the pursuit of peace.

Rather, this focus is intended to acknowledge the reality that, while women are deeply involved in peacebuilding at grassroots and middle-sector levels, they are rarely present at higher levels of peace negotiations and their concerns are not often represented at the tables where peace agreements are made. That needs to change.

Secondly, the focus is intended to highlight the myriad ways women creatively and courageously pursue peace with justice around the world, often at great risk. May their example inspire and encourage all of us to be peacebuilders.