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SHARING IRO AND WCC WOMEN CONCERNS

Ms. Chris Ledger, Chairperson of Australia SCM, a member of WSCF A/P Standing Committee and the Coordinator for A/P Regional Women's Programme, shared with the participants two international meetings which she attended.

WSCF should be a world-wide ecumenical community in which participation and leadership is primarily of students and youths and which is committed to fighting against all forms of oppression.

Ms. Chris Ledger said this was agreed by participants of the Inter-Regional Women's Commission Meeting in January 5-14, 1985, at Stony Point, U.S.A.

It was also felt that WSCF should have its own structures to enable the full participation of women.

New priorities were suggested for the Inter-Regional Women's Programme for the next quadrennium:

1. Education and leadership development of women with an international women's conference proposed for 1987.

2. Solidarity work with women to include an annual celebration of March 8, International Women's Day.

3. Better flow of information on women's programmes.

4. Better participation of women in WSCF structures.

They also suggested that the women's programme fund continue to provide seed money for the establishment of women's projects by national movements.

The meeting discussed the struggle of women in the U.S.A. and analysed the oppression of women.

The second meeting was organised by the Education and Renewal Unit, Unit III of the WCC which was held at Oaxtepec, Mexico during April. One of the Commissions in the unit is the Commission on Women in Church and Society in which Chris is a member of, representing the Anglican Church of Australia.

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In her report she summarized the decisions made by the Commission, stating the priorities and programmes for the work of the Women's Sub-Unit. Chris noted that the ordination of women did not figure as an explicit priority of the Women's Sub-Unit. She suspected that this was due to the wide range of views and practice amongst the member churches of this issue.

Three main emphases shaped the programme of the Women's Sub-Unit. They were:—

1. Participation;

2. Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation;

3. Women doing Theology and Sharing Spirituality.

The priorities and programmes suggested were based on these emphases, together with the criteria and guidelines that were identified as significant and important.