New Progressio report: How women of faith contribute to peacebuilding

Progressio has launched a new report on the role of women of faith in building peace.

Drawing on first-hand accounts from over twenty women of faith, including nuns and other members of religious congregations and faith-based communities, the report explores the contributions of women of faith to peacebuilding efforts in Papua, East Timor and Mindanao in the Philippines.

The report, 'Faithful Peace, Peaceful Faith', seeks to uncover why the peacebuilding work of women of faith has been given so little attention and argues that women of faith - who are identified as "strategic actors for peace and justice" - deserve "more attention and support."

Through personal testimony, collected during a 2006 workshop held in East Timor on the same topic, women of faith describe how their personal beliefs inspire them to be effective agents of change in the three post-conflict nations.

As Fredrika Korain, a lay Catholic woman and human rights activist in Papua says in the report: "My Catholic beliefs are a strong foundation in my struggle for justice and rights for the people of Papua. Activists who are inspired by their faith (like me) have a strong sense of commitment. When encountering problems, they are resilient as they see their work as a divine calling and that this is part of God's design. When I think of this as my calling, then I have strength and I know that I cannot give up."

Faithful Peace, Peaceful Faith is available for free download.