More than 700 persons from the national faith community gathered at the Double Tree Hotel, Crystal City, Virginia, March 25-28, 2011, to discuss, learn, and share experiences related to domestic and international security, development, and economic justice, with an emphasis on impacts on women. The United Methodist Church, including the Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, is a sponsor of this ecumenical event.

Several interesting and spirit-filled worship services and plenary sessions helped to unify thoughts on our justice-related responsibilities and accountabilities within the world community. Workshops were available in eight categories: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Domestic United States, Global Economic Justice, Latin America, Eco-Justice, Middle East, and Peace and Global Security. Advocacy was a recurring theme in workshop sessions and in jurisdiction and state workgroup breakouts.

Participants spent the last day on Capitol Hill in visits to legislators to gain support for several legislative initiatives, which are indicated below. Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2011 ended on Capitol Hill with a prayer vigil for our country to bring attention to the implications of proposed federal budget cuts and what the cuts reflect about us as a people of faith.

What is the status of women in the world today? In the United States and around the world, women do not enjoy the same status as men economically. For this reason, women are too often exposed to some of a society's worse ills. This includes the impact of global challenges that result from climate change, food insecurity, natural disasters, and various ethnic, cultural and societal issues. In too many settings, women must endure genital mutilation, child marriage, and blatant discrimination, among other atrocities. The world's billion hungry people are mainly women and children. Women are among the largest growing segment in US prisons today. They often lack education advantages, many work in low paying, service positions, and too many are paid less than men working in the same positions. Women also experience inordinate amounts of sexual, physical, and verbal abuse. And, the world community has become a much smaller place when one considers the enormous impact of human and sex trafficking on women and girls worldwide, along with the many consequences of immigration.

The issue of women's rights is the single most important human rights issue in the global arena today. Over the past half century, the role of women has begun to change in many places worldwide. Becoming leaders in their countries, women are joining social movements that support efforts to enhance their roles within their communities. They are documenting abuses and using communications technology to connect with others internationally. And, women are moving into the area of development within their countries. Importantly, in many areas, women are engaging international institutions to pressure their governments to uphold their fundamental rights. Having said this, we note that a tremendous amount of work remains to be done around the world to improve the status of women.

Why do we care? As members of the faith community, our responsibility is to stay focused on the issue of social justice for all. Embodied justice refers to the honoring of the bodies of others, a thought that gives rise to justice as seen through the body of Christ. We are the body of Christ, thus our responsibilities reflect his ministry among the poor and society's most marginalized persons. With this in mind, our role becomes clearer in a global context. Our charge is to be the justice-centered focus for the poorest, most uneducated, unloved, and otherwise disadvantaged persons among us, who are too often women and children. When women suffer, the entire community suffers! United Methodist Church documents that provide guidance for our social justice orientation and actions include the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church, the Book of Discipline and the Book of Resolutions. The Scriptural imperative to love one's neighbor as oneself goes a long way in the social justice arena!

What can we do? Advocate, advocate, advocate! Storytelling and relationship building are central to social justice advocacy. It is important to know and understand the issues, as only then can we help resolve associated problems. Along with background research, both the hearing and retelling of stories help ensure the larger community is aware of the impact of the issues. Both also help justify the allocation of resources; support changes in laws, policies and procedures; and educate community leaders to foster beneficial changes for all. Successful advocates pursue working relationships and build coalitions with legislators; local, national and world leaders; similar interest groups; members of the faith community, and other advocacy organizations. It is also imperative that we, as advocates, participate in public witness activities, e.g., rallies, prayer vigils, testimonials, and e-mail, letter writing, and other such campaigns.

Traditional beliefs and customs notwithstanding, remedies in almost any setting require the availability of adequate resources (healthcare, food, housing, education services, others) to enhance living conditions for the world's women and children. The legislative emphasis of Ecumenical Advocacy Days focused on several programs, initiatives and resources that serve the poor and vulnerable persons among us. Specific legislative requests were:

1. Re-authorize and fully-fund the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): Provides federal resources for community responses to violence against women.
2. Enact the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA): Would make stopping violence against women and girls a priority in United States diplomacy and foreign aid to help end brutal violence against girls and women that afflicts countries worldwide.
3. Fully fund, in the 2011 and 2012 national budgets, programs that serve women and families (especially those struggling with poverty here in the United States and around the world) at or above FY 2010 levels.
4. Support the forgiveness of debt to the US of underdeveloped nations to enhance their within-country funding, to help them improve services and communities for their citizens and residents.

Finally, women are the glue that holds families and communities together. And, as Secretary of State Clinton has noted, when women receive needed help and support, "they flourish, their children flourish, and so does the greater community."