Strategic Conversation on Gender

Strategic Conversation on Gender - Limuru, Kenya - July 2009

The 2009 Annual Plan of the Micah Network includes ongoing network-wide discussions about gender and the development of a Micah Network gender policy by April 2010.   As part of this plan, a ‘Strategic Conversation on Gender’ took place in Limuru, Kenya, from July 9 to 11, 2009.  This strategic conversation included 10 men and women from Australia, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Netherlands, Peru, El Salvador, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

Purpose

The purpose of the strategic conversation was:

• To reflect together on theological principles relating to gender;

• To consider the key issues relating to gender which impact on our work as Christian relief and development NGOs and churches;

• To develop practical steps to improve our approach to gender in our organisations and our work; and

• To develop draft Gender Resources for the Micah Network, including: Principles, Theological foundations, and Good Practice Guidelines.

Outputs

The strategic conversation:

• Endorsed the Micah Network Declaration on Integral Mission as the foundational framework for addressing issues related to gender within the Micah Network;

• Initiated ‘gender-attentive’ readings of Micah Network statements and guidelines, including the Declaration on Integral Mission, the Statement of Beliefs, and the Partnership Guidelines;

• Proposed an additional statement of belief related to gender, which specifically expresses a vision of the transformation of our cultures, values, and organisations, as well as the moral, economic, intellectual and political dimensions of our lives;

• Examined four key issues relating to gender, which relate to our use of the Scriptures – the question of ‘Equality and scripture’, the use of Scripture for testing the will of God in the ‘Renewing of our minds’, and ‘Gender and the consequences of the fall’;

• Outlined a strategy for expanding and sustaining the ‘gender-aware’ readings of Micah Network statements and guidelines, utilizing the existing structures of the Micah Network.