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Women’s Wisdom, Freedom & Human Rights

The Parliament of the World’s Religions, acting with the leadership of the Women’s Task Force, commits to ensuring that women are fully and equally involved in decision-making within religions and in every sphere that involves their lives. In this watershed moment for women’s rights, human rights, and global conflict; women’s leadership and equal participation in religious, faith, spiritual, and other institutions must be ensured.

At the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions, women’s empowerment takes center stage, advancing a call to conscience for dignity, bodily autonomy, and human rights in this expanding movement.

The Women’s Dignity Assembly

The Women’s Assembly at the 2023 Parliament Convening highlights the crises facing women and girls locally, nationally, and internationally. And celebrates women’s leadership and equal participation in religious and spiritual communities.

The Women’s Village

The Women’s Village is a unique space, carefully designed to support the way women create and converge. Enter the Village to be activated and inspired to protect and to deepen our commitment to preserve human rights and dignity for all.

Find it on Level 2 of the Lakeside Center.

The Women’s Track

With over 80+ programs, the Women’s track features voices from across the global spectrum enabling collective and individual action to promote the dignity and human rights of women and girls.

Explore the program below!

Commit to the Dignity & Human Rights for Women & Girls

    Interested in supporting Women at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions? Explore sponsorship and donate to the Global Sisters Fund.
    How to Participate

    Voices of the Movement

    *Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés
    Her Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés is an academic, politician and diplomat with 30+ years of experience, including leadership positions within the Government of Ecuador and at the most senior level of the United Nations.
    Aina-Nia Ayo’dele
    Rev. Aina-Nia Ayo’dele is a leadership coach, author, public speaker and ancient wisdom teacher who considers herself a Spiritual Liberation Activist.
    Anila Ali
    Anila Ali is the President of the American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council.
    Cynthia Conti-Cook
    Cynthia Conti-Cook is a civil rights attorney and researcher studying the impacts of new technologies on movements for liberation and state systems of control.
    Grandmother Mary Lyons
    Grandmother Mary Lyons is an Anishinaabe-Ojibwe Elder, a world-renowned Wisdom keeper, humanitarian, activist, and author.
    Jennifer Butler
    Rev. Jennifer Butler is the founder of Faith in Public Life to amplify progressive faith voices and forge multi-racial, multi-faith and ideologically diverse faith coalitions to work for justice and the common good.
    Phyllis Curott
    Rev. HPs. Phyllis Curott is the 2023 Program Chair of the PoWR, creator of the historic 2015 Inaugural Women’s Assembly, and one of America’s first public Wiccan Priestesses.
    Preeta Bansal
    Preeta Bansal is the Global Chair of the United Religions Initiative and a former chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
    Sousan Abadian
    Sousan Abadi holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, is a former Franklin Fellow at the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.
    Yaël Eisenstat
    Yaël Eisenstat is the Vice President at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) heading the Center for Technology & Society (CTS).

    The following programs from the Women’s track highlight voices from across the global spectrum of religious and spiritual communities, civic institutions, and intersectional social movements enabling collective and individual action to promote the dignity and human rights of women and girls.

    Explore the Full Program

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