Parliament Women's Task Force
A Note from Elizabeth Ursic, Chair of the Women's Task Force of the Parliament of the World's Religions -
Today we are at a watershed moment for women’s rights and human dignity. From the historic women’s marches to sexual harassment scandals and social media campaigns such as #metoo, women have been speaking out in bold new ways and serious attention is being given to women’s issues world-wide. Women’s empowerment has taken center stage and the 2018 Parliament will be a major voice in this expanding movement.
Since its inception, the Parliament of World Religions has been an advocate for women. Women were speakers at the 1893 Parliament including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, author of the Women’s Bible, and Antoinette Brown Blackwell, the first ordained woman in America. The 1993 Parliament endorsed a Global Ethic with four Irrevocable Directives, including the Commitment to a Culture of Equal Rights and Partnership Between Men and Women. Women religious and spiritual leaders were featured at the 1993, 1999, 2004, and 2009 Parliaments, and in 2015, an Inaugural Women’s Assembly was held with over 3,500 participants that included the Declaration for the Dignity and Human Rights of Women.