Global peace and security are at crisis level. And to build lasting, equitable peace, everyone must be involved – especially women.

Tearfund supports women of faith at the local, national and global levels. We advocate for their work in peacebuilding, religious freedom and women’s rights. These women are key to bringing reconciliation to their communities, yet their contributions are frequently overlooked and underestimated.

Reflecting on 30 years of women’s empowerment at the United Nations

Exactly thirty years ago this year, world leaders dared to imagine a gender-equal world. They adopted the 1995 Beijing Declaration, pledging a better future for all women and girls: freedom from poverty, zero violence, full and equal decision-making power, and equal opportunities. The 2025 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March is a crucial opportunity to keep that vision alive by evaluating the progress made in the last three decades and being honest about ongoing challenges.

While these global gatherings are vital, they can sometimes feel distant from the women making a difference in their communities. As we prepare for the CSW, we want to bridge this gap by sharing stories of three women whose work epitomises what the Beijing Declaration seeks to empower and protect.

Hawi talks about her highly respected role in peace and reconciliation. Credit: Yitayal Admasu/Tearfund

In Hawi's town of Ziway, Ethiopia, the community faced religious and ethnic conflicts. We worked with the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) to deliver training that equipped Hawi and other community members with reconciliation skills.

Hawi recounts a troubling incident where a Bible was cut and placed in front of an Orthodox church to instigate conflict. Thanks to the JISRA training, Hawi says, ‘The religious leaders gathered to understand that this act was done by unknown groups who did not want reconciliation. What I liked the most was seeing religious leaders who previously hated each other starting to discuss and support one another.'

Not only did Hawi play a role in community-level reconciliation with faith leaders, but she also crossed cultural divides to serve other women: ‘I once visited a woman who had been bedridden for over 14 years due to illness, and no one was taking care of her. Even though I am Oromo and she is Amhara, our ethnic differences didn't stop me. I rushed to her neighbours and asked them to help clean her and her house.'

‘In just two days, we raised 12,000 birr. With the money we collected, I bought essential items and gave her the leftover cash. Initially, many people criticised me, asking why I was helping during the holiday.

‘They said I should stay home, but now they appreciate my efforts. Whenever I think of the JISRA project, I believe it is a gift from God. To sustain this work, I think it is essential to focus on educating the new generation and our young people.’

Constance’s story

In Zaruma, Nigeria, women had no representation in leadership. Men controlled all decisions for generations, neglecting issues vital to women and families such as healthcare, education and economic opportunities. This left Constance and the women in her community feeling powerless to shape their futures.

Inspired by JISRA’s training and eager to make a change, Constance began speaking out about greater female inclusion in Zaruma. She engaged with community leaders, emphasising the benefits of inclusive decision-making and women's representation in leadership roles.

As a result, Constance became the first female leader in Zaruma – a historic milestone that broke longstanding barriers. Constance says, ‘Now within the stakeholders, that’s the lawmakers, women are included. I’m the first woman that was included here. Today, there are 16 female stakeholders in the community.’ With a more inclusive approach to leadership and governance, the women leaders in Zaruma championed election literacy in their community which further led to a female councillor elected in their community.

The community continues to experience positive transformations because women actively participate in decision-making, a living example of the power of women’s leadership and advocacy to bring sustainable impact in communities.

Zinash's story

Zinash is part of the young women of faith network in Ethiopia championing youth leadership in peacebuilding. Credit: Kassim Wario Gobena/Tearfund

‘In Werka, religious-based conflicts were more frequent than ethnic conflicts, but the launch of the JISRA project here has given hope to religious minorities,’ says Zinash. ‘The idea that young people should have a good influence on the social, economic and political situation of the time has challenged my thoughts.’

‘After the JISRA training, I was able to reconcile two conflicting ethnic groups. At that time, there was a terrible conflict between Sidama and Guji Oromo. My question was: should I play my role in reconciling them? In the compound where I lived, there were both ethnic groups. They were fighting and wanted to kill each other. Most of one ethnic group were Muslims, and the other were Christians, so the conflict also had a religious aspect.’

‘Since I am outside of the two ethnic groups, I was accepted by both sides. I had no difficulty bringing them together to be reconciled. I arranged a dinner party at our house, and we created an opportunity for people from both ethnic groups to have dinner together. When they started talking about their differences, I went between them and started to reconcile them. The conflict that was likely to escalate was prevented!’

What we’d like to see happen next

Hawi, Constance and Zinash demonstrate just how important women of faith are to building sustainable and equitable peace. At Tearfund, we’re committed to championing the role of women in ensuring a peaceful and inclusive future for all.

That’s why we attended the 2025 Commission on the Status of Women with three clear calls for action from the UN and world leaders:

• Remove laws, regulations and policies that are unfair to women and girls. These create inequality and make it harder for them to get fair treatment, especially when it comes to their religion or beliefs.
• Prioritise funding, resources and assistance to end religious violence and provide safety for women and girls in fragile states.
• Promote collaboration with faith leaders and faith-based organisations to develop sustainable programmes that support gender equality, freedom of religion or belief, and peacebuilding.

On Thursday 13 March 2025, we held a Faith, Empowerment and Equality event in New York, where we shared more inspiring stories and further explored our recommendations to the UN. We continue to champion female leaders and the importance of their role in building peace in their communities.

Pray with us

Please pray with us for this important work:

• Lift up women of faith across Nigeria, Ethiopia and Mali. Pray that they will be at the centre of conflict transformation, bringing lasting peace to communities. Ask God to provide the resources and support they need.
• Pray for the JISRA programme. Ask God to continue to use it to bridge divides between faith communities so that they can work together for a peaceful and inclusive future for all.