What is the status of women ten years later?  How has the Beijing Platform been an instrument for change?  What has been its effect within the Anglican Communion?  The twelve sections of the Beijing Platform for Action are so connected that it is impossible to talk about one section without branching into the others; thus, there will be inter- relatedness throughout this statement.

Armed Conflict:     Peace is a prerequisite for the attainment of equality between women and men. Though women rarely have a role in the decisions leading to armed conflict, they work to preserve the social order in the midst of conflict and can be important participants in peace education.  

1. How are women involved in conflict resolution at the decision-making levels?

2. How is the church involved in conflict resolution, particularly working with the government to reduce excessive military expenditures and control the availability of armaments?

3. Are there any protection, assistance, and/or training programs provided to refugee or internally displaced women?

Economy:     To what extent have women been excluded from profiting from the economics of their countries.  Do they have the right to own property, to work outside the home?  Is there day care for their children?  To what extent does religious doctrine prohibit women’s economic viability? 

1. Do women have control over any economic resources? What are their legal rights regarding inheritance, ownership of property, credit, marriage, divorce, and children?

2. Is there a gender perspective in shaping policies and programs, including the setting of budget priorities, to ensure that decisions include consideration of impact on women and poverty?

3. Provide observations on how women’s work conditions have improved and/or worsened in both the formal and informal sectors over the past 10 years.

4. Describe any programs promoting women’s economic rights and independence, including access to employment, appropriate working conditions and control over economic resources?

5. Does the church play an active role in promoting balance between work and family responsibilities for women and men?

Education:     Education is a human right, an essential tool for achieving equality, development and peace.  Investing in formal and non-formal education and training for girls and women should be the means of achieving sustainable development and economic growth. 

1. Is the Anglican Church both locally and on a diocesan or provincial level involved in providing quality education for children, particularly girls?

2. What is the literacy rate among women? Describe government or church programs that educate women including vocational and skills training, and science and technology programs.

3. Do girls have access to higher education?

Health:      Access to adequate and comprehensive health care information and services by governments and by civil society are imperative to assure release from poverty and entrance into economic stability.  The high percentage of women with HIV/AIDS in increasing areas of the world, especially among the 15-24 age groupand the high number of orphans is of deep concern.    

1. Do women, including girls and adolescents, have access to appropriate, affordable and quality primary health care as well as information and related services?

2. Does access to quality healthcare differ between groups such as rich/poor, minority/indigenous, immigrant/refugee, young/old, incarcerated/detained or married/unmarried women?

3. Are health care services gender and/ or culturally sensitive to the diverse religious and ethnic communities and is information available in all applicable languages?

4. Describe the gender-sensitive initiatives, especially preventative programs that address sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and sexual reproductive health issues?

Human Rights:    All human rights are universal, interdependent and interrelated.  Their full and equal enjoyment by women and girls should be a priority for governments and is essential for the advancement of women.  

1. Are there laws and information on laws protecting basic human rights? Are they translated into local and indigenous languages? Are there efforts to make this information available to all?

2. Is there any gender sensitive human rights education for public officials such as police and/or military, corrections officers, health and medical personnel, social workers, clergy, etc?

3. Describe ways in which women perpetuate negative cultural and traditional practices.

4. Describe programs or advocacy campaigns you are aware of to promote non-violent forms of conflict resolution and reduce the incidence of human rights abuse in conflict situations?

Institutional Mechanisms:     Women’s advancement takes place when govern-mental structures provide a clear mandate, adequate staff, access to resources, support from political leadership and well-developed methodologies for gender-based policy analysis.

1. What policies on gender equality and the empowerment of women have been adopted by your province and/or diocese?

2. What efforts have been made to engage men and boys in the promotion of gender equality?

3. What commitments have been made to inclusive/expansive liturgical language?

4. What obstacles do you see in achieving gender equality?

Media:     Media have the potential for a great contribution to the advancement of women, with self-regulatory mechanisms that could eliminate gender-based pro- gramming and prevent gender-biased advertising.  With greater skills, knowledge and access to information technology women will be empowered. 

1. How does the church communicate with women? What do they communicate about the role of women in society and in the family? (If possible, bring examples)

2. Are there professional guidelines or a code of conduct encouraging fair gender portrayal and the use of non-sexist language?

3. Is there a centralized women's press office that distributes press releases to church media nationwide that highlight women's work, roles, and alternative images of women both within the church and in your communities?

4. Describe initiatives and organizations that exist in the church or the community that promote women in the arts? What work is being done with respect to the portrayal and the lives of women? Is there any support for women artists in the church?

Poverty:    Women are the poor – no member state in the global community is exempt from the responsibility to address the feminization of poverty.  Women have few economic resources; their education, training and support services are limited; they have virtually no influence on decision-making; their rigid socially proscribed roles increase their burden of poverty.

1. Are there any systems that currently track the economic status of women within your province, and if so, can you provide statistical data?

2. What are Anglican churches doing specifically to reach out to poor women?

3. Describe any models of churches partnering with financial or governmental institutions to provide economic opportunities for women in poverty?

Power and Decision-making:      Participation in decision-making is not only a demand for simple social justice or democracy, it is essential for achieving transparent and accountable government and for providing a balance that reflects the composition of society.     

1. Do women have equal access to and participation in decision-making in governmental bodies (e.g. judiciary), public administration entities (e.g. NGOs, political parties, trade unions), and in the church?

2. Is there any leadership training offered by the church to increase women’s capacity (both for lay and clergy) to participate in decision-making and leadership positions?

3. Do women have equal access and participation as men in all areas and all levels of church life, especially in decision and policy-making? Ordination?

The Girl-child:      Because of harmful attitudes and practices such as female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation, boy-child preference, discrimination in accessing education and practices related to health and food allocation, fewer girls than boys survive into adulthood in many areas of the world

1. Describe positive role models for girls in the church and in society?

2. Are young women encouraged to consider leadership roles and ordination?

3. Are Biblical stories of the faithful women shared and preached?

4. Describe what policies exist for the protection of the physical and psychological well being of the girl-child. Are clergy and lay leaders educated to recognize and understand abuse and methods of reporting and accountability if abuse occurs?

Violence:    Violence against women is pandemic in our world culture.  Enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms is impaired by the lack of preventative and protective laws and the non-enforcement by public authorities of the laws which do exist.   

1. Is there any legislation in place to prevent and punish sexual abuse, domestic violence, trafficking and other forms of violence against women?  If so, is this legislation enforced? 

2. What is the Anglican Church doing to specifically address and prevent violence against women?  Have the clergy received any training to counsel women who are victims of domestic violence or other forms of violence?  Please give examples of training, education, programs and church legislation that address this issue.

3. Are clergy and staff held accountable for their treatment of parishioners?  How is sexual misconduct by clergy treated in your diocese and parish?

4. Are there negative cultural practices such as genital mutilation, drug induced date rape, dowry death and honor killings prevalent in your country?

5. What support systems are in place to help victims of violence in your church or community? (E.g. hotlines, shelters, counseling, educational programs)