Gender Justice Ministry

The Gender Justice Ministry of the ELCJHL

Overview
The Gender Justice Ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land is dedicated to promoting gender justice and equality in all of our ministries and programs, both within the church and in the wider community. Our mission is to empower women and girls and advocate for their rights and equality, challenge patriarchal structures and systems that contribute to gender-based violence and oppression, and create a community of empowered women and men who can effect change in their communities.

The Gender Justice Ministry of the ELCJHL was initially established as the Women's Desk in 2008. The Women's Desk was created to address the significant cultural challenges and gender gap faced by women in Palestine, particularly those living under occupation. The desk served as a listening ear to women in the church and community, providing solutions to address issues related to traditional gender role ideology.

Over time, the Women's Desk expanded its scope and programs to address broader issues related to gender inequality and discrimination within the church and society at large. As a result, the ministry was renamed the Gender Justice Ministry to reflect its broader focus. Today, the Gender Justice Ministry of the ELCJHL remains committed to promoting gender justice and equality in all of its ministries and programs, empowering women and girls, advocating for their rights and equality, and challenging patriarchal structures and systems that contribute to gender-based violence and oppression. The desk is run by Director Mrs. Ranan Issa and informed by a committee of women from the church, adhering to the ELCJHL's commitment to increasing women's leadership.

Through our Gender Justice Ministry, we provide education and training on gender justice and equality to our congregation members and the wider community, support the development of women's leadership within the church, and advocate and lobby for gender justice and equality at national and regional levels. We also collaborate with other local and international interfaith-based actors, organizations, and groups that share our commitment to gender justice.

The Gender Justice Ministry of the ELCJHL is an essential part of our mission to serve and support, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting gender justice and equality in our community. We believe that achieving full equality for women is essential to creating a just and equitable society for all.

Al-Hakimat Council

Al-Hakimat Council is a Palestinian feminist initiative of the ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry that seeks to promote the Palestinian identity as a medium for addressing women's needs. The council takes its name from the Arabic word "Hakimat," which means wise women, and adopts the principle of citizenship to promote and legislate Palestinian identity.

The council is dedicated to supporting and encouraging Palestinian women's initiatives that reflect the Palestinian identity and continuously provide opportunities for emerging female leaders. It was founded by two esteemed scholars: Justice Somoud al-Damiri, the first female Chief Prosecutor of the Shari'a Prosecution and the first female member of the Shari'a Court of Appeal, and Judge Scarlet Bishara, the first female Judge in the Ecclesiastical Court of the ELCJHL and legal adviser to the governor of Bethlehem. They both took the initiative to unite with their sisters and pave the way for others to join them in building a state that seeks to advance its citizens' interests in accordance with the notion of nationality.

Learn more about Al-Hakimat Council here.

 

New Research

 

Women and Girls of Gaza in the Shadow of War: A Legal Overview of the Situation of Women and Girls Living in Gaza Strip During the War 2023/2024

The Right to Child Custody
in Palestinian Sharia and Ecclesiastical Courts:
Between Legal Pluralism and the Best Interest of the Child (English).

 

نساء و فتيات غزة في ظل الحرب 

إطلالة حقوقية على وضع النساء و الفتيات القاطنات في قطاع غزة خلال حرب 2023/2024

حق الحضانة في المحاكم الشرعية والكنسية الفلسطينية
بين التعددية القانونية والمصلحة الفضلى للأطفال
- الضفة الغربية والقدس الشرقية المحتلة –

 

Contact Information

For more information about the Women’s Ministries of the ELCJHL, contact Mrs. Ranan Issa, the Gender Justice Ministry Director, at the ELCJHL Synod Offices at genderjustice@elcjhl.org

 

Links to Articles about the ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry

Holy Land Lutherans Adopt Gender Justice in Ecclesiastical Court Constitution

Palestine: Women trust a woman judge to “understand them”.

Promoting Gender Justice in Palestine

Catalysts of Change: A Dialogue with Al-Azhar Judges Advocating Gender Justice in Palestine

Lutherans in the Holy Land Pursue Justice

First female Palestinian pastor ordained in the Holy Land

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