Women and youth empowerment

Growing up in poverty can blight a young person’s life.

Churches through the Anglican Communion are seeking to empower their youth and involve them in holistic mission in order to build inclusive and sustainable communities.

Many churches see young people as a great asset to their community. Young people have vision, abilities and energy to make a positive contribution to their environments. In some areas in Africa and East Asia, young people are involved as active members in local community projects.

The churches in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific are working with young people marked by poverty who often feel they have no jobs and no say in decisions that shape their lives.

In Africa, the churches in Burundi are giving a fresh start in life to young people on the margins of society, and in Zambia there is a special ministry with youth.

In Latin America, churches are ministering to young people damaged by drug abuse and homelessness, offering them safe spaces to get off the streets and rebuild their lives.

Very often it is young leaders themselves who are the key agents in planning and delivering these activities.

In the Anglican Alliance we are promoting both church and community mobilisation processes and our Agents of Change distance learning programme to give young people the tools to be active partners in transforming their communities.

Promoting equality

Women are often at a double disadvantage due to poverty and gender discrimination. Thus economic empowerment for women is a cornerstone for building just and sustainable communities.

We have a special focus on empowering women and girls in order to overcome poverty, injustice and gender-based violence. This also includes working effectively to engage men and boys in rebuilding just relationships between the genders.