Women of Faith Mark International Women's Day on Sunday March 8, 2015 in Global, Interfaith Fast and Social Media Campaign for Gender Justice

Women of faith will mark International Women's Day on Sunday March 8, 2015 by joining together in a global, interfaith fast and social media campaign (#EqualinFaith) for gender justice and the equality of women in their faith communities. The day-long fast and social media campaign will culminate in interfaith prayer services and regional gatherings in more than 20 cities, in three countries.

Equal in Faith organizers embrace the official theme of International Women's Day 2015, "Make it Happen," as a call for all people of faith to stand with women everywhere in the struggle for equality.

Kate McElwee, WOC co-executive director

"When women are denied equitable leadership positions in their faith, it is part of a larger culture of sexism that not only silences women's vocations and voices, but implicitly gives permission to the rest of the world to discriminate against women," stated Kate McElwee, of WOC.

"Equality shouldn't stop at the doors of our churches, synagogues or mosques," asserted Lorie Winder, of Ordain Women. "We refuse to tolerate discrimination against women in our secular institutions.  Why, then, do we accept it in our religious institutions?  Since religion significantly impacts the broader culture, the marginalization of women in our faith communities affects all of us." See the full media release

How to take action:

• Attend an event near you: See Map
• Share your solidarity or a photo on social media using the hashtag: #EqualinFaith
• Pray or Fast: Equal in Faith Prayer Resources
• "Like" and share the Equal in Faith Facebook page
• Watch and share the 2015 Equal In Faith Video

Equal in Faith organizers include representatives from Ordain Women (Mormon), the Women's Ordination Conference (Roman Catholic), and Ordain Women Now (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod). Launched on U.S. National Women's Equality Day in 2013, we call attention to the marginalization of women in faith communities and foster solidarity across faith traditions in the struggle for gender justice in religion.