19 Nov 2009, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Nadia McGill/ANN
The global EndItNowTM campaign recently launched to oppose violence against women and girls is receiving widespread support now in three of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's 13 world regions. Campaign organizers report the initiative is motivating leaders and church groups to become active advocates for non-violence in their own communities.
On Tuesday, November 16, the church's Trans-European region, based in the United Kingdom and including more than 40 countries and territories in Europe, unveiled EndItNowTM to representatives during regional end-year meetings held in Becici, Montenegro.
“From January 15 to March 15, we are encouraging our leaders to concentrate on promoting this campaign, to get people active,” said Anne-May Wollan, Women's Ministries leader for the region. “We want every country to use this opportunity to tell people what we're doing in support of this campaign.”
In Kenya, Adventist church leaders representing countries throughout Eastern and Central Africa also gave their support, committing to champion the cause within their own constituencies.
“We are speaking up, signing up,” wrote a supporter in Kenya following the campaign launch in the region.
In the Philippines, representatives from the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific region, which comprises more than 19 countries and territories, pledged during a November 9 ceremony to push for the success of the campaign, according to Helen Gulfan, Women's Ministries leader for the region.
During the campaign presentation, attendees made their commitment public by saying the campaign slogan — “Adventists Say No to Violence Against Women” — in Chinese, Malay, Tagalog, Bangla, Sinhala, Indonesian, Burmese and Portuguese.
“This new campaign asks each of us to both speak and act, calling us to stand together to save lives,” said Charles Sandefur, president of ADRA International.
During the campaign's primary phase, 1 million signatures are currently being gathered from supporters in more than 200 countries and territories. Once collected, these signatures will be presented to the United Nations to raise attention about the issue, advocate for new policies that better protect women and girls, and make a public declaration of the work of the Adventist Church to bring an end to gender-based violence.
“We are protecting the futures of our daughters, our granddaughters, nieces, mothers, sisters, friends and neighbors,” said Jacqueline, a 38-year-old supporter from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. “Every woman has the right to security and love.”
EndItNowTM was launched October 13 with the support of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Women's Ministries Department of the Adventist Church to raise awareness and advocate for the end of violence against women and girls.
To join the 1 million supporters of the EndItNowTM cause, visit enditnow.org.