West African Conference on Violence against Women; Faith Responses

Violence against women and girls is one of the most challenging issue of our time.. it is also a fact that People in crisis often look to their faith leaders for guidance and assistance. Religious values of justice and equality mandate us to affirm the dignity and worth of every human being and the right of each person to live without fear or threat of violence. Our religious traditions obligate us to work towards an end to sexual and domestic violence in our communities and in society at large.
Within a Christian context,Time to heal provides faith communities and advocates with the tools and knowledge they need to address the faith and cultural issues related to violence and abuse.

By bringing together, interconnected communities, Faith leaders, advocates, researchers, academics, multi-disciplinary partners and intersecting social justice activists, the conference will:

• Strengthen collaboration between faith communities and secular organizations in order to improve community-wide approaches to ending violence against women.
• Reveal a bigger picture with more comprehensive strategies to prevent and end all form of violence against women.
• Will explore a wide range of approaches that advance real social change in our community.
• Engage multi-disciplinary professionals and community organizers in mutual learning about domestic violence and intersecting social justice issues.
• Lift up innovative strategies that support family safety and healing, and explore solutions “beyond leaving”.
• Promote promising practices that draw upon community strengths, and increase awareness of alternative interventions beyond criminal legal responses.