Thursday 28th November saw the launch of ‘Faith on 4th,’ a joint campaign by Safe in Faith, Forward UK and the Faith and VAWG Coalition to mark the fourth of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The initiative, launched in an event at Our Lady of Victories in Kensington, explores issues around faith, women’s rights, and the commitment to end violence against women and girls (VAWG).
This year’s theme was ‘Why Keep the Faith?’, centred around the role of faith, community and religious institutions in women’s journeys to safety and healing.
The afternoon opened with an introduction from Huda Jawad, Executive Director of the Faith and VAWG Coalition, followed by a brief presentation from Forward UK and two keynote speakers: Nikki Dhillon Keane, Head of Safe in Faith and co-founder of the Faith and VAWG Coalition, and Dr Selina Stone, an author, theologian and researcher specialising in womanist ethics, power, violence, the Pentecostal tradition and communal wellbeing.
Dr Stone discussed the importance of keeping faith through experiences of abuse, while Dhillon Keane spoke about holding the light of faith for others through experiences of trauma in sacred spaces.
The speeches were followed by powerful poetry readings by the poet Rakaya Esime Fetuga, and a time for idea-sharing among attendees working or volunteering in faith settings looking to support survivors of abuse. The afternoon concluded with creative workshops and an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Nikki Dhillon Keane said:
It was a huge honour to be able to speak with such an incredible group of women working in their own faith communities to support survivors and end violence against women and girls. I am always struck by how much we have in common, and how much support and growth can be found through coming together to share our experiences.
Reflecting on the event, Huda Jawad added:
We are delighted to have partnered with Safe in Faith and Forward UK in shining a light on the important role faith plays in our quest for justice and equality for all, and especially women and girls. The 16 Days of Activism are such an important time in the international social justice calendar, and shining a light on faith on the fourth day of that period is our way of asking the world to see and hear us.
Following its highly successful launch, Faith on 4th hopes to become an annual event to raise awareness about the role of faith in recovering from the trauma of domestic abuse and exploitation.
For more information about the 16 Days of Activism and to get involved, click here.
Find out more about Safe in Faith here.
