From the Church of England

International Women’s Day 2013 celebrated tomorrow, Friday March 8

Mandy Marshall, the Church of England representative at this year's UN Commission on the Status of Women, (UNCSW) says that educating men and boys is key to preventing violence against women, adding that faith groups must lead the way.

The Commission, which runs from March 4-15, is designed to coincide with tomorrow’s International Women’s Day.

Writing in her blog http://cofeuncsw.wordpress.com/ on “Men at a Women’s conference”, Mandy referred to a presentation from the Sonke Gender Justice Network in South Africa outlining 10 points required in engaging men to prevent and end violence against women.

But she stressed that there must be “a focus on including faith leaders, as transformers of cultures, in the process of prevention”.

Mandy who is using social media to keep supporters updated during the Commission concluded her latest blog with: “With one in four women in the UK suffering abuse in her lifetime, and two women a week being killed by their partner or former partner, it is indeed time for action.”

Twitter: @UNCSWCofE 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cofe.uncsw  
Blog: http://cofeuncsw.wordpress.com/  
Email: cofeuncsw@gmail.com  

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 
Mandy Marshall is co-director of Restored http://www.restoredrelationships.org  

Read previous press releases 
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2013/02/cofe-presence-at-un-commission-on-status-of-women.aspx  
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/11/churches-to-mark-white-ribbon-day.aspx