Mobilizing Faith for Womenof relative institutional positions allows them to“stand where people are and move the mission as faras possible.”Tom England“Joy is released when wetouch the pain of our time.”— Sister Simone CampbellDetermined not to allow the rift with the bishopsto interfere with NETWORK’s larger mission,Campbell created Nuns on the Bus, a road tripacross the country to draw attention to the largerissues where there is common agreement betweenthe sisters and the bishops. The bus tour focused on“comprehensive common sense [and] compassionateimmigration reform” and then on speaking out againstCongressman Paul Ryan’s proposed budget, whichslashes services for the poor. The sisters were aidedin this effort by a letter from their bishop declaringthat the Ryan budget failed the basic moral test. Inreflecting on the importance of standing with theoppressed and marginalized in society, Campbell liftedthe hearts of the participants, saying, “Joy is releasedwhen we touch the pain of our time.” It was a statementthat reverberated with many for the rest of theconference. In conclusion, Campbell offered that“women’s leadership has surprising things happeningto it in my faith tradition” and, “As a person of faithin our democratic culture, I expect to use my voiceand to be required to use my voice, and our textmandates that I use my voice”!Mainstreaming Male AlliancesInclusive public discourse and the empowerment ofwomen in spheres of leadership are central to thereorientation of religious institutions to promotewomen’s rights and social justice for all. As SheikhOmar Ahmed Tijani Niass recommended, “Menneed to support women in the issue of equality bysometimes just being silent.” With men occupyingShiekh Mustapha Ibrahim, a member of the delegation ofthe National Chief Imam of Ghana, discusses the effect ofpolygamy on families today.the most powerful positions in government, business,and religious institutions the world over, active alliancesare key and, at times, need to take the form ofconsciously leaving space for women to lead. Tamba,a former parliamentarian and national coordinator forTostan in Senegal, reflected on the futility of juxtaposingmen and women: “This is a fight for humanity.It is a problem for all of us human beings to change.”No man exists in a vacuum, nor does a communityexist independent of its female members, insistedTamba. Tostan operates on the principle that thewelfare of women, mothers, wives, and sisters impactscommunity well-being, a common value that oftensubordinates individual rights. Through dialogue andeducation, Tostan has helped communities redefinewomen’s rights as a central aspect of communityhealth, eliminating the practice of female genitalcutting on that basis.Women are often equally implicated in the perpetuationof harmful practices such as female genital28 The Carter Center
Mobilizing Faith for Womencutting. Tamba shared that at first his work againstthe ancestral practice was strongly opposed by hiscommunity, which reprimanded him, saying, “Stoptalking about that; you are a man; it is none of yourbusiness. This is holy; we cannot discuss this”! Evenhis family begged him to stop his advocacy, afraid ofpeople’s wrath. Yet, he continued with convictionthat came from knowing that there is no passagein the Bible or the Qur’an that mandates femalegenital cutting. Tamba emphasized the importance“Men need to support womenin the issue of equality bysometimes just being silent.”— Sheikh Omar Ahmed Tijani Niassof education to redress ignorance, arguing, “All religionswill be well-practiced if people are educated.”His work, he says, “stirs up the earth”: The groundis the spirit of the people, and personal convictionactivates change.Tamba articulated three types of norms — social,legal, and personal — emphasizing the potency ofindividuals who make choices based on personalmoral conviction. This sentiment is reflected in hisown choices. When questioned on the motivationof men to work against what can be viewed as theirown male privilege and about his own motivationto take the risk in pursuing social change, Tambaresponded, “I do this because I believe it is a problemfor everyone, men and women.”As Mona Rishmawi, representative of the U.N.High Commissioner for Human Rights, asked in heropening remarks, “Why is it that religious leadersTom EnglandElla Musu Coleman, seated next to Chief Zanzan Karwor, shares her organization’s efforts to empower women to asserttheir rights within polygamous traditional marriages in Liberia.The Carter Center 29
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