[International Anglican Women’s Network press release] On the first day of their London meeting, members of the International Anglican Women’s Network (IAWN) Steering Group were delighted to learn of the election of Agnes Abuom as the first woman and first African moderator of the World Council of Churches Central Committee.

IAWN Steering Group member Claudette Kigeme from Burundi, said, “I heard Dr. Abuom speak inspirationally at the All Africa Conference of Churches, when she highlighted, as one of several major challenges, the importance of the church promoting gender justice at all levels, and standing by all who suffer , especially ‘victims of human trafficking, packaged like commodities, sold as parts or pieces –  taking place on our doorstep, like slavery.'”

The IAWN Steering Group strongly welcomes such vision, echoing the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) resolutions committing the Anglican Communion to equal representation of women and men in all decision-making bodies of the church, and to the eradication of all forms of human trafficking.

The members¹ of the IAWN Steering Group send Agnes Abuom their warmest congratulations, and assure her of their continuing prayers.

Notes to editors

¹The members include:

• Ann Skamp, Anglican Church of  Australia, Co-ordinator
• Elenor Lawrence, Church in the  Province of the West Indies, Secretary
• Elaine Cameron, Scottish  Episcopal Church, Communications
• Margaret Dempster, Anglican  Church of Canada, Treasurer
• Meenakshi Das, Church of North India
• Pumla Titus, Anglican Church of  Southern Africa
• Claudette Kigeme, Anglican  Church of Burundi
• Kim Robey, The Episcopal Church

²IAWN, the International Anglican Women’s Network, was formed in November 1996 to be the organization through which the voices of Anglican women would be reported to the Anglican Consultative Council.  It is one of the networks of the world wide Anglican Communion. Within official church structures, it reports to the Anglican Consultative Council. Its purpose is to enable and empower all women of the Anglican Communion to work cooperatively at national, provincial and  communion-wide levels to strengthen the ministries of women in God’s world and  to ensure women are influential and equal participants throughout the entire Anglican Communion.