Meet our 2018 UNCSW delegation

This year we have a delegation of seven Mothers' Union members and staff from around the globe representing us at the 2018 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York from the  12th March. Meet them all here: 

 Shara Golden - Canada

Shara is Vice President of the Canadian Council of the Mothers’ Union. She is a retired civil servant and worked for the Province of New Brunswick for 39 years. Her last position was with the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission where she provided educational training and services for 13 years. Shara has been involved with the Anglican Church of Canada in various capacities and is currently a member of the Council of General Synod. She has actively taken part in many workshops and conversations on the rights of women. 

“I am a woman who lives in a rural community I am involved in several community organisations that affect the rights of women. I am an advocate for the rights of women, the rights of dignity, worth and protection.”;

 

 

Ekua Swanzy – Ghana

Ekua has been a very active Mothers’ Union member since 2005. She is a women’s organiser in Ghana’s central region. She has also been a member of her local district committee for five years and as Secretary of its Women’s and Children committee she advocated and lobbied for women’s and child rights in her area. I have taken upon myself to help women especially single mothers to be self-sufficient in even the smallest endeavour they pursue. 

 

“As a women’s organiser most of my work is centred around women’s welfare and that of their children and I do my best to empower them. I have taken upon myself to help women especially single mothers to be self- sufficient in even the smallest endeavour they pursue. My wish is that I can do more for them.”

 

Felicia Yeboah Asuamah – Ghana

Felicia is Provincial President of Ghana. In the past she contributed as a Lay Women’s representative from Ghana on the West Africa Provincial Synod where she contributed to policy and decision making concerning the church with women as the focus. She campaigns for women’s empowerment and has run programmes aimed at helping young women from deprived areas. 

“In my diocese Mothers’ Union organises advocacy and campaign programmes with other women’s groups within the church and government. I plan to use these platforms on my return as an opportunity to share the outcomes of UNCSW.”

 

 

Leah Chipepa – Zambia

Leah has extensive experience working as a women’s rights advocate and campaigner in Africa and internationally. She was Executive Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika, a Ugandan-based feminist organisation promoting and protecting women’s and girls’ rights through advocacy and campaigns at a regional and international level.  She has chaired a number of committees aimed at empowering women and girls, including the Africa CSW NGO sub-committee on Information and Communication which was responsible for developing the communication strategy to ensure Africa’s effective participation at CSW. On her return to Zambia she plans to prepare a report and provide feedback to her diocese as well as meet collaborate with faith based organisations.

“I plan to engage with Zambia’s Minister of Guidance and Religious Affairs using the outcomes document as the basis for discussion on how Mothers’ Union can work with government to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in rural areas at national and provincial levels.”

 

Annie Beckley – United States of America

Annie Beckley is Provincial President of Mothers’ Union in USA Province and has been a member since 1998 and became Provincial President in 2014 when she made the pledge of making homelessness a thing of the past. The United States has a large number of homeless women and children. Mothers’ Union USA has partnered and participated with other church groups to lobby local governments to bring awareness to the serious issue and made feeding and housing the homeless their priority. 

“The United States lacks organisations like the NAACP to fight for women and minorities. I plan to use my attendance at the UNCSW for the benefit of Mothers’ Union here in the United States to continue bringing awareness to government agencies.”

 

 

Bev Jullien – United Kingdom

Bev Jullien has been Mothers’ Union’s Chief Executive since August 2015. Prior to that she worked within the corporate and education sectors including roles as Vice President for pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca and Pro-Vice Chancellor at London Southbank University. Bev has extensive knowledge of the non-profit sector where she set up a unique service for the 2012 London Olympic Games to develop professionalism in sports governing bodies. She is an active member of her local Anglican church where she and her family have been members of Mothers’ Union for several generations. 

 

“I’m proud to be leading such an important global movement as Mothers’ Union. Our attendance at CSW is important as we represent the voices of more than four million globally. Our position on the issues facing rural women, the theme this year, is informed by responses from over 250 members across the world. Isolation and loneliness are challenges in both global north and south, and the issues of women’s economic empowerment are even more acute in rural than urban communities. I am honoured that our delegates have direct experience of the issues and will be advocating nationally to urge these to be addressed.”.”

 

Rachael Anderson – United Kingdom (Communications)

 

Rachael, our Events & Digital Communications Manager, will be attending the UNCSW as the Communications representative and will be working for both the Mothers' Union and with the Anglican Communion throughout our time there. If you wish to discuss press opportunites you can contact her on Rachael.Anderson@MothersUnion.org