To advance human rights and human development, international institutions and different academic disciplines give high priority to gender equality. It is sine qua non, essential and central to a cherished vision of a decent society. 

Yet too often religious communities and leaders are seen as tepid in their support, whether it involves contesting domestic violence, addressing maternal mortality, making sure girls stay in school, or listening to women’s voices in peace negotiations.

Listen Podcast

Katherine Marshall argues that to advance human rights and human development, international institutions, and different academic disciplines give high priority to gender equality. It is a sine qua non, essential and central to a cherished vision of a decent society. Yet too often religious communities and leaders are seen as tepid in their support, whether it involves contesting domestic violence, addressing maternal mortality, making sure girls stay in school, or listening to women’s voices in peace negotiations. This is ironic because women are vital members of religious communities and most religious institutions hold that it is they who lead in honoring women. The presentation will reflect on the diversity of religious approaches, spoken and unspoken qualms and concerns, some genuine misunderstandings,  topics that need active discussion, and hopes for the path ahead.

Katherine Marshall is a Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and Visiting Professor in the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. She is executive director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD), an organization that works to build bridges among the worlds of development and religion. Her teaching and research engage wide-ranging topics for human rights and global ethics. She has worked for four decades on international development, with many years at the World Bank, focused on Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She speaks and publishes widely and is a blogger for the religion section of the Huffington Post. She sits on several non-profit boards, including the Opus Prize Foundation, the International Selection Committee for the Niwano Peace Prize, the World Bank Community Connections Fund, and AVINA Americas. Her most recent book, Global Institutions of Religion: Ancient Movers, Modern Shakers (Routledge, 2013), gives a grounding in the complex world of faith-linked entities and their important roles among contemporary global institutions.