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Welcome! The Women and Religion Movement is alive and well in the 21st Century. A grassroots project started by lay leaders in the 1970s as an effort to promote examination of religious roots of sexism and patriarchy within the UUA and beyond, UU Women and Religion officially began as a task force following the unanimously-passed WOMEN AND RELIGION RESOLUTION at the 1977 UUA General Assembly. Although the Task Force was eventually sunsetted, the movement still exists in UU communities that hold Women & Religion programs and gatherings for those who identify as women. It exists at the UU General Assembly, where UUW&R brings our Store to the Exhibit Hall and occasionally hosts a gathering. And it lives in the hearts and lives of people who have been touched by the many changes inspired by this movement.

"We do not want a piece of the pie. It is still a patriarchal pie. We want to change the recipe!" -- Rosemary Matson

CEDAW Treaty Ratification Now More Hopeful

Editor’s Note: “U*U’s and nons in a vast interconnected web of purpose” (quoted from Dana Fisher Ashrawi’s poem about the Convocation in the Fall WOMUUNWEB) is already coming true! I received the first post-Convo.news item (below) just this morning from a non-U*U.

The situation in Washington DC appears more hopeful for ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) with the new Obama/Biden Administration, and the new Congress. Both the new President and Vice President are familiar with the Treaty, both having served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Senators, Biden most recently as the its Chair. Senator John Kerry (D-MA), who now chairs the Committee, has always been supportive, as is Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who chairs the Sub-Committee in which the Treaty rests. The Committee membership now has three women members, Senator Boxer, plus two new women Senators, Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and the Party ratio is now 11 Democrats to 8 Republicans (one still undesignated pending the outcome of the Coleman/Franken Senatorial race in Minnesota.) Ratification passage by the full Senate will require a 2/3rds (67) favorable vote.
In addition, our new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, spoke favorably about CEDAW during her confirmation hearings stating that it is "past time" to get this done and doing so "will be an important priority for this Administration."  And Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) has reintroduced her Resolution in the House (H. Res.22) urging the Senate to ratify CEDAW. It already has 120 cosponsors. All are hopeful indications U.S. CEDAW ratification may well be a possibility in the new Post-Election government in Washington.

Editor's Note: Billie Heller is the Chair of the National Committee for the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

Editor's Note: These past WOMUUNWEB issues give the story of UU W&R’s coverage of CEDAW through recent years:

Summer, 2007 under “Nobody Opposed Te General Assembly CEDAW Action of Immediate Witness”

Spring,  2007 under CEDAW News

Winter,  2005 under “A New Counterterrorism Strategy: Feminism”

Spring,  2005 under “Women’s Rights Worldwide”

Fall,    2004 under “Elections,Elections and CEDAW Ratification”

Fall,    2003 under “CEDAW – Still Trying to Gain Ratification

Winter,  2003 under “CEDAW – Still Trying to Gain Ratification

Spring,  2002 under “Updates of Continental Interest”

Summer, 2002 under “Alert! Phonecalls & Faxes Needed From All of Us Immediately!”

Fall,     2002 under “CEDAW ALERT!”

Winter,   2002 under “News of Continental Interest”

Fall,     2001 under “Action Items of Interest in JPD”

Fall,     2000 under “Joseph Priestley District Projects Updates”

On the UUWR.org website, you’ll find these back issues under WOMUUNWEB NEWS.

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