I spoke to at the International Women’s Day at the Home Office headquarters in London. I represented the Christian community, which spoke of gender equality alongside Hindu, Sikhs, Muslims and Jews. As I entered the room, I was shocked to see the diversity of culture that exists in London today. It is perhaps now the cultural center of the world, with over 300 languages spoken daily.
I was proud to represent the name of Jesus and spoke about the gender rights of the daughters of Zelophehad as depicted in Numbers 27:1-11, which encapsulates what women had to do to confirm their rights with dignity. The daughters had been deprived of their inheritance, and the passage describes how Moses sought the counsel of God to give them something that was counter-cultural.
My message was well-received, and I heard positive feedback in particular from the Sikhs and Hindus, who may have been more interested when they found how a Punjabi girl born in London could possibly be a full-on Christian and speaking of Jesus Christ.
Gender equality is of great importance, and God clearly believed the same, this being feminism with deep biblical roots. I did ask the Hindu contingent, who spoke of their female gods, how this aligned with the fact from UNICEF that 57 percent of adolescent boys believe it justifiable for a man to beat his wife. A global poll highlighted India as the worst place to be a woman, and it is the second highest sex-trafficking country in the world. The Hindu women had no answer for their Punjabi London girl.
The event was a great success, and its theme, “Bold for Change,” achieved its goal of honoring past and present women in society who bring inspirational change to women. The Home Office is looking to be “inclusive by instinct” by 2020. {eoa}
