APAY Gender Equity Committee (GEC) Meeting held via Zoom

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Last Updated (Wednesday, 18 November 2020 15:54)

APAY Gender Equity Committee (GEC) Meeting held via Zoom

- Dr. Meerha Hahn elected as Chair –

The GE Committee meeting was held virtually on November 4, at 3 PM HKT. The members, including invitees and APAY staff, attended the meeting.

The main agenda of the meeting was to elect the new Chairperson for the GEC, for the current quadrennium (2020-2023), and discuss the upcoming gender justice programs and activities.

The election of the Chair was postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic and the possibility of a face to face meeting is grim in the present situation, that led us to organize this virtual meeting. We are happy to inform that the members elected Dr Meerha Hahn as the new chairperson of the GEC for the next quadrennium to lead the GEC and advance the work of the gender justice programs in the Asia and Pacific region through the APAY.

The members are thankful to Ms Nagako Okado, the former Chairperson, for her excellent work with passion and commitment towards gender justice for the past four years. The members appreciated Ms Cristina Miranda, who was the staff in charge of the gender justice program for her hard works to implement all the proposed programs and recommendations of the GEC in the Asia and Pacific region.

The members also discussed the immediate upcoming gender justice programs and planned to meet again to develop the gender justice program strategy for the next quadrennium.

The GEC is formed to work mainly on the followings:

  • Advancing the APAY Gender policy guidelines and strategies for gender sensitivity and gender-responsive programs at all levels within the region.
  • Increasing leadership skills and capacity development for women empowerment and gender equality through sub-regional leadership formation/training.
  • Cultivating the culture/sense of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls at all levels through the creation of platforms of learning, reflection and exchanges of experiences
  • Enhancing advocacy capacities of various constituents that promote policy and programming reforms for equal opportunities for all gender at all levels
  • Encouraging constitutional change at local and national levels to facilitate women membership and leadership in Local and National Boards.
  • Organizing and mobilization of national/local movements to engage in community-based gender justice and women empowerment projects
  • Networking with the World Alliance and other NGOs for the development of gender justice programs.
  • Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of gender justice strategies annually and post quadrennial period.

Dr Meerha Hahn, the New Chairperson of the Gender Equity Committee (GEC)- APAY

We are happy to announce that the Gender Equity Committee virtually met on November 4 and elected Dr Meerha Hahn as the Chairperson to lead the GEC for the current quadrennium (2020-2023). Dr Hahn hails from South Korea, an ordained minister at the Korea Association of Non-denominational Seminaries at Christian Universities (KANSCU). She also is the Emeritus Professor of Applied Theology at the Hoseo University, Graduate School of Theology. She served as a Professor, Dean, Senior Chaplain, Chairperson, and the Director of Centre for International Education for 25 years (1994-2019). Dr Hahn is the recipient of the Presidential Order of the Republic of Korea in 2019.

Dr Hahn has served at the Korea Society of Christian Education & Information Technology in different capacities and has contributed her leadership for the D.Min Program at Drew & Luther Rice University in the USA. She has also contributed to developing curriculum for Bible studies for youth and women. Dr Hahn has authored nine books, autobio essay, and dozens of academic articles. Some of her writings are based on feminist theology, theological education in Asian contexts; women in the digital era, among others.

Dr Hahn brings a wealth of experience as an academician and feminist theologian to lead the GEC to contribute to the ongoing work of gender justice in the AP region through the APAY. She envisions a better world for women, men and young people, to experience life in all its fullness. She is committed to addressing the issues of discrimination based on gender and sex, and gender-based violence through the gender justice program of the APAY and very much looking forward to working together with the members of the GEC.

While we welcome the new chairperson of GEC Dr Hahn, we acknowledge and extend our heartfelt thanks to Ms Nagako Okado, the outgoing chairperson for her excellent leadership in leading the GEC with passion and commitment for gender justice for the past four years and ten months.

~ Sunita Suna, Executive Secretary for Programs