Mensen met een Missie

Although Uganda has been more stable in recent years, violence against women remains a significant issue. With the help of Sister Judith Athieno, partner of Mensen met een Missie, Agnes left her abusive husband and found the courage to stand on her own two feet. By supporting women like Agnes through trauma counseling, we create a safe space where their stories are heard and healing can begin. Women are no longer defined by what they have endured, but by the strength and resilience they carry forward. Today, Agnes helps Sister Judith with home visits to other victims of gender based violence. “Thanks to the support of Mensen met een Missie, we can help ease some of the pain. My wish is to help heal the collective trauma of these communities. I cannot do it alone, but I see it as my calling to help our people,” says Sister Judith. 👉 Join us in creating a world where violence doesn’t have the last word. Read more about Agnes’ story and our work in Uganda: https://lnkd.in/eNXDHx97 #Uganda #traumacounselling #endviolenceagainstwomen #NoExcuse #MensenmeteenMissie

Today is Human Rights Day. By defending human rights, we can prevent harm before it happens. They are not just abstract ideas; human rights offer protection. They ensure everyone, everywhere can live in dignity and respect, creating a fairer world. The 10th of December also marks the end of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the most widespread and pervasive human rights violation in the world. Over the past 16 days, we’ve been highlighting examples of this pressing issue and shared information on our work around preventing gender-based violence. But it doesn’t end here. To keep the conversation going, we have compiled an overview of tips for you on the themes of gender-based violence and women's rights. We hope you will be informed and inspired by them. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and actions on the importance and relevance of protecting human rights, especially the rights of women and girls. Please download the tips document to visit the links 👇 #HumanRightsDay #OurRightsOurFuture #16DaysofActivism #UNWomen #NoExcuse #EndGenderBasedViolence #MensenmeteenMissie #JISRA #MAnU

Gender-related killings of women and girls is called femicide. A significant share of women killed by their partners had previously reported some form of physical, sexual or psychological violence. This suggests that many killings of women are preventable. We are committed to preventing such violence by changing harmful beliefs and promoting equality.  Swipe through the slides below to learn more about our work to end femicide. By clicking on the full screen icon on the bottom right, you can download the pdf and access the links in the document. #StopFemicide #MensenmeteenMissie #16days #genderbasedviolence #NoExcuse #womensrights #violenceagainstwomen #UNwomen #MAnU #JISRA

We are looking for a skilled coordinator from South Sudan for the recently launched Peace Project, which aims to transform harmful convictions and promotes conditions for peace in various African countries. The coordinator facilitates and initiates the adequate realisation of the goals outlined in the South Sudan programme, organises linking and learning events for partners and stakeholders and consolidates results. Are you from South Sudan and looking for a challenging position to make a real impact in your country? We would love to receive your application! For more information about the position and how to apply, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/e7pXEsZW The Peace Project is supported by the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs). #SouthSudan #vacancy #peacebuilding #MensenmeteenMissie

Een samenleving zonder polarisatie. Waarin iedereen er toe doet en gelijk behandeld wordt. Een samenleving waarin we tolerant zijn en open staan voor mensen die anders zijn dan wij. Dat is waar we het voor doen. Het is mogelijk! Door met elkaar te praten en écht naar elkaar te luisteren. Om polarisatie in Nederland tegen te gaan, brengen wij mensen met elkaar in verbinding. Bijvoorbeeld met dialoogworkshops, wijkwandelingen, dialoogtrainingen op middelbare scholen en nog veel meer. Sluit jij je ook aan bij onze beweging voor verbinding? Klik hier voor meer informatie: https://lnkd.in/gYZrb_jC #dialoog #polarisatie #bewegingvoorverbinding #mensenmeteenmissie

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, women like Janqueline endure unimaginable hardships. Married off at 17 to a man who saw her as property, she faced relentless abuse and was denied her rightful inheritance. Despite legal advancements granting women rights to inheritance and prohibiting child marriage, enforcement remains weak. At Mensen met een Missie, we collaborate with local partners to empower women like Janqueline through free legal assistance and mediation, ensuring they can claim their rights and build a future free from violence and oppression. We do as much as we can to ensure that young girls in DR Congo grow up in a different world from the one Janqueline knew. We work with youth, women’s and men’s organizations, using education, village meetings and training sessions to help people see equality and women’s rights differently. Read more about Janqueline here: https://lnkd.in/eWJVnSSF. Our work aiming to end violence against women in the DR Congo is made possible by our long-term partner programme MAnU. Read more about MAnU here: https://lnkd.in/gQW8xQWp #WomensRights #DRC #EndViolence #GenderEquality #MensenMetEenMissie #NoExcuse #16DaysofActivism #MAnU

Deeply rooted cultural norms often fuel domestic violence; men assert dominance and women are seen as subordinate. But change is happening, one step at a time. In Uganda, Cathy and David overcame a cycle of violence in their marriage. With the help of Pastor Joseph, trained by our partner organization Terelepar, they learned to replace aggression with respect and equality. "I heard about the training sessions that Terelepar organizes for religious leaders," Joseph says. ‘Equality between men and women is something very close to my heart. I knew that with this training, I could do a lot of good for the community." His impact is proof that change is possible when local leaders take action. At Mensen met een Missie, we believe in the power of education and dialogue to build a more equal society. Read more about the story of Cathy, David and Joseph here: https://lnkd.in/eYX6j3nR #Uganda #genderbasedviolence #womensrights #NoExcuse #16DaysofActivism #MensenmeteenMissie

During her visit to Kenya last week, Julia Munsters, Policy Officer for Human Rights at the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, witnessed the vital work of JISRA (Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action) and our shared commitment to advancing freedom of religion and belief (FoRB). Throughout the week, she met with JISRA local partners to explore how we address key challenges: 📍Collaboration with local governments, security actors and religious leaders to reduce violence and extremism. ✨Empowering women to take up leadership roles and establishing interfaith initiatives. 🌍Strengthening youth organizations to inspire transformative change. 🌲Partnering with traditional leaders to protect natural resources. 🌈Promoting inclusion with a focus on the rights of intersex persons. "The critical role of young people in bridging intergenerational gaps and promoting collaboration across faiths really stood out to me. I was also impressed by the increased involvement of religious leaders in addressing social issues and advancing inclusivity. The transformative contributions of the Women of Faith Network in promoting gender equality was equally inspiring. A heartfelt thanks to the JISRA Kenya team. These efforts help build resilient, inclusive communities and are a testament to the power of local leadership and collaboration,” she said.    Julia also saw how local efforts link to global advocacy, including the preparation of the JISRA UPR Civil Society Report for the UN Human Rights Council, addressing the state of FoRB in Kenya. We deeply value the collaboration with our partners African Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace (ACRL), Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics (CICC), Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), Kenya Community Support Centre (KECOSCE), Kenya Muslim Youth Alliance (KMYA), Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), Faith to Action Network, Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (NRTP), Search for Common Ground, Tearfund Nederland, Tearfund UK. Together, we are building a world where everyone can practice their religion and belief freely, without fear or discrimination. A heartfelt thank you to Julia Munsters and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their ongoing support. Together, we create lasting change. #FoRB4all #Inclusion #Collaboration #JISRA #Kenya #MensenmeteenMissie

Yesterday, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women, our Bolivian partners CDD Bolivia and MuFeCa (Women of faith for change) joined a march in the city of El Alto. Elizabeth Gareca, one of the women participating, shares her concerns: "As women of faith and feminist women, we want to be present. We want to make our voices heard. We raise our concerns about the persistent levels of violence against women in our country, which shows no sign of decreasing. We also approach state institutions, urging them to stop being indifferent. We stand united, many women with one voice. It feels empowering to know we are not alone in this fight." Marjolein Westerhof of Mensen met een Missie joined the 'Dame la mano' (give me your hand) campaign organized by our partner CDD Bolivia. Purple ribbons were handed out to university students and others passing by, symbolizing the struggle to end violence in relationships. When wearing the ribbon, other women can 'take your hand' to help end violence. Read more about our work in Bolivia here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eQAskQFd #JusticeForWomen #MensenmeteenMissie #Bolivia #NoExcuse #16DaysofActivism #EndViolence

Nederland heeft een unieke reputatie opgebouwd als voorvechter van dialoog en vrede. Laten we dat niet verspelen. Mensen met een Missie directeur Rick Van Der Woud en politiek adviseur bij Tearfund Manuel Voordewind schreven een opiniestuk voor het Reformatorisch Dagblad waarin zij de Tweede Kamer oproepen te blijven investeren in mensenrechtenbeleid. Het redden van ons mensenrechtenbeleid is niet alleen een morele keuze, het is een investering in een veiligere wereld. Lees meer hier 👇 #Mensenrechten #Dialoog #MensenmeteenMissie #vrijheidvanreligie #TweedeKamer #Ontwikkelingssamenwerking