The Pluralism Project at Harvard UniversitySelected Links
Women's Networks (2011)
(Women’s Networks Initiative)
The links below include organizations related to women and religion, both in the United States and internationally. Many of these organizations have participated in our women's networks initiative over the years; others are grassroots organizations that have been part of our research and relationship building. Please email staff@pluralism.org with any proposed additions to this list.
Arab Women's Solidarity Association
A progressive organization based in Egypt that promotes "Arab women's active participation in social, economic, cultural, and political life."
www.awsa.net
Asian American Support and Resource Agency
Grassroots organization in New England that provides support and resources to women and families in the Asian American immigrant community.
www.aasranewengland.com
Catholics for a Free Choice
A progressive organization based in Washington, DC "for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman’s moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health."
www.catholicsforchoice.org/
Church Women United
"A national movement of Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women."
www.churchwomen.org
Committee on South Asian Women
Global grassroots network that promotes "awareness and discussion of issues affecting women in and of South Asia" based at Texas A & M University.
people.tamu.edu/~jvaid/cosaw.html
The Feminist Sexual Ethics Project, Brandeis University
A research project housed in the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University that explores the "sexual ethics within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."
www.brandeis.edu/projects/fse
Gamma Gamma Chi Sorority
The first Muslim women's sorority in the United States.
www.gammagammachi.org
Hadassah: The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc.
The largest women's organization in America, focused on women's role in "strengthening the unity of Jewish people."
www.hadassah.org
Institute for Women's Policy Research
A research organization that addresses the needs of women and relevant policy implications.
www.iwpr.org
IWPR's Politics, Religions, and Women's Public Vision Program
A research program of IWPR that seeks to articulate women's vision for public policy from a faith perspective.
www.iwpr.org/Politics_Religion_PublicVision/index.htm
Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
An international alliance devoted to expanding “the spiritual, ritual, intellectual and political opportunities for women within the framework of Jewish law and ritual.
www.jofa.org
Justice for Women Working Group
A working group of the National Council of Churches of Christ's (NCC) Justice and Advocacy Commission.
www.ncccusa.org/about/justicehome.html
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
“A canonically approved membership organization which exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes of women religious (Catholic sisters) in the United States.”
www.lcwr.org
Ma’ayan
A Torah study initiative for women, based in Greater Boston.
www.maayan.org
Manavi, Inc.
The first organization in the U.S. to address violence against women in the South Asian community, based in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
www.manavi.org
Muslim Women's League
An organization "working to implement the values of Islam and thereby reclaim the status of women as free, equal and vital contributors to society."
www.mwlusa.org/
National Council of Jewish Women
A volunteer organization that focuses on the needs of women, children, and families from a progressive Jewish perspective.
www.ncjw.org
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
A progressive voice within the Catholic community that has worked to influence Congress in favor of peace and justice for more than 30 years.
www.networklobby.org
Our Inner Lives
“Our Inner Lives honors women’s inner lives of faith, religious practice, spiritual transformation and commitment to causes greater than ourselves.”
http://www.feminist.com/ourinnerlives
Sacred Circles Conferences at the Washington National Cathedral
Women's interfaith conferences held annually at the Washington National Cathedral in DC that celebrate women's spirituality.
www.cathedral.org/cathedral/sacredcircles2007/index.shtml
Sakhi for South Asian Women
"A community-based organization in the New York metropolitan area committed to ending violence against women of South Asian origin."
www.sakhi.com
Sakyadhita
The international association of Buddhist women, meaning "Daughters of the Buddha."
www.sakyadhita.org
SARAH: Spiritual and Religions Alliance for Hope
An interfaith women's group based in Santa Margarita, California.
www.sarah4hope.org
Sikh Women
An advocacy organization "comprising of men and women who believe in social change by harnessing the principles of Sikhism."
www.sikhwomen.com
Thai Bhikkhunis
An organization based in Thailand which promotes the ordination of women in Buddhism.
http://www.thaibhikkhunis.org/eng/index.php
United Methodist Women
One of the largest Protestant women's organizations in the United States.
gbgm-umc.org/umw
Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government
A research center that seeks to educate the next generation of government leaders on gender perspectives while contributing to scholarship on women and public policy.
www.ksg.harvard.edu/wappp
Women in Islam
"A coalition of professional and social activist Muslim women representing a broad spectrum of human rights and social justice interests."
www.womeninislam.org
Women of Reform Judaism
A federation of congregational women’s groups, representing more than 75,000 Reform Jewish women in the United States, Canada, and abroad.
wrj.rj.org/index.html
Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The women's organization of the ELCA, covering the United States and the Caribbean.
www.womenoftheelca.org
Women Transcending Boundaries (WTB)
An interfaith women's group formed after 9/11 based in Syracuse, New York.
www.wtb.org
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER)
"A feminist educational center, doing work locally, nationally and internationally organizing programs and projects, publications and workshops, counseling, spiritual direction and liturgical planning which help people actualize feminist religious values in the service of social change."
www.hers.com/water
Women's Interfaith Institute
"A nonprofit organization that provides the impetus for a wide variety of interfaith activities through which women of spirit can express their beliefs, form a community for action, and find loving support, energy, and an abundance of innovative ideas."
www.womensinterfaithinstitute.org
Women's Ordination Conference
The oldest "national organization working solely for women to be ordained as deacons, priests and bishops into a renewing priestly ministry in the Catholic Church."
www.womensordination.org
Women's Program Sabeel
A program of Sabeel, the Palestinian Christian grassroots liberation theology movement in Jerusalem, which "seeks to encourage networks of women, foster inclusivity, broaden women‘s knowledge of existing support resources, educate women on their spiritual history and their own powerful role as Christian women, and develop the capacity of women to take on leadership roles."
www.sabeel.org/etemplate.php?id=3#women
Women's Studies in Religion Program, Claremont Graduate University, School of Religion
An academic program based at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California.
www.cgu.edu/pages/1016.asp
Women's Studies in Religion Program, Harvard Divinity School
An academic program at Harvard Divinity School which "promotes critical inquiry into the interaction between religion and gender."
www.hds.harvard.edu/wsrp
Women's Studies in Religion Program, Religion and the Feminist Movement Conference
A groundbreaking conference held in 2004 at Harvard Divinity School on religion and second wave feminism.
www.hds.harvard.edu/wsrp/scholarship/rfmc/index.htm
Women's United Nations Report Network (WUNRN)
NGO and listserv that works toward the implementation of the United Nations Study on Freedom of Religion and Belief and the Status of Women from the perspective of religious traditions.
www.wunrn.com
World Conference of Religions for Peace, Women's Network
A network of women leaders in the fields of "conflict transformation, children's issues, development, disarmament and security, human rights and responsibilities, and peace education."
http://religionsforpeace.org/initiatives/women/northamerica.html
Zarathushti/Zoroastrian Women's International Network
"A forum to globally link intergenerational Zarathushti women, to empower them to reach their full potential, and to actively work towards promoting the exchange of ideas in all relevant social, educational, and community issues."
www.zwin3.net