CSW is privileged to work with many inspirational women across the world. Freedom of religion or belief is an issue that touches on many of the human rights challenges that women, specifically, face: including forced marriage and conversion, lack of access to education, and lack of job opportunities.

Sunday 3 March

Today, the Ladies in White of Cuba will attend Mass dressed in white, then silently walk through their town to remind the government that they are still awaiting the release of their unjustly detained family members. Many of them will be harassed, beaten or detained to stop them from attending church. Pray for their protection.

Monday 4 March

Female human rights defenders in Pakistan regularly face harassment and online bullying both for their work defending the rights of others and because of their gender. Please pray that the government would create safe spaces in which they can work, and that God would protect them and bless them with much needed resources.

Tuesday 5 March

Michelle Chaudhry is one of our long-standing partners in Pakistan. As the president of the Cecil and Iris Chaudhry foundation, she advocates for the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in the country: pray for her safety, and wisdom and courage in her work.

Wednesday 6 March

Tran Thi Hong is a member of the NGO Vietnamese Women for Human Rights. She reported several incidents of ‘intolerable harassment’ against her and her family in spring 2016, including beatings during interrogation sessions. Hong is now with her husband in the US, but female activists in Vietnam still face severe harassment. Pray for protection over all the courageous women who campaign for human rights in their countries and abroad.

Thursday 7 March

In 2017 many of you heard Eritrean gospel singer Helen Berhane speak powerfully at Pursue Justice Live about how her faith in God kept her going through the most horrific conditions imprisoned in a shipping container in her country. Beaten, starved, freezing cold at night and boiling hot in the day, Helen told us, ‘God gave me a new song.’ Thank God for her extraordinary courage.

Friday 8 March

Over the past two years, CSW has trained many Cuban women from across the island on how to recognise and document violations of freedom of religion or belief occurring in their communities. Pray for God to strengthen and protect them, and provide them with the resources they need for their work.

Saturday 9 March

Lord, we work with so many inspiring women: thank you for their courage, their wisdom, and their tenacity in speaking out for human rights. Give them the physical and spiritual resources they need to do their work, and keep them safe, we pray. Amen.