Accra, July 27, GNA - More than 1,000 Leaders and Heads of Reformed, Presbyterian and Uniting Churches from all over the world are in Accra for the 24th General Council Conference of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

The two-week conference would discuss topics including: "Life in Fullness; "Gender Justice A Perspective from North America"; "Threats and Challenges to Life - An African Woman's Perspective" and "Mission and Covenant". There would be Bible Studies and Worship among other activities.

About 100 youth of these churches are also taking part in youth programmes being held along side the Delegates' Conference. Speaking on: "Gender Justice" at a Women's Pre-assembly on Tuesday as part of activities preceding the official opening of the conference on July 30, Dr Dorcas Gorden, Principal of Knox College, a Presbyterian College in Toronto, Canada, said gender injustice was built into all structures of society.

She called on women to be more proactive and vocal in all issues of life in order to bring about a change in the social structure. Dr Gorden quoted the definition of gender justice by Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth, Executive Secretary of WARC as; "one that could be seen to advance discussions on how women were seen, how their role in the church and society was understood and how to confront injustice against women. It examines power relations between men and women as the basis of gender in justice."

She said by the definition, gender justice was the basis for describing how the Bible had contributed to the construction of gender. Dr Gorden said the construction of gender had robbed women of life and still continued thus making the task of dismantling it not only critical but urgent.

She said women had suffered from racism, sexism and homophobianism and expressed the hope that the participants would serve as a strong voice at the meeting and give direction to the leaders as to what was needed to bring about change.