In the past 10-months, a group of faith leaders have completed a transformative programme which aims to capacitate their institutions and places of worship as agents of change against gender-based violence (GBV).

With support of the Inclusive Violence and Crime Prevention (VCP) programme (as well as DG Murray Trust and the Private Sector GBVF Fund), the NGO We Will Speak Out South Africa (WWSOSA) has implemented the Faith Leaders’ Gender Transformation Programme (FLGTP). It has equipped a group of Christian leaders from all over South Africa with an understanding of how their own gendered history has influenced their gender relationships and empowered them to disrupt normalised patriarchal attitudes and behaviours. Grounded by their faith, participants are now equipped to further contribute to the creating safer and more inclusive congregations, while promoting mutual respect, dignity and human rights.

This was the third pilot of the FLGTP Programme implemented by WWSOSA and its diverse implementation partners and it started in August 2023 with 30 participants, 23 of whom graduated in June 2024.

What began as a dream has rapidly developed into an innovative transformative programme to equip faith leaders as change agents to begin to transform their faith institutions into gender-and GBV-competent institutions. The Faith Leaders’ Gender Transformation Programme combines personal growth, theory, liberation and feminist approaches to theology, and a strong focus on practical implementation at institutional level.

Initiated by WWSOSA in 2019 with the first pilot, the Faith Leaders’ Gender Transformation Programme was conceptualised from the start as a collaborative project between WWSOSA Coalition members, and other partners then joined as the project was opened up to the multi-partner and interfaith Faith Action to End GBV Collective.

“We recognised that short trainings do not really transform individual faith leaders or the faith sector. People need time to digest, work on personal formation, build a skills base and interrogate how GBV affects them, their communities and faith institutions. The programme also accompanies and mentors them  to make both personal and institutional changes  throughout the 10-month programme,” says Daniela Gennrich, FLGTP Co-Coordinator.

The FLGTP was designed to move beyond stimulating individual transformation amongst individual participants, to equipping them to become change agents contributing to institutional change so that faith institutions can become more capable to both respond to and prevent GBV at all levels in their work. In the medium to longer term, this is intended to shift the dominant narrative in the faith sector about ‘normal’ gender relationships which tend to lead to tolerance of certain forms of violence.  

The FLGTP does this by:

• opening safe spaces where courageous conversations can lead to individual and institutional transformation over time;
• being rooted in contextual approaches to sacred texts influenced by liberation and feminist theologies;
• disrupting normalised patriarchal attitudes and behaviours;
• promoting mutual respect, dignity and gender rights as human rights;
• endorsing emerging views among progressive faith structures that reject all forms of GBV as sin and patriarchal teachings as heresy; and
• supporting the creation of safe and inclusive communities where all can thrive.

 Methodology 

Gender transformation is a JOURNEY that starts where every participant is, and no two journeys are the same.

• Collaborative learning builds on the expertise and experience that each participant brings.
• Theory (and theology) is built with concrete practical action.
• It promotes careful self-reflection while also making changes needed to promote whole-institution change. 

The focus is on holistic learning with four interlinked streams to achieve transformation at individual and systemic levels. The methodology is based on the SEE-JUDGE-ACT approach rooted in Paulo Freire’s work and Kolb’s Reflective Learning Cycle. It means participants ‘make the road by walking’ as they seek to transform their faith institutions and congregations. The pilot process itself is equally ‘making the road by walking’.

Key Principles of the FLGTP

Personal formation

“What is unique is that we ask participants to really consider where they have come from, who they are and what are some of the ways gender and GBV has shaped them. We say that if you want to go public, you have to go private first – you have to go within. Participants interrogate their beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour, and where this all comes from. We challenge them to see if they create a roadblock or if they are a healing resource, a safe space in themselves,” says Merrishia Singh-Naicker, FLGTP Co-Coordinator.

Theological foundations

“It is a tough thing to question your sacred texts and religious beliefs. The programme creates a safe container for unlearning unhealthy values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that we have been indoctrinated with which may have led to GBV within and outside the faith institution. Then it creates a safe space for learning and relearning which is life-giving,” adds Merrishia.

Responsive

 “Participants have taught us along the way what focus areas they are grappling with and where they need more focus for their faith environments. This has ensured that we don’t just impose what we think is important but are flexible and responsive to participants’ needs,” says Daniela.

Mentoring

Another unique aspect of the FLGTP is that of accompanying and mentoring participants. Participants are split into groups of four or five, with a mentor assigned to each group. “As mentors, we walk alongside people, which builds a community of practice, a community of learning. We hold each other’s hands as learning partners throughout the programme. We delve into healing, sometimes of selves and sometimes with family, sometimes with community,” says Seth Naicker, one of the mentors and trainers.

FLGTP just the start to lasting change

The journey doesn’t end after graduation, indeed it is only really beginning! Participants have access to an online platform which offers rich resources and a platform for ongoing engagement and blogs. A database is currently being developed so organisations can find commonality of purpose to create opportunities for them to organically develop joint programmes and initiatives.

When participants graduate, they become integral members of an ever-growing Community of Praxis which is part of the process of building the movement of faith leaders who are transforming their institutions and the faith sector as a whole.

Furthermore, the Faith Action Collective is establishing an interfaith Resource Team, which any faith leaders, such as those who have signed the interfaith Statement of Commitment, can call on for customised support. 

In this way, the faith sector in South African can become a credible and effective stakeholder in the broader whole-society approach that is essential to the success of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.