CURRENT NEWS

30/04/2013    Call for Church in Rwanda to help end Gender-Based Violence
Mothers' Union has joined with local government in Shyria and Kivu, Rwanda to call on church leaders to step up the fight against Gender Based Violence and HIV in the region. The call was made by Vincent Ndayambaje, the Musanze vice mayor in charge of economic development, during a worship organised by Mothers Union and attended by pastors from nine districts of Northern and Western provinces.  Presentations showed that Gender Based Violence is not only a contributing factor to the burden of HIV and Aids, but also undermines the efforts of HIV prevention.
"Mothers Union strives for the welfare of Rwandans, we want to minimise GBV and HIV in the area because it threats development," said Mothers' Union Development Coordiantor for Rwanda, Rev. Immaculee Nyiransengimana.   Read more on AllAfrica.com

12/04/2013: Mothers' Union call for children to continue to have appropriate sex education

Mothers' Union is a co-signatory on a letter today which calls on the UK Government not to "waterdown" sex education for children in schools. We believe it is vital for children to receive a proper education about their bodies in a way which prepares them at every stage of growing up, and which protects them from harm: we believe this includes having information at the appropriate time about genitalia, puberty and sexual health. Read the full letter here. To see more about our work with Warwickshire County Council, visit Respect Yourself Campaign's blog and website.

04/03/2013: Mothers' Union members invited to Archbishop's enthronement.

On 21st March Mothers' Union zone trustees, the Worldwide President and Chief Executive will be attending a service at Canterbury Cathedral where the Right Reverend Justin Welby will be enthroned as the?105th Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop is patron to the Mothers' Union and the trustees are delighted that they will be there on the day to witness his enthronement.

07/02/2013: UK Government announces Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill.

On 24th January 2013, the UK Government announced its Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. This Bill will make marriage between people of the same sex in England and Wales lawful, changing the legal understanding of marriage. The Bill will allow governing bodies of religious organisations to opt in to carrying out same sex weddings, apart from the Church of England which will not be permitted to do so. The Government has promised that no religious body or individual celebrant will be forced to marry same sex couples, although civil registrars will be expected to. The Bill will also allow civil partnerships to be converted to marriage but will not extend civil partnerships to opposite sex couples. Same sex couples will be conferred with the same rights in marriage as opposite sex couples, but will not be able to apply divorce on the grounds of adultery.

The Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons on 5th February. MPs voted to pass the Bill through to the next stage by 400 votes to 175. The Bill will now move to Committee stage, where it will be examined in detail by MPs. For further information on the Bill go to the Parliament website; and for further updates keep and eye on Faith & Policy Watch. Read Mothers' Union's position on marriage.

04/01/2013: Chief Executive awarded CBE New Year's Honours

Reg Bailey, Chief Exective of Mothers' Union, was awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year's Honours list for his services to children and families.

05/12/2012: Next Worldwide President commissioned by Archbishop

The current Worldwide President, Rosemary Kempsell, joined the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams in Westminster to welcome the next Worldwide President, Lynne Tembey into post. The commissioning service took place on 3rd December at St Matthew's Westminster. Download the full press releast below.

09/11/2012: Mothers' Union welcomes Justin Welby as the new Archbishop of Canterbury

Mothers' Union Worldwide President, Rosemary Kempsell, today expressed the delight of the 4million strong Mothers' Union membership on the appointment of the new Archbishop of Canterbury. "we really welcome the appointment of Justin Welby as the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Our love and prayers are with him and we look forward to working with in him in the future."

05/11/2012: Ditch the Christmas List

As we enter the most commercialised time of the year, with family finances under pressure, Mothers' Union is calling on parents to ditch the Christmas list for their children, as it launches Labelled for Life, its new guide on how to deal with the commercial influences on family life. To mark the launch, Mothers' Union commissioned a survey into Christmas pressures on parents which shows that 72% of parents have bought their children a gift that was on their Christmas list which they really couldn't afford. Read the full report.

24/10/2012: Parents campaign to protect children from sex on TV

Parents are being urged to protest against unsuitable pre-watershed programmes in a campaign being launched in Wales today.
They are being asked to send bilingual postcards to the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom to complain about sexualised content and swearing on television and radio programmes that young children watch or listen to.

The campaign is being led by the Welsh branch of the Mothers' Union and the launch will take place at the Senedd, the National Assembly for Wales. It is part of the Mothers' Union's UK-wide campaign called Bye Buy Childhood. You can view and share footage from the launch on the BBC website.

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