MDG Prayer Guide for Women

“The only thing they asked was that we remember the poor, and I was already eager to do that.” Galatians 2:10

In Biblical times, the poorest and most powerless people in society were women and God put in place special laws to protect them from economic and physical exploitation. Today, it is still women who are the most vulnerable to poverty, who are denied access to decision-making, who suffer from violence and who miss out on education.

Could God be calling women of faith to speak up on behalf of other women and girls, to declare the value of women in God’s Kingdom?

In the year 2000, 189 nations around the world committed to halve global poverty by 2015. The promise is contained in eight goals, which cover hunger, education, equality between girls and boys, child and maternal mortality, disease, environmental sustainability and a global partnership for development. The one goal that applies exclusively to women – to cut maternal mortality by three quarters – is the one most in danger of missing the target. Many of the other MDGs are also aimed at women. The goals aim to ensure that women girls have clean, accessible water so that they have to spend less time fetching water and are healthier and safer as a result. The MDGs also aim to provide finance for small business ventures that can enable female entrepreneurs to thrive.

As Christians we want to declare God’s heart for women who are denied opportunity and hope because they were born into poverty. We want to remind our government leaders (who are generally male) that action to halve poverty must include women. Action by charities and churches is necessary but we also need action by governments to make the big things happen e.g. coordinated programs for birth attendants, training for teachers or national sanitation schemes.

This prayer guide gives one way for women to raise their voice and to take action for and with other women. Women are often the victims of poverty but they can also be powerful advocates – praying, speaking and acting on behalf of other women and girls. We know it is not right that some children lead privileged lives with abundant. We know it is wrong that millions of women live without the opportunity to make decisions that can improve the lives of their families. We know women everywhere should be able to reach their potential as daughters of God. Women and their families can speak with one voice to declare that all people are worthwhile and that we can do our part to bring 500 million people out of poverty by 2015.