The Anglican Communion’s Director for Women in Church and Society, Canon Terrie Robinson, is to step down at the end of May. Terrie Robinson joined the staff of the Anglican Communion Office more than 16 years ago to support ecumenical and intra-Anglican dialogues. Within a few years she was asked to take on a role supporting the official Anglican Communion Networks and was asked to create a Women’s Desk.

“It has been an extraordinary journey”, she said. “The Women’s Desk was quickly in demand and it became clear that courageous grass root Anglican initiatives to improve the status of women and girls and tackle gender-based violence within and beyond our churches were somewhat isolated and often escaped the notice of church leaders.

“Gender equality in terms of just power relationships between women and men, girls and boys has been seen as a peripheral area of mission, rather than an essential building block for God’s reign and a pre-requisite to flourishing families, communities and nations. At base, my own work as Director for Women in Church and Society has therefore focussed on raising awareness and improving knowledge about power and discrimination, making connections within and beyond the Communion, and promoting positive theology and biblical interpretation.

“Along the way I have worked with so many faithful and inspirational women and men who are determined to see our churches contribute to the making of just communities where no-one is burdened or diminished, or destroyed, by harmful social norms and practices. There is so much we can be proud of but there is still so much to do.

“It takes more than a few years to undo the attitudes and abuses compounded by centuries of patriarchal values, but through the strength of heaven and the courage of those striving to create enabling environments for women and girls, we will get there.”

She added: “family circumstances mean that it’s now time for me to move on. I will deeply miss my colleagues at the ACO and around the world and will keep all in my prayers.”