The Co-Founder and Co-Director of Restored, a UK-based international charity working to end violence against women, Mandy Marshall, is to become the new Director for Gender Justice for the Anglican Communion. Renowned throughout the world for her campaigning work on gender justice, Mandy Marshall previously worked as Programme Development Advisor for Gender with Tearfund, a British Christian development agency established in the 1960 by the Evangelical Alliance.

In her new role, Mandy Marshall will provide an Anglican Communion-wide lead on all matters of gender justice; and ensure a strong theological underpinning of the approach to gender justice within the Anglican Communion.

Today’s announcement came during the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence; and on a day when many staff at the Anglican Communion Office are wearing black as part of the World Council of Churches’ Thursdays in Black campaign against gender-based violence.

Speaking this morning, Mandy Marshall said: “I’m delighted to be taking up the role of Direct for Gender Justice at the Anglican Communion, and carry on with the excellent work that has been going on. I look forward to encouraging the Communion to journey together on gender justice and address some of the key issues that are faced in this area.

“Anglican Churches are at the centre of many communities around the world and can be a place where injustices are revealed, challenged and changed. Gender injustice is one of those issues. The Lambeth Conference will be a great opportunity to build relationships to move forward together.”

Welcoming the appointment, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon, said: “I warmly welcome Mandy Marshall to the Anglican Communion team. She has been a leading campaigner on this extremely important issue and brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills. Under her leadership, the Anglican Communion’s work to encourage just relationships between men and women will be significantly enhanced.”

Mandy Marshall co-founded Restored in 2010 with the vision of ending violence against women in, and through, the church. “For almost a decade, she has been at tireless advocate, helping to put domestic abuse on the map as a public policy issue, long before the #MeToo movement appeared”, the charity’s Acting Chair of Trustees, Mr Simon Lawry-White, said.

He added: “under her co-leadership, Restored has helped to recognise that abuse happens in churches too, and to equip churches to recognise and address violence and coercion within their own congregations, both in the UK and overseas.

“Restored will build on her legacy, and everyone here wishes her well in her exciting new role with the Anglican Communion.”

Mandy Marshall said: “It is an immense privilege to establish Restored, see it grow and make a difference in many lives. It was a huge risk to take but one that I am pleased to see work out for the good of many. To be able to work with and alongside a passionate, committed and deeply engaged and sensitive individuals, is both humbling and an honour.

“Whilst so much has been achieved over the last 10 years, including the first ever research of domestic abuse amongst churchgoers, the resources and training, there is sadly, still much more to do. . . Restored will continue to operate until violence against women has ended.”

Mandy Marshall will formally begin her work with the Anglican Communion in April, but will join the delegation of female Anglican leaders from around the world who are taking part in the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) meeting in New York in March.

The new role of Director for Gender Justice replaces the post of Director for Women in Church and Society, which was held by the Revd Canon Terrie Robinson prior to her departure earlier this year.

Mandy Marshall said: “I look forward to encouraging and enabling more gender justice with the Anglican Communion”.