In Solidarity with Whom? Questioning Missional Societies’ Engagement with Women

This article questions how far, in the process of the decolonisation of mission, have women been adequately represented in mission organisations. Historically, the mission field could be a place of empowerment for some women and the need for women on missional and ecumenical boards was highlighted from the 1970s into the World Council of Churches (WCC)’s Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women, 1988 to 1998. Yet today, organisations still struggle to reach adequate representation of women in their boards, gatherings or programmes, and further, women are scarcely to be found in senior paid management in missional or ecumenical organisations. Has the pursuit to decolonialise once again pushed women aside?