GENDER AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1[st] JANUARY 2024 TO 31 DECEMBER 2024
The Trustees have pleasure in submitting the Report and Accounts for the period from 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024
Objects of the charity
The Object of the CIO is, for the public benefit, to promote the fundamental human rights(as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and subsequent United Nations conventions and declarations, in particular, Article 1 which covers the rights of women and Article 18 which covers the Freedom of Religion or Belief; and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)) of religious communities, primarily the Christian faith community, by all or any of the following means
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Monitoring abuses of human rights;
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Conducting research and analysis into human rights issues;
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Educating the public about human rights issues;
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Providing technical advice to governments and others on human rights matters;
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Commenting on proposed human rights legislation and policy;
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Raising awareness of human rights issues in particular, but not exclusively within the Christian community;
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Promoting respect for human rights by individuals and corporations;
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International advocacy of human rights.
In furtherance of these purposes, the charity will undertake the analysis, understanding, and the raising of awareness of gender specific religious persecution.
In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have power:
To engage in political activity provided that the trustees are satisfied that the proposed activities will further the purposes of the charity to an extent justified by the resources committed and the activity is not the dominant means by which the charity carries out its Objects.
Review of the Charity’s main activities and achievements Our main activities to achieve our means are:
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Research – looking at the facts regarding gender-specific religious persecution and trying to understand what they mean within the complexity of the domain of human rights and in particular FoRB and Gender. In 2024 GRF developed a tentative research framework. Field interviews have been field-tested in Asia. GRF’s expertise was contracted for gender-mainstreaming research by another NGO. Interpretive Essay on Religious freedom was written for Gordon Conwell GCGC (Atlas of Global Christianity). Missio Nexus published 10 GRF articles. GRF developed an interactive webmap using Esri’s ArcGIS technology to visualise the intersectionality of FoRB and Gender vulnerabilities.
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Training – allowing those facts to interact with our sacred texts and studying how traditions, experiences and reasoning have shaped Christian understanding of Bible texts. Asking others to consider: how are our families, our workplaces, our relationships, our churches, etc. affected by the societies and cultures in which we live?
In 2024 we have trained groups representing countries from Africa, Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
- Advocacy – How can we [help others to] speak out about the danger of cycles of violence and the destroyed relationships lived out daily in our communities? By raising awareness locally and speaking into public policy globally we can contribute to understanding and actions that will shape resilient and restorative sacred spaces, homes, and communities.
In 2024 we strengthened our ties with government representatives, civil society and the wider humanitarian/human rights sector. This led to (speaking) engagements at EUP (panellist), Women and FORB at Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by USCIRF (panellist), global NGOs, representing GRF at UNHCR/Geneva. GRF continued to convene the UK FoRB Forum Gender working group and another gender working group for a global collaborative network of NGOs. GRF contributed to the evaluation process of Beijing+30.
Financial Review (BJW)
The charity’s operational ambitions reached beyond its financial strength in the year to 31 December 2024. This was due to slower growth in fund-raising than initially planned or expected. This has required the charity to implement strict constraints and prioritisation of activities that can be funded from existing cash, while more focused effort is given to raising finances. Subsequent to the year end, positive momentum has started to build in this area.
The cash balance as of the 31 December 2024 was £29,409.23, including £27,488.47 of restricted funds.
Reserves Policy
The proposed reserves policy for GRF is to hold cash reserves equivalent to 6 months’ value of regular expenses. It is expected that this will vary from time to time, but these should never fall to below 3 months’ worth of regular expenses, and any reserves in excess of 9 months should be explicitly reviewed for reasonableness at each Trustees’ meeting that 9 months are exceeded.
The rationale for 6 months of reserves is to ensure that, in the unlikely event of a financial crisis, GRF staff will have sufficient notice to consider their future prospects outside of GRF. The rationale for reviewing reserves in excess of 9 months is to challenge whether or not sufficient financial resources are being appropriately deployed in support of the GRF Charitable aims.
The targeted level of reserves does not apply to specific funds (designated or restricted etc, see Management of Income section below) which may be set aside for a specific, or potentially longer term goal.
Governance
The trustees have continued to develop best practice policies, supported ongoing building of the financial base, and meet regularly to monitor the activities of the charity. Responsibility for the day- to-day operation of the charity has been delegated to the CEO and Executive team. New trustees are recruited and appointed by the existing trustees.
Trustees: Bernedette Adams stepped down 7[th] February 2024 and Aashima Samuel voted onto the board on 23 January 2024.
Overview of present trustees, their role and their term endings.
| NAME OF TRUSTEE | ROLE | TERM ENDING |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Showell-Rogers | Chair | May 2026 |
| Brian Wickens | Treasurer | May 2028 |
| Becca Symes | Deputy Treasurer | May 2026 |
| Brent McBurney | Member of board | May 2028 |
| Aashima Samuel | Member of board | May 2027 |
| Rebecca Winfrey | Member of board | May 2025 |
Risk Statement
The charity is potentially exposed to various risks - be they operational, financial or reputational. The trustees review the charity's activities regularly to identify significant risks and, where possible, they take appropriate measures to mitigate those risks.
This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Jane Showell-Rogers. Chair of the Trustees
Date: 28 April 2025