Advisory Board Gender Justice
The Advisory Board Gender Justice advises Mission 21 as an expert body. Its task is to support the strategic orientation of Mission 21 for gender justice and gender mainstreaming. The four coordinators of the Continental Assemblies, representatives of the Mission 21 Board of Directors, and external gender experts participate in the Board. The board meets online three times a year and works on a voluntary basis.
The Advisory Board is intended to further strengthen Mission 21's work for gender justice and to increase its international focus at the strategic level.
Mónica Treviño Álvarez
External gender expert
Mónica Treviño Álvarez is a queer feminist theologian from Mexico.
In her work, she focuses on LGBTIQ+ issues in a religious context.
She gives courses and writes books for young people on LGBTIQ+ issues and works with women's groups on the subject of abortion. Her main area of work is spiritual violence against queer people.
She has a master's degree in gender studies and theology and is a graduate of Human Rights and Peace Studies.
Karoline Mora Blanco
Women's Coordinator Latin America
Karoline Mora Blanco holds a Master's degree in Theology and Gender Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. From 2017 to 2018 she was Interim Professor at the Institute of Women's Studies at the National University of Costa Rica. Since 2021, she has been coordinator for social-theological training programs at the Ecumenical Research Department (DEI) in San José, Costa Rica. She has worked as a consultant on theological materials and workbooks for children and youth as well as for adults, with a focus on violence against children and gender justice. She has also published several books on feminist theology, gender, sexuality and religion.
Ira Imelda
Women's Coordinator Asia
Ira Imelda is an ordained minister of Pasundan Christian Church (GKP) and works at Pasundan Durebang Women's Crisis Center in Bandung. She has been working on gender justice issues since her graduation in 1997.
She has also contributed to journals and books, conducted research related to gender mainstreaming in politics, and actively advocated for gender equality and social inclusion at the national level, in West Java province, and in the cities and districts of Bandung.
From 2019 to 2023, she was a member of the national steering committee of a service forum for women who are victims of gender-based violence. She is also involved in teaching and is a co-supervisor in counselor training with the Association of Psychospiritual Counselors in Indonesia. In December 2021, she was elected coordinator of the Asian Fellowship.
Matthias Luterbach
External gender expert
Matthias Luterbach is currently doing his doctorate at the University of Basel on the topic of masculinities and, as an assistant in the Department of Gender Studies, is responsible for coordinating teaching in the subject. He is also a board member of the Swiss Society for Gender Studies (SGGF) and co-initiator and member of the working group Transformation of Masculinities.
Previously, he was a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission Basel-Stadt, as well as a research assistant in various research projects.
His work focuses on critical research on men and masculinity(s), transformation of family life forms, couple relationships and gender relations, critical social and gender theory, feminist theory/criticism, and qualitative social research.
Michal Maurer
President
Michal Maurer Pfenninger worked as a pastor in the diaspora community in Sargans, Mels, Vilters-Wangs, and since January 2024 she has been working as a hospital chaplain at Zurich City Hospital. She studied at the universities of Zurich, Basel and Strasbourg and was involved in the YMCA for a long time. Interested in languages and people, she has traveled extensively. Michal Maurer-Pfenninger is associated with Mission 21 through a trip to Cameroon and her work as a youth ambassador. People who have courageously fought for gender equality have inspired her for many years.
Paska Nimiriano
Women's Coordinator Africa
Paska Nimiriano holds a bachelor's degree in theology and is the lead pastor of the Anywuak community in South Sudan. Over the years, she has participated in a variety of workshops on implementing peace processes and advocating for human rights in the context of faith-based institutions. Over the past decade, Paska Nimiriano has worked with women's empowerment, trauma healing, and reconciliation work to help women overcome their past. She has also been involved in conducting leadership trainings for women and youth and organizing workshops on agricultural techniques, sewing and handicrafts.
She is the Women's Coordinator in the Continental Assembly of the Synod of Mission 21.
Ilona Paganoni
External gender expert
Ilona Paganoni has a master’s degree in international development and has several years of professional experience in development work, project and knowledge management, monitoring & evaluation as well as and intercultural leadership.
The focus of her work is on sustainable social change through impact-oriented programming and empowerment of local communities. She has spent multiple years working aborad, in Central America and the Philippines and has worked for Swissaid, the United Nations and Carias Switzerland and is currently working as senior business development manager for NIRAS Switzerland, including backstopping on Monitoring & Evaluation for SDC mandates. She is also an independent consultant for Swiss NGOs or public institutions on impact-based programming and facilitation of learning events.
Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam
External gender expert
Prof. Dr. Oluwafunmilayo J. Para-Mallam is Director of Studies at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Nigeria. She holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Leeds, England, and is a Professor of Gender and Development, consultant and gender justice activist. Funmi Para-Mallam is the Chairperson of the African Women's Leadership Network (AWLN), Nigeria, and a member of the Presidential High Level Advisory Committee on Gender Equality in Nigeria. She is also the National Coordinator of Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS), a women's network for the advancement of women and combating gender-based violence.
Rivka Schunk
Women's Coordinator Europe
Rivka Schunk studied theology and Jewish studies and is an ordained Evangelical Lutheran pastor. Since 2021, she has been working as a research assistant in the theology department at the Lutheran World Federation, where she is also committed to strengthening the global network of Lutheran women through programmatic work on human rights and gender justice. In the Württemberg Regional Church, she is a member of the GAW-Württemberg women's work steering committee and will be working as a pastor in the city of Heilbronn again from January 2024.
Prior to this, she worked as a research assistant at the Chair of New Testament and Ancient Judaism in Tübingen and has been involved in a self-founded association for educational sponsorships in Paraguay since her voluntary service there.
She is the Women's Coordinator in the Continental Assembly of the Synod of Mission 21.
Anders Stokholm
Vice President
Anders Stokholm now works as a pastor, having served for many years as mayor of Frauenfeld, Thurgau. Anders Stokholm studied theology in Zurich from 1983-1990 and completed his vicariate at the Grossmünster. He then worked as a parish priest in Stein am Rhein from 1991-1998. From 1998-2002, he worked as an editor at the Reformed Press in Zurich and trained as a qualified journalist at the MAZ. From 2002-2008 he headed the Zukunft Thurgau Foundation and from 2008-2015 he was Director of the Thurgau Social Insurance Center. With Mission 21, he wants to expand his social work in a global context. He is convinced that every day offers an opportunity to stand up for gender equality - at home, at work and in society.
Ruth Ketsia Wangkei
External gender expert
Ruth Ketsia Wangkei was ordained as a pastor in the Minahasa Evangelical Christian Church (GMIM) in 1984. After receiving her master's degree in theology, she worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Theology of Indonesian Christian University in Tomohon from 1992-2015. Being interested in feminist theology, she joined PERUATI
(The Association of Theologically Educated Women in Indonesia), where she was elected Chair of the National Board in 2011. Since 2019, she has been involved with PERUATI's work as a National Advisor.
In addition to PERUATI, Ruth Ketsia Wangkei is also involved in feminist, multicultural, and journalism issues, as well as grassroots movements against violence against women and children. She is also involved with the Tomohon Family Learning Center, which advocates for LGBTQI+ human rights locally and nationally.
Her primary interests are gender justice, feminist theology, women's human rights, and other advocacy.
Evelyne Zinsstag
External gender expert
Evelyne Zinsstag studied feminist theology and has been pastor of the Église française réformée de Bâle since 2018.
During her studies she worked at Mission 21 and since then she is also very involved in intercultural theology. She is a member of Tsena Malalaka, the intercontinental network of feminist theologians, and on the board of EFECW (Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women) and IG feminist theologians.
From 2016-2022, she was a member of Mission 21's Women and Gender Commission.
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