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Nov 12, 2014

St. Christopher Member Selected as Delegate to UN Commission

 

Hollee Martinez, 20, will represent the Diocese of Texas and Province VII at the upcoming United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, March 9-20, 2015. A college sophomore, Martinez was selected by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, as one of twenty delegates to represent The Episcopal Church. Delegates will attend the official UNCSW proceedings and will represent The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion in their advocacy at the UN, including joint advocacy with the group, Ecumenical Women.

 

An active member of St. Christopher, League City, Martinez entered nursing school in response to a desire to serve in the foreign mission field, specifically in the area of women's health. As she discerned this call, Martinez also familiarized herself with issues of health and human rights violations against women worldwide. This past summer, she attended Why Serve in Berkeley, CA, an Episcopal conference for young adults of color discerning diverse calls to vocation. This event only served to deepen Martinez’s commitment to mission.

 

The invitation to represent the Church at the UNSCW inspired Martinez further. "I want to learn from the women who attend this meeting,” Martinez said. “I want to hear their stories, to see Christ in them, and [to learn] how I can allow Christ to work through me so that I can help his people," she added.

 

The 2015 UNCSW will review progress made in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Program for Action, 20 years after its adoption at the Fourth World Conference for Women. On the 20th anniversary of the Declaration, Martinez celebrates her 20th year as a woman responding to God's call, an active young adult in the Church, and as a representative of a minority.

 

Martinez was raised in parish and diocesan communities, and has served as an acolyte and as an active youth group member engaged in missional outreach. For five consecutive years, she has served as a summer camp counselor for girls and young women at Camp Allen, the Diocese’s retreat and conference center.

 

Her preparation for the spring gathering includes “a lot of conversation in prayer,” she said. Martinez is also in conversation with her parents and her faith community to prepare emotionally. ”I know I will come face-to-face with issues concerning women's health and human rights violations—issues I've read about in preparation to serve, but that I have not faced in person." She paused and added reflectively, "Mostly, I'm preparing my heart and my mind with Christ's love."

 

To send a note of support to Martinez, either personally or from your congregation, please email the Rev. Viktoria Gotting at .

 

The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the UN's Economic and Social Council. It is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at UN Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and women's empowerment worldwide. The Commission was established June 21, 1946 to prepare recommendations and reports to the Council to help promote women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. The Commission also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights (www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/).