Pray for Women in Political Leadership Around the World

LORD, we pray:

• for women who aspire to political office especially those who are committed to the voiceless, the needy and the unborn;
• for women who are denied the right to vote, and suffer from religious and cultural policies that deny their human rights;
• for the families of all political candidates, during the upcoming campaign season;
• that women elected to leadership in developing nations would be accorded the economic means needed to make significant changes;
• that male leaders would be open to the potential contributions of women leaders in all sectors of society;
• for the political parties who seek to aid political candidates, that their support will be worthy of a civil society and reflect ethics and courage in serving our country;
• for those who may fail to support the candidacy of women for reasons of sexism, racism or classism, that they might repent; and
• for the many women who secretly aspire to leadership positions, that those who can help them name and claim that vocation would encourage them to be bold.

Amen.

Fatuma Mohamed, a local leader in her native Kenya, visited the U.S. via a League of Women Voters international “democracy exchange” program in 2007. I met her in Tucson, where my mother, Carol West, was the vice mayor at the time. Widespread poverty dictates the political agenda for Mohamed; her efforts center on expanding economic opportunities for women and children. The stakes involved in our local politics in America are small in contrast to the profound needs of her constituents. They deserve both our prayers and our commitment to world peace.

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The Kenayn delegation arrives in Tucson, AZ in 2007. (photo: Neil West)

American women have some catching up to do, politically speaking. We rank 66th worldwide in terms of successful women candidates. This means that 65 countries have a higher percentage of elected women leaders. Furthermore, my Kenyan friend asked me, “Why don’t the women politicians here pray before their meetings?” Do prayerful women avoid government? It’s a valid question.

In America, as we lurch toward a disappointing rerun of the 2020 presidential election, passions are high and many Catholics feel frustrated with both political parties. This essay from 2021 in America magazine explains why.​

Women are not a monolith, and they don’t all share the same values. An interesting film from 2022, Girls State, tracked participants in the Missouri Girls State run by the American Legion. A pro-life Christian attempts to win hearts and minds…and encounters the headwinds faced by pro-life candidates today. Here’s a link to a review that explains what pro-life leaders can learn from the film.

The Susan B. Anthony List supports pro-life candidates who run for office. Originally established as a counterweight to (pro-choice) Emily’s List, they are sending field teams to swing states. The organization includes a fundraising arm and a campaign school for pro-life candidates.

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