Washington D.C. Advocacy
United Methodist Women has been challenging social injustice for more than 135 years. In 1969 the Women's Division, United Methodist Women's national administrative body, opened its Office of Legislative Affairs in Washington, D.C., to translate principles of faith into advocacy efforts that respond to injustice in all its forms. The office is housed in the historic Methodist Building at 100 Maryland Avenue on Capitol Hill, built in 1923 by the Board of Temperance of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
United Methodist Women's Washington, D.C., advocacy work includes:
- Annual Legislative Training Events that brings together United Methodist Women members elected to serve as social action coordinators for their conference, a region-based structure of the United Methodist Church. The event includes advocacy training; and updates on the impact of congregational legislation on women, children, youth and disenfranchised communities; and visits with participants' congressional representatives.
- Action Alerts on key congressional legislation and public policies sent to a conference United Methodist Women social action coordinators and nearly 8,000 individuals participating in the organization's Social Action Network.
- Collaborative work with other faith-based agencies and non-governmental organization promoting peace, justice and human rights.