(Above) In March, Salvation Army delegates from 13 different countries attended the 69th session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women. “This experience was both eye-opening and life changing,” says Lt Dirani (far right)

In March, I had the honour of attending the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, as a delegate from The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. I joined 14 other Salvationist women from around the world, each bringing their own unique perspectives. As someone deeply passionate about justice, this experience was both eye-opening and life changing.

Witnessing the Reality of Injustice

Throughout CSW69, I heard powerful stories from women and girls worldwide, many of whom still face daily oppression and injustice. In Nepal and parts of Africa, for example, girls are treated as unclean during their monthly cycle—some are forbidden from sitting at the family table or are forced to sleep on the floor. Others cannot afford basic sanitary products, with some even being exploited to obtain them.

What struck me most were the voices of young women sharing their struggles boldly. One resounding theme emerged: they need mentors—women who have walked through challenges, overcome them, and can guide them forward. Girls from around the world are longing for meaningful relationships with women who have been through life, the good and bad, who can influence, inspire and walk the journey with them. When the world around them tells them “You can’t,” these women show them that they can and have done it themselves.

The Salvation Army’s Leadership at CSW69

The Salvation Army led several sessions at CSW69, demonstrating its commitment to justice and advocacy. One session that stood out to me was the discussion on The Salvation Army’s international, multicultural response to domestic violence. This session, presented by our Salvationist women, addressed various critical topics, including the relationship between domestic violence and immigration, human trafficking, early marriage and climate change. Hearing first-hand from women engaged in this work globally was both sobering and inspiring, reinforcing the need for a holistic and culturally informed response to these pressing issues.

Learning Justice Through the Lens of Christ

God has been growing my passion for justice for years. Since 2017, when he opened my eyes to the ongoing reality of modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT), I have been involved in advocacy and outreach. While working full time with refugee families and youth, I volunteered with an organization assisting survivors who were testifying against their traffickers. I later began working at a Salvation Army women’s shelter in downtown Toronto. On my first day, I went home in tears, overwhelmed by the hardship I witnessed. Yet, I felt God saying, “You are in the right place. I am moulding you for what comes next.”

I spent four years there, eventually becoming assistant director. It was a challenging yet transformative experience. My heart grew bigger, my skin thickened, and my call to justice deepened. When I entered full-time ministry as an officer, I knew justice would remain at the core of my calling. God, in his humorous way, confirmed this through my sessional name—I was commissioned as a Defender of Justice in 2024.

A Justice That Restores

CSW69 challenged me to see justice not only as standing against oppression but as standing with the broken. Biblical justice isn’t just about fighting the wrongs—it’s about empowering, restoring and leading with both truth and grace.

Jesus himself modelled this balance when he responded to the woman caught in adultery. He neither ignored sin nor condemned her; instead, he defended her from those who sought to shame and destroy her, offering her a path to restoration (see John 8:1-11). Isaiah 42:1-2 also reminds us that justice isn’t always about volume or force—it’s often about gentleness, love and persistence. Christ is both the lion (authority) and the lamb (compassion), and we are called to reflect both.

Raising Up a Generation for Justice

One of my greatest passions is equipping young people for mission, introducing them to the foundations of faith and The Salvation Army’s heart for justice. I firmly believe that young people are not our future leaders—they are our current leaders. CSW69 affirmed the power of this generation’s voice when they are given the platform to speak up. They have the heart and passion—we must equip them, trust them and walk with them in authentic, servant leadership.

Through my current appointment at Mississauga Community Church, Ont., I am blessed to lead a ministry we call “Others Ministries for Justice,” a young adult ministry that equips people for mission through outreach and evangelism. We are currently planning a mission trip to Brazil, where our group will train and equip a local young adult group on justice and mission. Our young people will serve and engage in hands-on ministry in various cities and on the streets of Brazil.

I have also had the privilege of being part of the MSHT planning committee, where we created justice-focused ministries, such as the Step Up for Justice video series for youth. These videos are not only intended to raise awareness in schools and youth groups, but also to empower youth to take action and step up.

Moving Forward: Justice in Action

As I reflect on CSW69, I am praying for ways to leverage platforms such as social media to amplify the voices of young people, allowing them to share their testimonies, struggles and victories to inspire and equip others. The goal is not just to raise justice activists but to raise a generation fired up for Jesus, passionate about biblical justice, where the authority of the Lion of Judah meets the mercy of the Lamb of God.

Justice is not only about what we fight against but about who we fight for. May we all embrace the call to walk in biblical justice—leading with strength and compassion, power and grace, justice and mercy.

Lieutenant Mirna Dirani is the corps officer (outreach and evangelism director) at Mississauga Community Church, Ont.