FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA – November 7, 2025) The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Valérie Duval-Poujol from France as the first BWA Ambassador for Standing Against Gender-Based Violence. Approved unanimously by the BWA Trustee Committee, this pivotal role includes a five-year term of service and membership within the BWA Leadership Council.
“The BWA celebrates Valérie and her historic appointment to this position which demonstrates our commitment as a global Baptist family to respond to this worldwide issue,” said Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown, BWA General Secretary and CEO. “I am grateful for Dr. Duval-Poujol’s years of faithful engagement and advocacy, and I look forward to how God will continue to work through her in this new role.”
BWA Ambassadors serve as volunteer leaders who provide pastoral presence, specialized expertise, and global representation in advancing strategic ministry priorities. Working under the guidance of the BWA General Secretary and alongside a designated BWA Staff Liaison, Ambassadors serve as catalysts for strengthening relationships, equipping churches, and elevating the global witness of the Baptist family.
Duval-Poujol, a respected theologian and Bible translator known across Europe and around the world, brings years of experience and passion to this role. She has long been an advocate for gender justice and launched the gender-based violence advocacy initiative known as The Red Chair Project. Typically implemented annually during the United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, it involves reserving an empty red chair in a public place alongside information about domestic abuse and violence against women. The empty chair acts as a powerful symbol of the many women who have been killed through acts of gender-based violence.
“I thank BWA leadership for showing their commitment to stand against the terrible plague of gender-based violence through this appointment,” said Duval-Poujol. “Together we will fight against this as a witness to God’s love and justice for this broken world. I ask the BWA family to pray for this position and to support it in all ways possible.”
Duval-Poujol has been instrumental in various BWA Women advocacy efforts, including serving as a delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, co-leading numerous BWA Women workshops related to domestic abuse, presenting invaluable research as a panelist at the 2025 Baptist Women’s Summit, and helping launch the Stand Against Domestic Violence (StandAgainstDV.net) resource hub.
“It has been a profound honor to work alongside Dr. Duval-Poujol to advance our shared commitment to raise awareness, offer support, and provide resources that stand against the scourge of gender-based violence,” said Merritt Johnston, BWA Women Executive Director. “Her passion, wisdom, and collaborative spirit make her an instrumental voice in the world to address this critical issue. I look forward to continuing this important advocacy together as she steps into this new role with the potential for even greater global impact for the glory of God and the good of women across the globe.”
Drawing from her personal passion for the Bible and her educational background that includes doctorates in History of Religions and Theology, Duval-Poujol is the author of several books and serves on various theological faculties. In her work as a Bible translator, she was also the chief editor for the revision of the French Bible Nouvelle Français courant. Within BWA’s global ministry, she has been a presenter at numerous BWA and European Baptist Federation (EBF) events and served as Vice Chair of the Commission on Baptist Doctrine and Christian Unity from 2020-2025. As a reflection of her passion for Christian unity, she also represented the BWA as a fraternal delegate at the Synod on Family (2013) and Synod on Synodality (2023 and 2024). In recognition of her commitment to the common good, particularly in defending women’s rights, she was presented with the National Order of Merit by the French government in 2023. Duval-Poujol also serves in her local church alongside her husband who is a French Baptist minister.
Duval-Poujol’s commissioning will take place in March 2026 when the BWA Leadership Council convenes in Falls Church, Virginia (USA), with global leaders in attendance from all six of the BWA’s regional fellowships, commissions, and standing networks.
