WLUML July 2009 NEWSLETTER Issue 8

News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from . INSIDE THIS ISSUE WOMEN RECLAIMING AND REDEFINING CULTURES PROGRAMME Page: 1. WRRC Programme From October 2008, WLUML and the Institute From May, we have been pleased to welcome of Women’s Empowerment (IWE) jointly Roya Rahmani as the permanent Programme embarked upon a three-year programme Manager of the WRRC Programme. Ms. 2. Editorial & Solidarity entitled “ Women reclaiming and re-defining Rahmani is a WLUML Council member and an cultures: Asserting rights over body, self, and active women’s rights defender in both public spaces ” (WRRC programme). Afghanistan and North America. 3. WHRD & International Supported by the MDG3 Fund, designed to Women’s Day Statement fund work towards attaining the third Millennium Development Goal (namely ‘Gender equality and the empowerment of Recent initiatives have included: Women’s Empowerment women’), the WRRC programme aims to 4. • extending support to ‘sister campaigns’ contribute to the attainment of MDG3 by and Activism in working to address so- developing and supporting strategies for called ‘honour crimes’ through art, and women’s empowerment that can effectively in Indonesia to advocate against a counter disempowering forces. These forces 6. News from Networkers regressive Anti-Pornography Bill; often attempt to legitimise themselves by reference to ‘culture’, ‘tradition’ and • supporting Pakistani and Indonesian ‘religion’ , and are increasingly manifested as 8 Reviews activists in their struggle to break the . politico-religious fundamentalisms that silence around sexuality to enable exacerbate the vulnerable positions of women activists to more effectively support by reinforcing existing patriarchal structures people of mixed gender, different 10 . Upcoming Events & and introducing new modes of oppression. Announcements sexual orientations, sex workers and The WRRC Programme maintains that it is women whose human rights are crucial to discredit ‘cultural’ excuses used to violated related to social conceptions of legitimate the disempowerment of women. female sexuality and reproductive roles;

Since its inception, the WRRC programme has • supporting Nigerian activists to conduct established a Strategic Task Force as a sensitization trainings with local management and advisory committee, journalists and media practitioners as a comprised of WLUML and IWE means of addressing culturally-justified representatives. In addition, three Working violence against women; Groups have been established to address different but inter-related aspects of women’s • conducting a 4-day workshop on disempowerment justified by cultural relativism: Sexuality, bringing together over 20 Sexuality ; Property, Inheritance and Land activists from the Africa and Middle Rights ; and Violence Against Women . The East in Rabat, Morocco, as trainers and latter Working Group builds upon the Global participants; Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women (www.stop-killing.org ) and seeks to support • arranging translations of key new initiatives and strategies related to publications on women’s human rights culturally-justified violence against women. into other languages. Global in scope, over the coming years the

WRRC Programme will focus on the following focal countries: Afghanistan, Indonesia, , In June, the Strategic Task Force and each of Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sri Lanka and the three Working Groups held our first face-to Sudan. -face strategizing meetings held in Dakar, Senegal and London, UK. Until May 2009, WLUML Director Dr. Ayesha Imam has served as the Interim Coordinator of It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that the WRRC Programme and we sincerely thank we look ahead to the coming years of the her for her efforts and initiatives. WRRC Programme.

WLUML: PO Box 28445, London, N195NZ, UK. Email: [email protected] Website: www.wluml.org

2 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

EDITORIAL & SOLIDARITY In this issue we are delighted to welcome the IRAN: Women human rights defender, launch of the programme “Women reclaiming and re-defining cultures: Asserting rights over Shadi Sadr, released from jail body, self, and public spaces” a joint venture between WLUML and the Institute of Women’s Women Living Under Muslim Laws is very Empowerment (IWE), which will bring together happy to announce that Shadi Sadr was women from the Muslim world to examine and released from Evin Prison, Tehran, on Tuesday discuss how systems of culture, tradition and 28 July 2009. religion, are used as instruments to legitimise their oppression. WLUML Council member, Ms. Sadr, is a The current debates around the veil as a human rights lawyer feminine symbol of Muslim identity or around who especially defends dress codes are examples of these systems at the rights of women in work. The hushed controversy between the US Iran. She is also part of President Barak Obama and the French the Stop Stoning President Nicolas Sarkozy is symptomatic. On 4 Forever Campaign and June 2009, Obama stated before the Egyptian Meydaan ( http:// Parliament that the “United States government meydaan.com/english ). has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab and to punish those On Friday 17 July 2009, at around 11:30 a.m., who would deny it”. Two days afterwards, while Shadi Sadr was abducted by a group of officers on an official visit to France, Mr. Obama urged in civilian clothes while she was walking on his counterpart to lift the ban on the veil in public Keshavarz Boulevard, Tehran, to a mosque for schools. Mr. Sarkozy retorted: “The full face veil Friday prayers. According to an eye-witness is a sign of women’s subjugation”. A account, her friends tried to pull her away from parliamentary commission composed of diverse her abductors but were unable to do so; Ms. political parties has been established in order to Sadr was "hit badly and dragged so badly that investigate the wearing of the full face veil in her scarf and manteau (overcoat) was removed France, and to prepare repressive measures in from her". She was then forced into a car and line with other European countries. taken away. Her abductors did not show any identity cards, warrants, or a reason for her Such a debate is disturbing on more than one apprehension. Security forces ransacked the level since the true question is: “Why should Sadr home for several hours and in the women wear the veil in order for their Muslim presence of their ten-year-old daughter, taking identity to be recognized?” rather than “Why away some papers, documents, and two should it be banned?” Further to the problematic computer cases that had belonged to Shadi’s issue of the veil, is that of clothes in general for husband and the child. On Sunday 19 July women. In Sudan, women activists have been Security Guards called Ms. Sadr’s family asking taken to court for wearing trousers in public, and them to provide bail. Niachian asked the guards threatened with a public flogging. Similarly, in what would be acceptable for bail and they told Nigeria, the Federal State is trying to legislate him to bring ID card and salary documents. against any (women’s) clothes that it considers However, after waiting outside Evin Prison for indecent; and, in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, five hours, the family returned home without her. restrictive dress codes have been enforced, affecting not only women but also sexual Ms. Sadr has been released on bail of US minorities. The forthcoming book by Ayesha $50,000. The accusations against Ms Sadr are Salma Kariapper on Muslim women’s dress in that she acted against national security by the United Kingdom presents interesting provoking people to act in a disorderly fashion perspectives on the analysis of the situation in and to disobey police orders, despite her non- this country. violent advocacy for the human rights of women. This abduction was a targeted act, However, it is as difficult to accept the unlike other arrests of peaceful women human compulsory wearing of the veil for religious and rights defenders in Iran such as at Disclaimer: The analysis and views cultural reasons as it is to accept a ban by law, demonstrations. expressed in this newsletter do not because both impulses are a product of the necessarily reflect those of any control over women’s body by the State, offices of the Women Living Under SAUDI ARABIA: Imprisonment and Muslim Laws – International religious authorities and society. Recourse to Solidarity Network (WLUML) and the law to safeguard from religiously and culturally Whipping of 75 year-old Woman responsibility for all opinions, views justified dress codes impositions is an attack on and accuracy of information contained in this publication rests basic citizens’ rights. It is, therefore, 30/03/2009: WLUML, and its allies, demand that entirely with individual contributors. fundamental for women and men to distance Saudi Arabia demonstrate its commitment to themselves from the socio-cultural constraints of human rights and release Khamisa Sawadi, previous societies to focus on new debates for Fahd al-Anzi, and Hadiyan bin Zein and revoke the 21st century. the order of deportation.

Fatou Sow Please check the WLUML website for updates at: WLUML ICO Coordinator www.wluml.org/english/news.shtml 2 2 3 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

WHRD & INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY STATEMENT

conducive to human rights abuse. In the context You can download the full statement at: of the current economic recession, women http://tiny.cc/weW01 human rights defenders’ access to defence and protection is affected by shrinking resources and makes the nature and range of the attacks The International Campaign on Women Human against them ever more severe. [...] Rights Defenders (WHRDs) grew out of the recognition that WHRDs work tirelessly for the [W]e note with great concern the statements of protection and promotion of human rights. some countries which attempt to undermine WHRDs, however, face gender-specific risks existing commitments to accepted international and vulnerabilities in addition to those faced by human rights standards, in particular, non- all human rights defenders and have had little discrimination based on gender and sexual attention in the human rights arena. Women orientation, that threaten the human rights of human rights defenders, as defined by the women human rights defenders including Coalition, encompass both women active in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. human rights defence who are targeted for who they are as well as all those active in the We also stress the importance of the work done defence of women's rights who are targeted for by women human rights defenders to document, what they do. Simply, the term pertains to monitor and provide protection for those under human rights activists who are women, as well attack for their religion or belief as well as for as other activists including those who defend exercising their right to freedom of expression. the rights of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual We hold these two rights to be inter-dependent and transgender people; and uphold the and mutually reinforcing and note that attempts universality of rights. The initiative was founded to limit them on grounds of ‘defamation of upon the following four pillars: to call for the religion’ will undermine existing standards, and recognition of women human rights defenders; hinder the work of defenders by legitimising to highlight violence committed by the state and targeted attacks on them. [...] its agents; to identify human rights violations perpetrated by non-state actors such as Some WHRD Members: Information Monitor (Inform), fundamentalist political groups, the family and Women Living Under Muslim Laws community; and to expose the issue of sexuality (WLUML), World Organisation in relation to abuses faced by women human Against Torture (OMCT), Association rights defenders. for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Human Rights First, In her 2002 report before the UN Commission International Federation of Human on Human Rights, Ms. Hina Jilani, former UN Rights (FIDH), MADRE (an Special Representative of the Secretary international women’s human rights organisation). General on Human Rights Defenders addressed the critical situation of women human rights defenders. The significance of gender in protecting and supporting WHRDs is also built into the mandate of the current UN Special Representative on Human Rights Defenders, The work of the WHRD Coalition continues, with You can find out more about the a Strategic Conversation on “Addressing Gaps WHRD Coalition on their website: Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, with whom the WHRD www.defendingwomen Coalition held a Strategic Meeting on 18 June in the Defense of Women Human Rights defendingrights.org/ 2009. Defenders” in June 2009 and the development of a manual on documenting violations against and download Claiming Rights, Claiming Justice: A Guidebook on The “Women Human Rights Defenders WHRDs. Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition” was formally constituted here: http://tiny.cc/ULVVg in November 2008, and comprises various women’s rights and human rights organizations Insiste , Resiste , Persiste, Existe: Women's and networks. Women Living Under Muslim “All over the world, women Human Rights Defenders' Security Strategies defend the rights of individuals Laws (WLUML) sits on the Executive By Jane Barry and Vahida Nainar, (2008: Urgent Action Committee of the WHRD Coalition, committing Fund, Kvinna Till Kvinna & Frontline), 96 pp. and communities facing to: uphold the UN Declaration on Human Rights oppression, discrimination and Defenders including the principles and practices This publication brings us the voices of women human violence. Their work is of universality of human rights and non- rights defenders (WHRDs) from all over the world. Each woman speaks from her personal experience of powerful, and controversial. violence; and to take action for the protection combating violence and discrimination in complex And it often meets with bitter, and support of the rights of women human contexts – in situations of overt or hidden conflict, and violent, opposition.” rights defenders, including sustaining their organized armed violence as well as rising activism and well-being. fundamentalisms. It also introduces the concept (excerpt from of ‘integrated security ’ – coined by Colombian activists Insiste, Persiste, Resiste, Existe) The WHRD Coalition released a joint statement and echoed by other WHRDs across the world: a on the occasion of International Women’s Day concept that challenges us all to redefine the militarized, disconnected concept of ‘security’ and on 8 March 2009, declaring that: recognize that integrated security is about feeling safe Women human rights defenders around the in all aspects of our lives – from our ability to feed our Available at: http://tiny.cc/X2nZB world, "challenge structures of discrimination families to speaking freely about our governments. and oppression that create environments 3 3 4 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND ACTIVISM Protests against family laws Women Election Victory

AFGHANISTAN: In April 2009, more than 300 KUWAIT: The historic victories of the four Afghani women demonstrated in the streets of women candidates, Massouma Al-Mubarak, Kabul against the new Family Law signed by Aseel Al- Awadhi, Rola Dashti and Salwa Al- President Karzai. Women’s activists in Jassar, in last month’s elections are seen as a neighbouring Iran expressed their full support vote for change in the Gulf State. Although for the demonstration. parliament was established in 1962, it was only in 2005 that women in Kuwait were granted More pictures at: political rights. Add to this the recent tensions www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/ between the ruling family-dominated Cabinet world/asia/article6098614.ece and elected MPs that led the emir, Sheikh Al- Sabah, to dissolve Kuwait's National Assembly in March, and the fact that the May 16, 2009 election was the third in as many years.

Women captured seats in the 50-member National Assembly, after two unsuccessful bids The new Family Law introduces a range of so in 2006 and 2008. According to The Kuwait called Taliban-like restrictions, and especially Times , only 19 of the registered 282 candidates limits the rights of Shi’ite women. Approximately were women, down from the 28 who registered 20% of the Afghani population are Shi’ite last year and 31 in 2006. Muslims. Under this new Family Law the marital age of Shi’ite girls decreases from 18 to 16; In the election build-up, some members of marital rape is legalized; and women are not Kuwait's Islamic Salafi political party had called allowed to leave the house without their for a boycott of women candidates. Women husbands’ permission. candidates were not deterred, however; Aseel al -Awadhi, a university professor of philosophy at "...we believe that The Afghani protestors, mostly women, Kuwait University, who won a parliamentary each achievement or gathered in front of one of Afghanistan’s most seat, said it was time that women had a role in influential Shi’ite madrasa – the School of the politics in general. Furthermore, the strength of failure which is faced Last Prophet – where the scholars who drafted Islamist MPs has been eroded: Sunni Islamists the Family Law are based. They held banners by women specially in and their tribal allies now have 11 seats in and placards, and they used megaphones to parliament, down from 21. our region can have voice their demand for rights. However, the protestors faced an even larger counter reciprocal effects on demonstration: men and women accusing them “The women’s success reflects the of being “whores” and demanding Islamic laws. Iranian women and Islamists’ poor performance.” our society at large.” The Afghani women protestors did not garner support from their countrymen. The only support Mary Ann Tetreault, professor of international they received came from their neighbours, their affairs at Trinity University in San Antonio, Iranian sisters, who issued the statement Texas, speaking to the Inter Press Service Support of Women in Afghanistan Against their sought to counter the fallacy that the women New Family Law . MPs are all ‘liberals’: "They are only liberal in "Our tormented Afghani sisters. We, the Iranian the sense of being open-minded, but they all women’s movement activists have been trying have different visions, ideological perspectives, regularly and responsibly to follow activities, issue interests, and approaches to policy that achievements and failures of women in the will become more evident as they engage in area. Because we believe that each parliamentary life." In fact, she added, the achievement or failure which is faced by women women’s success reflects the Islamists’ poor specially in our region can have reciprocal performance. "Two women MPs outpolled effects on Iranian women and our society at Islamist MPs. It is perhaps this factor that large.” stimulated the Salafi fatwa [decree] stating women running for political office were By Johanna Heden committing a sin and that voting for a woman is a sin."

By Eleanor Kilroy

4 4 5 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

Child marriage in Nigeria. Interview with Asma’u Joda

Many of us are aware of the phenomenon of Equal Opportunities Bill and the Child Rights child marriage, which is destroying the life Act, both of which deal with the issue of child opportunities, freedoms, and mental and marriage. physical well-being of young girls around the globe. Here we present an interview with Musawah Nigeria is in the process of writing a WLUML networker, Asma’u Joda, about her proposal in response to a request from the work to eliminate child marriage in Nigeria. Nigerian Human Rights Commission (which pushed for the adoption of the Child Rights Act in Northern Nigeria), the Federation of Muslim Sheherazade Kara: What activities are Women in Nigeria (FOMWAN, a religious already underway? organisation) and Women Rights Advancement Protection Agency (WRAPA, a women's rights Asma’u Joda: In the UK, the Forum on organisation). Marriage and the Rights of Women and Girls (a network of mostly UK-based organisations that S.K. What results do you expect? “Girls and women are campaign against early marriage and violence realizing that their against women) has come up with an advocacy A.J. A bill binding all Nigerians to stop child tool kit after a series of international meetings. marriage, and for the community to recognize parents and family The issue of child marriage is linked to that of that it isn't good for girls to be married before members do not have bride pricing in that due to high bride price they are ready. trends, parents will give their young daughters the right to force them away in marriage to get the cows, or other S.K. What can our networkers do to support resources, needed to pay for their son’s brides. this campaign? to marry and that they The Forum attended a meeting on this problem have a right to choose in autumn 2005, which was hosted by the A.J. Talk about it and against it. Including MIFUMI Project in Kampala Uganda (an information dissemination on it and condemning their husbands international aid and development agency that it when it happens. A lot of networkers are themselves.” supports the needs of and promotes protection already involved. The main problem we have in for women and children affected by domestic our advocacy to stop child marriage, is that violence and abuse, as well as bride price there is very little funding available; donors feel violations). they are interfering with "the culture and traditions of people". We need to change this I run the Centre for Women and Adolescent mindset and show donors that girls have a right Empowerment in Yola Adamawa State in north- to chose, and patriarchal systems do not have a east Nigeria. We have done a lot of work on right to destroy their daughters. stopping child marriage including going to court with girls who have been victims of child S.K. Do you have anything else you would marriage. We were able to annul such like to add? marriages on the basis that the girls did not consent. We have also prevented child A.J. We need to be more aggressive in marriages from happening by getting community convincing its funders to fund projects to stop members to report them. We also use respected child marriage. It is violation of the victims’ rights women leaders to talk to parents, and have had to: life (as death is a possibility); to health a high success rate. Girls and women are (statistics show that maternal mortality is mostly realizing that their parents and family members of teenage mothers and VVf and AF etc); to do not have the right to force them to marry and speak for themselves (their consent is not that they have a right to choose their husbands sought); and to enjoy their life (i.e. when girls If you want to know more about themselves. are married off their capacity to play is stopped the MIFUMI Project, visit: etc). www.mifumi.org S.K. What do you have planned for the coming year? Interview by Sheherezade Kara, WLUML networker

A.J. In our 2009 - 2012 Strategic Plan, even though we have recognized that we have made an impact and drastically reduced the prevalence of child marriages, we still need to continue the work and advocate the total eradication of child marriage.

The Centre, and Women In Adawama (a new women’s political forum in Adamawa State), are working to ensure the adoption by the Adamawa State House of Assembly of the Gender and

5 5 6 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

NEWS FROM NETWORKERS The Danish-Arab Research “The access of self-help Conference networks to the international arena” meeting

On 13-15 May 2009 a conference was held by On 23-25 March 2009, WLUML participated in a the Feminist Research Centre (FREIA) at meeting convened by the Institut de recherche Aalborg University in Denmark, organised in et débat sur la gouvernance/ Institute for collaboration with the Institute for Women’s Research and Debate on Governance (IRG) Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW), Lebanese and the Ford Foundation, entitled “The access American University, Beirut, Lebanon. Entitled of self-help networks to the international arena: “Knowledge - Empowerment – Politics: Gender Articulating local actions and global advocacy research and women’s grassroots activism – strategies”. The Danish-Arab Research Conference,” this interdisciplinary conference aimed at presenting The meeting, held in Rambouillet, France, research on the relations between women’s brought together participants from various grassroots activism, gender research and transnational networks. In each network, one “Under which political changes in Arab and Nordic countries. delegate worked mostly at the international level They posed the questions: “Under which and one mostly at the grassroots level. circumstances are circumstances are feminist movements and feminist movements NGO’s successful in generating legal reforms The participants came from networks mobilized for women? Have they exchanged experiences around 4 causes or fields of action, namely: and NGO’s successful on what works and what does not? What is the in generating legal role of international organisations? What is the • Ethnic minority and indigenous relation between grassroots activism, gender movements: International Alliance of reforms for women?” research and research in general?” Indigenous & Tribal People of the Tropical Forest; Indigenous Information Network The conference was structured into 6 (IIN); workshops: • Histories of grassroots feminism • Marginalized urban population: International Alliance of Inhabitants; • Gendered aspects of national and Shack/Slum Dwellers International; international migration Streetnet (Alliance of International Street Trader and Hawker Organisations); Wiego • Religion, values, gender and grassroots (Women in Informal Employment/Global activism Wastepickers Network);

• Families, women’s activism and gender • People living with HIV/Aids : Positive research Women’s Network; Nepwhan (Network of People living with Aids in Nigeria); • Human rights and gender relations International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS; • Democracy, political presence and political representation. • Women working at the grassroots : WLUML (Women Living under Muslim The conference was attended by WLUML Laws); GROOTS (Grassroots networker Amal Al-Ashtal, who presented her organizations operating together in work on the Yemeni women’s movement sisterhood); WEAP (Women’s Economic (further details can be found here: http://tiny.cc/ Agenda Project). LWxJC ).

Instead of requesting conference papers from participants, this seminar requested short videos from participants prior to the meeting responding to a set of questions about the structures and objectives of their networks. These videos will be edited into a feature-length film. From WLUML, the meeting was attended by Samia Allalou (Algeria/France) and Aisha Lee Shaheed (Canada/Pakistan). Unfortunately the third scheduled WLUML delegate, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh (Iran) was unable to attend.

6 6 7 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

Documentary film: I remained curious about who was the support You can watch the film here: and role model for Humaira until I met Zainab http://r4d.blip.tv/file/2116878 “A Small Dream” Bibi, Humaira’s mother, who endured social ostracisation, verbal and even physical abuse by the immediate and extended family in her

determination to give her daughters an educa- "I want the students to excel in life and to tion. proudly claim that they once studied in Moach Goth Replication School…At times when people I found Humaira to be an indigenous feminist, a would taunt us in the streets saying 'she thinks grassroots’ women’s rights activist and repre- she is the guardian of our community's wellbe- sentative of who are not ing...' I would pray in my heart - give me no only aware of their problems and gender dis- home, but grant my children a good school; crimination, but are ready to struggle, having grant me only this that in comparing [my home developed their own form of resistance against and the school] , people see my sincerity and an injustice in their society in the name of cul- years of toil; and recognize that I have not ture, religion and tradition. worked for myself, but only for this small By Gulnar Tabassum dream...

I encountered a very interesting phenomenon in the Moach Goth community. Moach Goth’s in- habitants are a mixture of people from the re- WLUML Dress Codes & mote areas of Balochistan, , NWFP (North -West Frontier Province), as well as Afghan Modes Exhibition in New migrants who have their own so-called cultural York norms. Most of the women living there are keen to educate their daughters because they think education is a mean of empowerment and they In April 2009, John “Very imaginative and Jay College of don’t want them to suffer in the life as they did, powerful” while the men are still resistant to the idea of Criminal Justice girls’ education. As part of the next generation hosted WLUML’s Humaira Bachal, now a young woman of 20 Dress Codes and years, and her team of adolescent teachers and Modes Exhibition. students are fighting to bring change with their This exhibition dedication, commitment and resistance to injus- explores the tices. diversities and commonalities in Humaira sat on the naked floor of her home, women's dress which has no doors or windows, with only a roof through space and covering her head, telling me her story. I saw in time, and highlights her eyes, which were so clear, committed and the influence of a variety of factors – such as full of faith in what she has been doing since class, status, region, work, religious she was just ten years old, that there was a film interpretation, ethnicity, urban/rural, politics, to be made. fashion, climate etc. Dr. Anissa Hélie, professor in the history department at John Jay College As the film maker, this story is not just one of and a WLUML Council member, introduced the development for me, but of resistance against exhibition. the System, Culture and Class; the system that is always in favor of the people who already Dr. Anissa Helie, Professor at the have power and resources, culture which has Department of History at John been used to discriminate against people on the Jay College and a WLUML Council member, holding an grounds of gender, race and color, and class introductory talk. which has been consciously maintained by the system.

As a first grade student, Humaira was the only one to go to school while all her friends played in the streets. She used to think school was a punishment, but soon came to believe that she was the privileged one. She remained troubled by this until, still only in fifth grade, she thought © Allison Pease how she might redress this injustice: she would teach children at home the lessons she had The exhibition received very positive learnt in class. Roping in her younger sister, responses. Many students, while staring Tahira, Humaira begged students to donate the curiously at the exhibition panels, described it unused pages of their old notebooks and pencil as “very imaginative and powerful”. stubs, and started teaching her friends every day after school. By Johanna Heden

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Religion, Culture and Politics: Isn’t My Body Mine?

“Control over In this short piece I will discuss the complex have always insisted on managing men/women women's bodies has relationship between religion, culture, politics, relations within the family according to Islamic and women’s position within society; their body principles. The majority of political leaders in become a political and health. Muslim countries continue to elaborate and revise family code based on their interpretation project.” Over the past thirty-forty years, women have of Shari’a. Family laws are at the centre of primarily focused on their position within the political controversies between religious groups family, sexual and reproductive health and and women’s organisations. Furthermore, rights, access to education, training and international resolutions and declarations, employment as the basis of their economic aimed at reducing discrimination, have been empowerment, and political rights as citizen. continually contested by many ‘ordinary’ people These issues are especially contentious in and fundamentalist groups. contexts where religion, culture and politics are in conflict or collude. In what follows, I will So how do we get beyond these discuss two factors that have had an immense positions? A few words on secularism impact on women’s health issues and discourses:”the deleterious impacts of global The notion of secularism questions the nature of capitalism and macroeconomic restructuring on the relationship between political and religious poverty levels and health, and the rise of authority. But, is secularism only the separation explicitly antifeminist, fundamentalist politico- between state and religion? The answer is “Secularism is a key religious forces.” (R. Petchesky 2003) decidedly no. There are many conceptions of issue in debates on secularism, as understandings vary significantly Women’s health is a human according to protagonists, contexts and issues. democracy, and is development issue Secularism is a key issue in debates on both praised and democracy, and is both praised and contested It is not only regular poverty, inadequate as a basic principle of modernity. contested as a basic economic growth, lack or poor quality of facilities, and environmental degradation that There is much criticism of Islam as being principle of are having adverse affects on women’s needs incompatible with secularism. The rise of modernity.” and rights (Madunagu 2006), but also religious fundamentalism encourages the ‘organized poverty’ – i.e. globalisation hostility of Muslim communities towards the processes “targeted at improving contemporary secularist message (Bencheikh macroeconomic management or increasing 2005). Confronted with these arguments, Tariq gross national product growth while ignoring or Ramadan proposes a reform of Islam in order worsening the incomes and livelihoods of the for it to become a force of transformation in the majority” (Sen 1994). But, as many politicians world (2006). But here is the debate about promise to institute minute reforms, establishing reforming Islam ? Certainly not for the making of the occasional countryside clinic and distributing the law. the occasional vaccine is certainly not enough to promote women’s sexual and reproductive It is clear that a human rights approach is health and rights. crucial for global citizens, and women need to be involved in policy decisions over their bodies. Why is the issue of religion still so Patriarchal systems can no longer continue to preside over women’s body and health. important today? Although most states have signed and ratified It is undeniable that religion has a stake in international human rights resolutions, it is “It is also necessary politics. Even when religions are formally difficult to enforce most international documents relegated to the private sphere – as is the case and bring gender justice into the law because of to deconstruct the in most European countries - they have never the opposition of Parliamentarians and relationship between been absent from politics. There has been a societies, as has been demonstrated by recent noticeable upsurge, the world over, of radical events in diverse parts of the Muslim world. It is religion, culture and religious groups whose goal is to transform also necessary to deconstruct the relationship politics in the society along religious ‘norms’. Furthermore, between religion, culture and politics in the ‘culture’ is also used as a tool to reshape development of laws that impact upon women’s development of laws relations and the social contract between the bodies and health. State and its citizens (especially women) – e.g. that impact upon By Fatou Sow imposition of “appropriate” attire and codes of women’s bodies and conduct in the public/private sphere. Control over women's bodies has become a political health.” Abstract from a keynote speech presented at the conference project. on “Gender, Islam and Health in Africa”, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA), 16-18 April 2009. Family laws Muslim populations, irrespective of religiosity,

8 8 9 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

If you want to learn more about The Testimony Project the Testimony Project, visit: www.testimonyproject.org.uk/

On 23 July 2009, “The Testimony Project” was launched at Amnesty International’s UK headquarters in London, and in attendance the UK Border Agency and the Asylum and were two staff from the WLUML International Immigration Tribunal (AIT). Also, the MP Jeremy Coordination Office (ICO). The event brought Corbyn added his voice, criticising the ‘tick the together individuals and organizations from all box mentality’ and inhumanity of the UK asylum over the country to give voice to and listen to process. Other speakers were Helen Bamber the stories of women seeking asylum in the OBE, co-founding director of the Helen Bamber United Kingdom, with the objective of building a Foundation, and Chris Leave, storyteller, who “The story means network to support them. reminded the audience through his reading of that the storyteller is the story of a child asylum seeker that “the story Bella, Marjorie and Farhat are three women who means that the storyteller is alive”. alive” delivered testimonies to their own experiences as asylum seekers. Their stories, in common In fact, The Testimony Project aims at “giving with hundreds of people in similar voice to those who would otherwise not be circumstances, are tales of violence, heard”, especially women asylum seekers and deprivation, humiliation and isolation, and their refugees as they are the most vulnerable ones, voices refuse to be silenced. Bella and Marjorie and wants to empower them providing that left Uganda to escape political persecution, useful information and essential expertise (at while Farhat left Pakistan with her children after this purpose see the Charter of rights of women If you want to read the Charter, suffering domestic violence. The physical and see which organisations have seeking asylum which many other organisations endorsed, and be part of it, psychological tortures they suffered in their have also endorsed). An actual community of please go to: home countries did not guarantee them people made of individuals and organizations is www.asylumaid.org.uk compassionate treatment here in the United behind the website, which will contribute to Kingdom; in fact they were subjected to further create and widen a safe space where to share injustice and discrimination on their arrival in the experiences, get support and receive legal country. advice.

By Chiara Maurilio

Other speakers lent their voices to the Testimony Project, among whom were: Monica Ali, writer and author of Brick Lane , who talked about the importance of telling a credible story; A Muslim Feminist: An Exploration of Multiple and Jon Snow, broadcaster and presenter of

Channel 4 News, who encouraged everyone to Identities use the internet and social networks to raise awareness among people of what is happening Neng Dara Affiah identifies as a Muslim feminist, is a commissioner with the every day all over the world. National Commission on Violence Against Women, and is a vocal advocate of women’s rights in Indonesia. She attended WLUML’s Third Feminism in the In particular, Debora Singer who is champion of Muslim World Leadership Institute in Malaysia, in 2007. the Refugee Women’s Resource Project at Asylum Aid, explored the reasons why women We are pleased to announce that her memoirs have now been published: asylum seekers generally face more discriminations than men. She underlined the Muslimah Feminis: Penjelajahan Multi Identitas (A Muslim Feminist: An scant consideration of issues that affect women, Exploration of Multiple Identities). (i.e. FGMs, honour crimes, forced marriages, domestic violence), at the time when the United If you want to read more visit: Nations Convention Relating to the Status of www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=25700&lan=en&sid=1&sp=0&isNew=1 Refugees was written, and the lack of understanding of women’s rights and needs in

9 9 10 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

REVIEWS

Leaving Fundamentalism: Personal Stories Foreword by Thomas Moore, edited by G. Elijah Dann. (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier Univer

Book sity Press, 2008)

Fundamentalist movements are a hallmark of In “Looking Back at Sodom: My Evangelical and the modern political landscape, with groups Lesbian Testimonies,” Julie Rak describes her using the discourses of ‘religion’ and ‘culture’ to fifteen years in evangelical churches having make claims on what is authentic, acceptable, abandoned her previous life and lesbian prohibited and prioritized. The chapters in identity. The churches demanded she marry an Leaving Fundamentalism provide a unique evangelical man, a dictate she followed, glimpse into the lives and thoughts of people resulting in a ten-year heterosexual marriage who have been involved in fundamentalist and the repression of her sexual orientation. groups, in this case, those broadly related to Eventually, her ‘second conversion’ came when Christianity. The title is a move at reclaiming Rak realized that her spiritual longing had been the term ‘fundamentalism’ to refer to for a community of women, not necessarily a “conservative Protestant churches in the United community of church women. States and Canada”, based on the expression “A rare and human of conservative Christian theology in the series This collection weaves together accounts and of booklets entitled The Fundamentals: A memoirs of individuals, told in the first person, perspective on the Testimony to the Truth between 1910 and 1915. with equal measures of passion, anger, hope factors that attract The essential tenets spelled out in The and forgiveness. Ranging from people brought Fundamentals were namely: “Inerrancy of the unwittingly into evangelical Christian people to – and repel Scriptures; the virgin birth of Jesus; the deity of communities to former religious leaders, the them from – Jesus; the doctrine of substitutionary atonement essays give a rare and human perspective on through God’s grace and human faith; the bodily the factors that attract people to – and repel fundamentalisms” resurrection of Jesus; and the miracles of the them from – fundamentalisms. Scriptures.” By Aisha Shaheed

Murder in the name of Honour. The true story of one woman’s heroic fight against an unbelievable crime. Book By Rana Husseini. Foreword by Jane Fonda. (One World Publications, 2009)

‘“She was raped by Mohammad, her brother”. attempted ‘honour’ killing in Italy, where more “Why was she punished and not her brother?”, precise and updated legal information would “Do you think we killed the wrong person?”, have been appreciated. This wider perspective “Relax. We did the right thing. [...] She tarnished helps the reader to understand that ‘honour’ the family’s honour and deserved to die”. A killings find no legitimacy in religion, and tries to pattern emerges and questions arise: How can undermine notions of ‘cultural relativism’ which a person ‘deserve’ to die? How can a murder be tend to justify these crimes in western societies. justified? How can a murder committed in the Indeed, a common pattern is revealed name of honour ever be legitimized? throughout the stories of Kifaya, Duaa, Allak, Fadime, Bruna, and Tina, showing the extent to Rana Husseini is a young investigative reporter which societal pressures play a major role in for the ‘Jordanian Times’, and the recipient of Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, as well as in Sweden, Italy the Human Rights Watch Award (2000), among and United States, deciding if a person other prestigious awards. In her book, she deserves to die. Family ‘honour’ is the honour of recounts the journey she undertook to break the the wider community and an absurd ideal which silence around ‘honour’ killings in Jordan in the blinkers minds and hardens people’s hearts. early 1990s, starting a national campaign to reform related laws, and laying the foundation Murder in the name of Honour is an interesting for simultaneous international campaigns read even for those who have no background in against VAW. the topic. The book is challenging because it sheds light on the unknown side of these Personal accounts give a vivid insight into the crimes, and demands specific changes in both reality of ‘honour’ killings and bear witness to laws and mentality, holding out hope for the the devastating effects of legal systems which reform of national and international laws and for permit and justify such crimes. The initial focus more humane societies. on Jordan is expanded to other countries and to migrant communities in Europe and North By Chiara Maurilio America, as well as the most recent case of an

10 10 11 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

The Moon in the Water Book By Ameena Hussein. (Perera Hussein Publishing House, Sri Lanka,2009)

Sri Lankan-born Hussein’s first novel is a Worst still she introduces marginal characters compelling tale of the search for one’s roots and simply for the purpose of expounding upon, for identity, beyond shared memories and example, the influence of wahabist thought and transcending ethnic and gender divisions. The practices in Sri Lanka. Thus one of the principal Moon ’s female protagonist, Khadeeja – young, characters, Abdullah’s, encounter with a beautiful, successful in her career in Geneva provincial Imam leads to a lengthy account of and engaged to be married to a Malawian, the latter’s past: “And so Shahul Hameed was Abdullah – returns home to Sri Lanka after her sent to a madrasah in Pakistan. […] He beloved father is accidentally killed in a bomb disagreed with the whole system that prevailed blast. Reunited with her grieving mother and there – the unquestioning rote, the rigid siblings, she is shocked out of her mourning hierarchy, the intolerance. This cannot be Islam with the revelation that she was adopted as a he would retort and each time he queried the baby and has a younger brother, Arjuna, now system he would be beaten.” estranged from his adoptive family and living on a once majestic country tea estate. Khadeeja’s The novel’s suggestion that Arjuna’s difficult journey into her past forces her to confront a childhood and transgressive adulthood landscape and people scarred by decades of foreshadows a tragic destiny is all too civil conflict, where perceived disloyalty to a predictable; the horrific natural disaster of the cause or armed group can be punishable by Tsunami becomes little more than a plot device, death. and the catalyst for Khadeeja’s reassessment of her own loyalties and priorities. This seems like There are moments when Hussein forgets she laziness of the part of an author who otherwise is a novelist and uses the novel’s characters as writes passionately about the people and history mouthpieces for her generation’s frustration with of her country. the short-term thinking of aid organizations and the patronizing attitude of naïve ‘foreigners’. By Eleanor Kilroy

Women's Side of War ( Ženska strana rata ) Book Edited by Lina Vušković and Zorica Trifunović. (Women in Black Belgrade, 2008)

Women's Side of War is an anthology of Each account is relatively short, so individually personal experiences of women in former they make for a quick read. The introduction Yugoslavia, between 1991 and 1999, that show takes the form of a letter which is written to their strength in the face of war and in women readers, yet the book is neither opposition to "men's-only history, dry and exclusively about nor for women. mercilessly impersonal". I would encourage both men and women to pick The book is divided by theme, grouping up this book, even if it is just to open it at accounts of violence, loss, friendship and random pages and reflect on the memories here politics; the myriad narratives provide for layers and there. which weave a powerful historical account of pain, love and survival in the face of nationalism By Sheherezade Kara and ethnic conflict. The occasionally flawed translations can be overlooked, although one “Always disobedient translator does insist on a peculiar use of English colloquialisms which distracts from the to patriarchy, war, narrative. nationalism, and Although the accounts are often brutal and the militarism....” descriptions of the physical traumas of conflict are nauseatingly frank, they are interspersed with beautiful tales of friendship and family. You can find more information about Women in Black—Belgrade (Žene u crnom—Beograd) and their publications at: www.zeneucrnom.org/

11 11 12 News from around the world, WLUML is an international network that provides information, solidarity and support for all women whose lives are shaped, conditioned or governed by laws and customs said to derive from Islam.

REVIEWS

Number One Dir. Zakia Tahiri, Morocco, 2008 Film

“Five years after the 2004 family code reform, the same potion and her life is turned upside Moroccans are still debating the identity of the down, with unexpected advantages for the Moroccan family”, writes the director of Number female staff of the factory, and for gender One . Seen from the perspective of the male, relations in the country as a whole. The middle-class protagonist, a manager of a manager is propelled to stardom as a role clothing factory that employs female staff, the model for all newly gender-sensitised men, and Moudawana is not just a piece of legislation but having been fired for his unorthodox, women- a living bogey ‘woman’ stalking the streets of friendly behaviour is reinstated and hailed by Morocco, making men fear not only for their the factory women as their ‘Number One’ boss. marriages and jobs but for the sanctity of male- only spaces. One comic scene has the manager One could easily take issue with a number of hallucinating that the cafes are full of raucous, the narrative devices: does not resorting to “An entertaining and butch women, and hanging out the laundry on magic-realism undermine the message that a original film on the balconies are men in house-coats, while leering voluntary change of attitude by men is required women in boiler suits drill the roads. for patriarchal societies to reform, rather than subject of entrenched through the manipulations of their desperate The plot is linear and easy to follow: a shy, notions of gender wives? Then ending on a scene where the male young housewife dreams of a cosmopolitan life protagonist is revered as a sort of god, roles in North Africa, while her gruff husband – the factory manager – rewarded for good behaviour that is assumed in treats both her and his staff with rudeness and women, while his wife looks on beaming with and the Arab world as inflexibility, anxious that he not be taken for a pride, perhaps reinforces the idea that women a whole” fool. In fact the only person who treats him like a want to be treated better by men in positions of fool is the corpulent owner of the factory who power, rather than assume those positions. The conducts business calls from his poolside, comic aspect of men doing ‘women’s work’, shouting threats down the phone if the manager such as hanging out undergarments is milked to so much as raises the issue of ethical work a ridiculous degree, but it remains an practices in light of new laws, and so on. One entertaining and original film on the subject of day the wife is treated to a confidence by entrenched notions of gender roles in North another mother at the school gate: her Africa, and the Arab world as a whole. husband’s sexual appetite has become insatiable following the spiking of his food with a By Eleanor Kilroy magic potion. The wife immediately procures UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS The first Senegalese Feminist Forum (Dakar, Senegal, in August 2009) For further information visit The Groupe de Recherche sur les Femmes et les Lois au Senegal (GREFELS) that hosts the GREFELS website: WLUML Regional Coordination office for Africa and the Middle East (RCO-AME) is organising a www.grefels.org Senegalese Feminist Forum in Dakar, Senegal, between 7 and 9 August 2009. This event is part of a series of national forums started by the African Feminist Forum with the objective to create, for the Visit the African Feminist Forum feminists of the continent, an autonomous space for expression and action. To this end, the Forum website at: www.africanfeministforum.org/ created in 2006 a Charter of Feminist Principles for African women to which every member must adhere. A Public Seminar and a 3day discussion on Knowing our Rights (Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in August 2009) For more information and The Indonesia's National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) is updates, keep visit WLUML organising a Public Seminar in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 15 August 2009. This event will discuss the website: www.wluml.org WLUML publication Knowing our Rights, published in Bahasa Indonesian in 2007 by the non profit institute Semarak Cerlang Nusa - Consultancy, Research, Education for Social Transformation (SCN- CREST). A 3-day discussion, which will focus on specific chapters of the book, follows the seminar between 26 and 28 August 2009. NEW WLUML Publication (Autumn 2009) If you want to know more about Women Living Under Muslim Laws is delighted to announce that a new publication will be soon this publication, write to: published! Ayesha Salma Kariapper analyses in her book the debates around Muslim women’s dress [email protected] in the United Kingdom, and the implications of such practices within a multicultural society. The study will also discuss related issues as racism, identity politics, and gender discrimination. We would be happy to receive your comments, suggestions or feedback. Please, write to [email protected] 12 12