EQUALITYNOW ANNUAL REPORT 2001 PEACESECURITYWOMENDEMOCRACYHUMANRIGHTS IGUALDAD YA EQUALITY NOW EQUALITY EQUALITY NOW was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and adds an international action overlay to support their efforts to advance equality rights and defend individual women who are suffering abuse. Through its Women’s Action Network, Equality Now distributes informa- tion about these human rights violations to concerned groups and individuals around the world, along with recommended actions for publicizing and protesting them. The Women’s Action Network is committed to voicing a worldwide call for justice and equality for women. Issues of urgent concern to Equality Now include rape, domestic violence, reproductive rights, trafficking of women, female genital mutilation, and equal access to economic opportunity and political participation. EGALITE MAINTENANT a été fondée en 1992 afin de travailler pour la protection et la promotion des droits humains de la femme dans le monde entier. Travaillant avec des associations nationales pour les droits humains et avec des activistes individuels, Egalité Maintenant documente la violence et la discrimination contre les femmes, en ajoutant un élément d'action internationale pour soutenir les efforts de ces associations et activistes pour avancer les droits de la femme, et pour défendre des femmes individuelles maltraitées. Au moyen du Réseau Action Femmes, Egalité Maintenant transmet des renseignements sur ces violations des droits humains aux groupes et aux individus intéressés partout dans le monde, avec des actions recommandées pour faire connaître au public ces violations, et pour protester contre elles. Le Réseau Action Femmes représente une force internationale d'activisme, capable d'une réponse rapide et concertée aux situations de crise et engagée à faire appel mondial pour la justice et l'égalité pour la femme. Les problèmes urgents auxquels s'intéresse Egalité Maintenant comprennent: le viol, la violence familiale, les droits de reproduction, la traite des femmes, la mutilation génitale féminine, l'égalité des chances économiques, et l'accès égal à la participation politique. IGUALDAD YA fue fundada en 1992 con el propósito de trabajar a favor de la protección y promoción de los derechos humanos de las mujeres en todo el mundo. Trabajando junto a organizaciones nacionales de derechos humanos y con activistas individuales, Igualdad Ya documenta casos de violencia y discriminación contra las mujeres y agrega un componente de acción internacional para apoyar sus esfuerzos para avanzar los derechos de igualdad y defender casos individuales de mujeres que sufren abusos. A través de su Red de Acción Mujeres, Igualdad Ya disemina información acerca de estas violaciones de derechos humanos entre grupos e individuos interesados en todo el mundo, junto con recomendaciones de acciones para publicitar y protestar estos casos. La Red de Acción Mujeres es un ejemplo de activismo internacional capaz de dar una respuesta rápida y concertada a situaciones de crisis. La Red se compromete a dar voz a un llamado mundial a la justicia y la igualdad para las mujeres. Los temas de preocupación urgentes para Igualdad Ya incluyen la violación sexual, la violencia doméstica, los derechos reproductivos, el tráfico de mujeres, la mutilación genital femenina y el acceso igualitario a las oportunidades económicas y la participación política. SOMMAIRE On n’a tenu presqu’aucun compte de REVIEW OF 2001 l'avertissement clair du manque de respect envers l’humanité qu’a manifesté le Taliban dans son traitement de la femme, jusqu’aux assauts contre le World Trade Center et le Pentagone du 11 septembre 2001, lesquels ont exposé la complicité du Taliban dans le terror- isme mondial. Tragiquement, le traite- he September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and ment qu’ont subi les femmes en Afghanistan n’est pas unique. Autour du the war that has subsequently taken place highlight the urgent need for an monde, chaque jour, les femmes sont effective alternative to the cycle of violence that keeps repeating itself around battues, violées, mutilées et tuées en T toute impunité. Mais les femmes the world. Women are the key to finding this alternative. Taliban complicity in global partout luttent pour se défendre, comme l’Association des avocates terrorism came as no surprise to anyone familiar with the Taliban’s treatment of women éthiopiennes, et l’on entend s’élever leurs voix en faveur de la liberté et des from the time they came to power in 1996. Yet this clear warning of disrespect for droits humains. La meilleure réponse au terrorisme, et la seule réponse à long humanity was largely ignored until September 11. terme, est l’engagement redoublé aux Tragically, the treatment women endured in Afghanistan is not unique. Around the droits humains essentiels, y compris les droits de la femme. world, every day women are beaten, raped, mutilated and killed with impunity. Religious extremism of all kinds fans the flames of violent hatred and discrimination. RESUMEN La claras señales de falta de respeto por But women everywhere are fighting back and raising their voices in defense of la humanidad exhibida por el Talibán con respecto al trato de las mujeres freedom and human rights. fueron ignoradas hasta el ataque del 11 de septiembre de 2001 contra el World In August 2001, a brave group of women—the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Associa- Trade Center y el Pentágono, que expu- tion (EWLA)—organized a peaceful public demonstration against rape, calling for so la complicidad del Talibán con el ter- rorismo global. Trágicamente, el trato stronger laws and better law enforcement. Following the demonstration and EWLA’s que las mujeres soportaban en Afganistán no es único. En todo el protest of government inaction in a case of domestic violence, EWLA was subjected to a mundo, todos los días, las mujeres son golpeadas, violadas, mutiladas y concerted government campaign to shut the organization down. Unable to continue its asesinadas con impunidad. Pero mujeres life-saving activities on behalf of abused women in Ethiopia, EWLA contacted Equality en todo el mundo, como la Asociación de Mujeres Abogadas de Etiopía Now, which immediately mobilized a global protest. Within a few weeks, EWLA’s (EWLA), están luchando y levantando sus voces en defensa de la libertad y los ability to function was restored. derechos humanos. La mejor y única respuesta a largo plazo al terrorismo es International public pressure is effective and underlines the importance of global un renovado compromiso con los dere- chos humanos fundamentales, incluyen- solidarity. Our efforts can and do make a real difference in the world. Groups like the do los derechos de las mujeres. Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association are working around the world to promote respect for human rights, and they represent the best hope for the future. It has long been recognized that the empowerment of women is key to sustainable development. The empowerment of women is also key to sustainable peace. The survival of the planet depends on a renewed commitment to fundamental human rights, including women’s rights. This is the best and only long-term response to terrorism. Press conference with Afghan women at the office of Equality Now, December 2001. Left to right: Sahar Saba, Eve Ensler (back), Soraya Paikan, Jessica Neuwirth, Meryl Streep, Shafiqa Habibi, Adeena Niazi. 1 WOMEN’SACTIONAFGHANISTAN THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S SUMMIT FOR DEMOCRACY n October 2001, Equality Now issued a Women’s Action entitled “Afghanistan: Terrorism, The Taliban and The Role of Women in Peace and Security,” calling for Iappropriate intervention from the United Nations, in accordance with international law, to address the crisis and calling for the implementa- tion of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 “You have come together to on Women and Peace and Security. Resolution 1325 remind the world of the formally recognizes the critical role of women in the strength of Afghan women— resolution of conflict. women who have confronted Below: Participants of the Afghan To facilitate the implementation of Resolution 1325, deprivation and discrimi- Women’s Summit, Brussels, including three delegates from the and in support of and solidarity with the women of nation of the worst kind with concurrent Bonn Conference— Seddighe Balkhi, Sima Wali and Afghanistan, Equality Now convened a coalition of ingenuity and courage of the Amena Afzali—who came to give international organizations to host the Afghan Women’s an update on the political discus- noblest kind. sion there. Page 3, top to bottom: Summit for Democracy, held at the European Com- Message from UN” Secretary-General Mary Robinson, UN High Commis- Kofi Annan to the Afghan Women’s sioner for Human Rights; Angela mission in Brussels on December 4-5, in collaboration Summit for Democracy King, Gender Adviser to the UN with the Gender Adviser to the Secretary-General of the Secretary-General; Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM; Asma United Nations and UNIFEM. Forty Afghan women leaders from Afghanistan, Khader, Board Member, Equality Now; Maha Abu-Dayyeh Shamas, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Australia, Europe and North America, Director, Women’s Centre for Legal broadly representative of the women of Afghanistan, took