The Politicisation of Religion and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

women's, gender, and rights perspectives in health policies and programmes vol. 23 no. 1 2017 issn 1394-4444 for change Intersections: The Politicisation of Religion and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights voices from the global factfile 41—47 south 19—28 Mis(Using) Religion: Reconfiguring Culture and The Cases of Bangladesh, Religion for Women’s India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Human Rights: In and the Philippines Conversation with Farida Shaheed editorial and production Interrrogating Religion In team 48 Search of Gender Justice: In Conversation with Fulata Moyo published by the asian-pacific resource & researche centre monitoring countries and for women regional activities 29—33 One Step Forward, 10 Steps Backward: CEDAW spotlight 6—18 and Tonga Needing Bold Responses: Religious Fundamentalism The Current Landscape in in Latin America and the Religious Extremism, Caribbean Fundamentalisms, Gender, and Human Rights resources from the arrow published with the funding support of SRHR Caught in the Crossfire srhr knowledge sharing of Politics and Religion: centre 33—37 The Cases of the Maldives, Morocco, and Pakistan editorial 2—6 selected arrow resources 37—39 Religious Control and Young arrow receives institutional support Religion and Politics: People: Comprehensive from the ford foundation and Posing Challenges to Sexuality Education in definitions 40—41 Women’s Rights Bangladesh and India 2 arrow for change vol. 23 no.1 2017 editorial RELIGION AND POLITICS: Posing Challenges to Women’s Rights Notes & References We did not anticipate that when the Cairo and seeks to fuse the state, geographical territory, Beijing agendas1 reached fruition, we would culture, and religious text, and impose and 1 These refer to the International Conference see a resurgence of religious extremism at define it through bodies. on Population and Development held in Cairo national, regional, and global levels and across in 1994 (thus known as Cairo) and the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in borders. The onslaught has meant that many Ethno-religious nationalism 1995 (thus known as Beijing). of the rights we thought would be achieved seeks to fuse the state, and concretised for women and girls are under renewed threat. The assault on rights has been geographical territory, culture, intense, and, though commonly referred to and religious text, and impose as religious fundamentalism, is intertwined and define it through bodies… with other political trends which can be best This is what makes the current described as ethno-religious nationalism. political environment so These three terms—nationalism, ethnicity, and challenging for those of us religion—are by and large, powerful political working on women’s rights, and patriarchal concepts. It is useful for us to define these terms to fully understand sexual and reproductive what the phenomena represents. Nationalism rights, and with human rights is a concept which is based on communal frameworks. It is like battling the identification with the nation, and based on this identification espouses sovereignty, self- Hydra, when having chopped off determination, and self-governance. Ethnicity one head, two emerge in its place. refers to an identity, usually inherited, based on a shared descent, culture, language, This is what makes the current political and customs. Ethno-nationalism is a form environment so challenging for those of of nationalism based on ethnicity—and us working on women’s rights, sexual and taken to the most extreme—that citizenship reproductive rights, and with human rights in a state should be limited to one ethnic frameworks. It is like battling the Hydra, or cultural group. Religion encompasses when having chopped off one head, two beliefs, rituals, texts, and worldviews about emerge in its place. However, for us to fight the transcendental, and are used as identity this beast, we must first understand it, and differentiators. Ethnicity is often connoted with the conditions that have produced it. In the a common religion, and religious nationalism past, countries professed secular democracy is when religion is a defining contributor to as the way ahead, but, today, nations are the national identity, along with ethnicity, adopting national religions in order to propel language, and culture. Ethno-religious themselves in the 21st century—hence, a nationalism is then a beast, which is fuelled by Buddhist Sri Lanka, a Christian America, a both ethnic and religious identity, and which Hindu India, and a Muslim Turkey. In a number reinforces that the political legitimacy of the of countries, the national religion is affiliated, state is primarily derived from adherence to most often, with a dominant (majority) racial religious doctrines. Ethno-religious nationalism or ethnic group. The strident call of these arrow for change 3 editorial vol. 23 no.1 2017 groups is a return to majoritarian,2 patriarchal …the ethno-national religious Notes & References politics guised under democracy. Equality of framework provides no women, of citizens who belong to ethnic and solutions to rising poverty, 2 “Majoritarianism is a traditional political religious minorities, and of sexual minorities, philosophy or agenda that asserts that a and acceptance of diversity are all singled out inequality, and instability majority (sometimes categorised by religion, as threats to the majority. Interestingly, this language, social class, or some other both nationally and globally. identifying factor) of the population is entitled phenomenon is apparent across continents, to a certain degree of primacy in society, and races, and religions. Neither does it challenge has the right to make decisions that affect the society.” “Majoritarianism,” accessed economic policies—specifically April 27, 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Though religion is a crucial part of the neo-liberal economic ones, Majoritarianism. phenomenon, it is not the only part. Rising 3 Society for Health Education (SHE), poverty, deep inequalities and inequities, lack such as privatisation, fiscal Perceptions of Islam and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Maldives of access to opportunities and resources, poor austerity, deregulation, free (Male and Kuala Lumpur: SHE and Asian-Pacific governance, and low levels of education are trade, and reduction in the role Resource and Research Centre for Women, the grounds that give birth to ethno-nationalist 2016), accessed April 27, 2017, http://arrow. of government in providing org.my/publication/interlinkages-religion-srhr- discourse. The arguments used are simplistic. maldives/. The first is the easy identification of ‘the social welfare services—which 4 A fatwa is “a legal opinion or decree other’ as the one who takes away resources continue deepening poverty, handed down by an Islamic religious leader.” and opportunities and causes poverty and “Fatwa,” Merriam-Webster, accessed April 27, inequalities, and inequities. 2017, https://www.merriam-webster.com/ inequality. The second is that pluralism and dictionary/fatwa. liberalism are ideologies which grant equal Debates on countering the limitations placed 5 A hadith is the record of the traditions or rights to ‘the other,’ and empower ‘the other’ sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, revered over the majority. The third is that a strong on women’s rights, especially our sexual and and received as a major source of religious state with majoritarian politics, based on reproductive rights, on the basis of religion law and moral guidance, second only to the authority of the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam. religious values, will govern well and distribute come from two perspectives. One is to work “Hadith,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, https:// resources and opportunities more equitably within the framework of religion, and promote global.britannica.com/topic/Hadith. amongst the majority. The last, of course, fairer, less discriminatory interpretations, is that those who profess liberalism and which facilitate rights, and vice-versa. Indeed, pluralism (most often, feminists and LGBTIQ some partners and faith-based organisations activists) stand in the way of this religious, have found success with such strategies. In majoritarian, ethno-nationalist state and its Maldives, ARROW’s partner Society for Health success. As such, they are considered the Education (SHE)3 worked with progressive enemy of the state. They also become ‘the religious scholars in order to pass a fatwa4 other.’ The ‘othering’ spills over to different which makes abortion available. These groups over different issues. These simplistic scholars quoted verses from the hadith,5 which arguments are appealing, easily absorbed, supported circumstances where abortion was and regurgitated. However, the ethno-national permissible. They also were able to quote religious framework provides no solutions verses, which were progressive on different to rising poverty, inequality, and instability fronts: against intimate partner violence and both nationally and globally. Neither does it marital rape, and were pro-contraception. This challenge economic policies—specifically neo- was strategic and successful, especially in the liberal economic ones, such as privatisation, case of Maldives where by and large there was fiscal austerity, deregulation, free trade, a homogenous understanding of Islam. and reduction in the role of government in providing social welfare services—which Much of the work on providing access to continue deepening poverty, inequalities, and contraception and

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