--- What the Women Say in the MENA/Asia Region --- March, 2015 2014 was a difficult year in the MENA/Asia region. While international policy and media attention gravitated towards the horrors of ISIS/Daesh and other extremist groups, ordinary citizens from Tripoli to Gaza have borne the brunt of violence and sought to maintain a semblance of peace, normalcy and dignity in their lives. The young men, says one Libyan activist, are divided into two groups those who kill and those who are killed. Meanwhile, countless women and girls have borne the brunt of displacement, grotesque sexual abuse and sex trafficking. In this chaos, extraordinary courage and defiance is also evident. Despite the risks to themselves and their families, many women have dared to continue fighting for human rights, equality, social justice and peace, voicing the aspirations and concerns of a silent majority. But they are rarely heard in the countless international summits and conferences. The irony is not lost on women s rights and peace activists. On the one hand, the international community s rhetorical commitment to women s rights or the inclusion of women in decision-making related to peace and security is growing, but the practice remains ad hoc. On the other hand, the potential influence and power of women activists across the region has not gone unnoticed within the region. Those who challenge the status quo of authoritarian states are being silenced by the regimes. Those who challenge and question the narrative of extremists are being targeted for assassination in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the international community is struggling to develop a coherent solution, falling back on military tactics that further escalate regional insecurity. Disillusioned by the failure of international actors, many women are taking the lead and articulating both practical solutions to immediate challenges and a long term vision and holistic strategies. Despite open conflict in many countries and regressive legislation in others, women human rights and peace organizations are providing services to displaced and refugee populations, speaking up for marginalized populations, creating safe spaces for dialogue within their communities, and demobilizing young men caught up in militias. Precisely because they know their own societies, they have a clear understanding of the complex and multi-faceted drivers of both extremism and state militarism. They consistently warn against the vicious cycle of dictatorships and extremism that intensify insecurity and thwart social and economic development. Because they are deeply committed to ensuring a future rooted in peace and equality, they coalesce around a shared vision of the immediate and long-term strategies and messages needed to mitigate the spread of violence, prevent regression of rights, security and democratic gains, and provide viable alternatives. At the 2014 International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) 3 rd annual Forum on Women s Rights, Peace and Security, 60 women representing 13 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia including scholars, journalists, NGO leaders, educators and others came together with international partners to take stock of developments and strategize ideas and solutions for combatting extremism and militarism and promoting peace. Together they adopted a common statement and devised national vision and priorities for their respective countries shared below.
Regional MENA/Asia Statement The World at a Crossroads: Women Have the Solutions We, sixty women representing thirteen countries spanning the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, together with our colleagues from Europe and North America, gathered together in Turkey at the Third Annual Forum on Women s Rights, Peace and Security, convened by the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), have one word to share with the world: Enough. Enough of the violence; enough of the importation of extremist ideologies that have no roots in our cultures, religions or history; and enough of the weapons and bombs that are forcing us to bury our people, especially our children, at an age when they should be going to school and building their futures. Across our regions, within the borders of our nations, our people are suffering at the frontlines of the most horrendous wars and forms of violence in recent history. The vast majority of our peace loving people are being held hostage by a small minority of extremists, occupation forces and authoritarian powers. We women, as activists for peace, rights and pluralism, are in the crosshairs of these forces. On one side, we find ourselves on the kill lists of ISIS/Daesh and other extremist militias for simply daring to speak out for freedom. On the other, we are being harassed, threatened and arrested by state and occupation forces for daring to demand simple services ranging from clean water to decent governance, basic rights, equality and leadership. The policies of international actors are contributing to the suffering of our people including through sanctions, arms sales, human trafficking and the drug trade. Our girls are being coerced into militias or kidnapped, raped and sold. Meanwhile, extremist and regressive forces are directly benefitting from these policies. We reach across the world for support and solidarity from the international community, but it is not forthcoming, except from some sources. You claim to support women and say you uphold international norms and policies such as United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security that clearly calls for women s effective participation in decision making related to the prevention and resolution of conflict. Yet, you do not heed our advice or our warnings. You spend millions on bombs and drones, knowing that they, alone, provide no solution. But when we seek your support for schools, economic development and humanitarian assistance, you claim that you cannot afford it. The challenges we face are profound. They are not of our creation. Yet we are forced to deal with the consequences. You may think that nothing positive is possible under the circumstances. But you are wrong. We are powerful and continue to work because we refuse to give up our values and our hope for a better future. We are mobilizing young people to challenge ideologies that say we should hate each other. We reject any understanding of religion that condones or promotes violence and the
oppression of women. We are spreading the message of peace and pluralism that has, for centuries, allowed this region to live together peacefully despite differences. We work with women to build their knowledge of universal rights and inclusive interpretations of religion, to strengthen their voices, to respect their dignity and to give them jobs. We work with men to counter the culture of violence that has permeated our region. Against the odds, we struggle to hold our governments accountable to their own commitments. Today we stand at a crossroads. The international community can continue its failed policies and strategies that foment more violent extremism and radicalization. Or they can follow our lead. One thing is guaranteed: our version of the region, our vision for the future, is about peace, freedom, dignity, rights, pluralism, and prosperity for all. Listen to us. Join us.
Afghanistan Country Statement - instability and violence is increasing, especially in the south - extremism is promoted in schools and mosques more than ever before - do not support peace talks that lack proper women s participation - fund programs that increase women s political and income generating possibilities At the onset of the foreign troop withdrawal and reduced international aid, the Taliban have been expanding their control to the relatively peaceful northern regions. Instability and violence is on the rise, especially in our southern regions that border Pakistan. We ask the UN and the EU to assist us in building a stronger and more inclusive government, a more capable and well-equipped army, and to continue to support the promotion of rule of law. In addition to the Taliban threat, extremism is being promoted in our schools, madrassas, and mosques like never before. Around 68 percent of our population is 25-years-old or less, and around 400,000 youth enter the labor market every year but only a few succeed in finding jobs. These unemployed youth are highly susceptible to recruitment into extremist groups. We have implemented projects that train young men and women in skills such as journalism, photography, music, financial accounting, and sports as a way to increase their employability, but these interventions are limited in scope and reach. We ask the U.S. government, the UN, and the EU to support longer-term programs that train and educate our at-risk youth, help increase their employment prospects, and engage them in activities such as sports and art to promote peaceful coexistence. As one of the ways to fight terrorism, our government has initiated talks with the Taliban. We, the Afghan women, do support negotiations with the Taliban but are not willing to compromise our hardearned basic freedoms. A few women have been able to participate in these negotiations, but with limited influence. More women with louder voices need to be included at the Peace Council. We want the U.S. government, the UN, and the EU to NOT support any peace talks that lack proper Afghan women s participation. During the last decade, with international support, Afghan women have made significant achievements in the political realm. However, our parliament recently voted to reduce the quota for female parliamentarians (from 25 to 20%) and even down to zero at the district and village level; we need international support to increase women s political participation. We want the UN and the EU to fund projects that increase the participation of women in parliament and in decision-making positions in the government. We have a difficult time promoting women s empowerment and freedom when women are not economically empowered. Therefore, our last but most critical request from the international community is to please support programs that provide long-term technical education as well as sustainable and profitable income-generation opportunities for women.
Egypt Country Statement -Egyptians lack basic education and are not well informed of human rights -women are caught between military rule and radical Islamist ideology -recent restrictions curtail NGOs and journalists activists and ability to limit abuses of power - work with the Egyptian government to institute comprehensive education reform Egyptian women are caught between military rule and radical Islamist ideology, with few opportunities for true and effective political and social participation. Between the prevalent cultural norms that condone and even endorse, violence against women, and the implicitly authoritarian nature of military regimes, women stand slim chances of empowerment. This situation is also due to systemic poor quality education. Egypt ranks 141 out of 144 in the Global Competitiveness Report of 2014-2015. Had Egyptians been well informed, military rule or radical ideologies would not have been established in our country, nor would anyone have supported oppression and voted for Islamists or military leaders. Research also shows that Egyptians are neither supportive of the women rights movements nor of the empowerment of women. This is also due to the absence of education and awareness of basic human rights. In such political and cultural circumstances, the burden of changing women s status falls on civil society. However, the work of civil rights groups, NGOs and journalists who serve as watchdogs to limit the abuse of power by officials has been severely limited in past months. Authoritarian tendencies in the current government remain a source of concern. The restrictions imposed on civil society create serious impediments in political education and awareness raising efforts. The government is targeting activists who dare to mobilize the public or challenge the dominant political discourse. Many are in prison others are facing arrest and convictions, or being forced to leave their homeland. International pressure and statements have little impact on the regime now. Egyptian officials are using the excuse of fighting terrorism to counter dissent and to curtail rights and freedoms. As activists and civil society organizations, we are working towards longer term approaches with emphasis on the education of women and youth, raising their awareness of their basic human rights and issues of justice and equality. We need quality education to build a generation of aware citizens to make the changes needed for the future of our country. If NGOs work with international supporters to provide basic education, the road to political awareness will be paved. Since NGO work faces many difficulties and restrictions in Egypt today, we need our international supporters to work with the Egyptian government on education reform, via a fully comprehensive project encompassing curricula, school reform, teacher training, etc. Such efforts should include Egyptian civil society and NGOs as full partners from the start and should be closely monitored to ensure sustainability and effectiveness.
-economic sanctions contributed to growth of the corrupt wealthy and weakening of the middle class - economic pressure on the middle class reduces engagement in civil society - violence against women is on the rise, and the government is not held accountable -end broad economic sanctions and normalize relations Iran Country Statement We want to discuss the issue of sanctions and how sanctions contribute to the repression of civil society and moderate forces in Iran. Economic sanctions targeting the nuclear program have given rise to a new class of corrupt and wealthy middle men in Iran. They are aligned with the most conservative groups who see their interests in Iran s isolation from the international community. In fact, sanctions have weakened the Iranian middle class and Iranians are experiencing rapid social decline. For example, because of economic pressures, the middle class that had been the engine of change and progress is no longer able to engage in civil society. The already-weak private sector has been destroyed over the past few years as a result of sanctions policy. This includes trade organizations, dairy farms, and medicine factories. The most vulnerable groups, including women, children, and refugees, have become more marginalized. Poverty is at an all-time high, child marriage has increased, divorce is on the rise, and the availability of basic health services and medicines is a major problem. People are dying as a result of the sanctions. Civil society has been isolated and weakened due to sanctions as well, allowing those who promote intolerance and violence to take center stage. Much of this violence is directed at women. In 2014 we witnessed a series of acid attacks against women in the city of Isfahan. The public was appalled and thousands of men and women protested across the country, demanding security for citizens. Women s groups are working against all odds to hold the government accountable to ensure the protection of women s rights and human rights, and maintain minimum space for civil society activism. We want the international community to end broad economic sanctions. Unlike what the international community claims, economic sanctions impact most severely the Iranian population not the State. In fact sanctions strengthen groups who see their power in isolation and continued conflict with the international community. We want the normalization of relations with the West, but not without the engagement of civil society and accountability on the part of the Iranian state to live up to its international obligations to respect human rights for all, regardless of gender, religion, and ethnicity.
-Kurdish communities are mobilizing and militarizing to fight against extremist groups -the Turkish state s reaction has been militarized in response to Kurdish demands for rights and support for the peace process -support the Kurdish military in its fights against extremists -support and accelerate the peace process in Turkey, including convening an international monitoring committee - push Turkey to guarantee equal rights for all women and minorities, including Kurds Kurdish women in Iraq Kurdish Regional Statement (Turkey and Iraq) The Kurdish region is experiencing militarism as a positive action because the purpose is to protect the area from ISIS, Jabhat Al-Nusra, and other foreign military groups. Extremism in Kurdistan is quite limited, but the current absence of a political solution for autonomy will motivate and provoke extremism. How to fight against militarism and extremism? Concerning the Kurdish area, women s groups are not fighting against militarism because our communities have mobilized to protect our region from extremist groups such as ISIS, but we try to limit the role of militarism and militias. Our initiatives include: Raising women s awareness concerning their rights in fighting extremism. Activating civil society work by organizing workshops for human rights and youth economic empowerment to provide alternatives for young people who may be lured by extremist groups. What do we need from the international communities? Support the moderate Kurdish military because they are the only military group fighting ISIS. Respect the political, social and cultural rights of Kurdish citizens. Support and accelerate the peace process in Turkey. And from the ICAN 2014 Forum, as Kurdish women, we say we are strong human beings, we have educated fighters, but women in our community have faced rape, sexual discrimination, and even are being sold in slave markets. We have suffered greatly and are not receiving adequate support from the international community. We call on you to stand with us. Kurdish women in Turkey For Kurdish women in Turkey, we face dual discrimination as women and as minorities. For us, the militarism of the state in response to demands for our basic rights has meant experiencing violence, imprisonment, rape, torture, harassment, forced displacement, and disappearances. And even as the Turkish state began peace negotiations with the Kurdish movement last year, the state is reinforcing
militarism by building more military installations and police stations in the southeastern Kurdish region. Ankara s regional foreign policy, combined with what we see as a lack of commitment to the peace process internally, means that this peace process is now on life support. Just as there has been a war against the Kurds for decades, at the same time, there is a war on women in this country. Thus we as Kurdish women are active in trying to educate and raise awareness about the impact of the war. For example, the Saturday Mothers have demonstrated for 500 weeks to demand justice for missing and disappeared relatives; and the Women for Peace Initiative advocates for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Syria as well as in Southeast Turkey. And in response to the epidemic of violence against women that is growing in this country, we continue to advocate for the rights of women to be free from all forms of violence. We believe that for a peace process to succeed within Turkey, the state must stop supporting military solutions outside of its borders, and must build a just and lasting peace on two pillars. These are (1) guaranteeing equal rights for all women, and (2) guaranteeing the economic, social, and cultural rights of the Kurds and all of Turkey s minorities. We call on the international community to support us by pushing this government to implement a national action plan for the inclusion of women in the peace process, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1325 which recognizes the unique and disproportionate impact of war on women. We also call on you to join our efforts by setting up an observation committee to monitor the peace process and the progress being made. We also ask for support for women in civil society to help us educate the general population on the negative effects of the war and the need to include women to ensure an effective and just peace process.
Lebanon Country Statement -ultra-nationalism manifests as discrimination against refugees and domestic workers - militarism and mobilization is increasing both for and against extremist religious groups -reroute funding towards the protection of civil society, education, refugee security and economic programs Rahaf, a one-year old child, cries for her father. He was in the Lebanese army, but was beheaded by Dae sh in September 2014. She is crying but she doesn t understand why. The daughter of another beheaded soldier keeps asking when her father is coming home. This is the story of tens of Lebanese Army men who were abducted by Dae sh since August 2014 and tens more brutally murdered in other violent clashes. We hear and see stories every single day about young people being sucked into the viscous cycle of brainwashing, seeking out extremist religious groups as their salvation. We see ultranationalism manifested as racism against refugees and domestic workers. We see militarism in various forms: political parties picking up arms, preparing for battle, and increased weapon trade in the country, in addition to having politically and religiously-owned private schools. We are facing extremism and militarism every day. We are fighting for coexistence between communities through arts, awareness raising activities, capacity-building, and peace-building, striving to regain the dignity that has been stripped of so many Lebanese. We are reviving tolerance, reconciliation, and citizenship with the aim of promoting national unity. We believe in the importance of women s participation. We join our voices to the amazingly strong women like Rahaf s mother who fight to protect their families despite the loss of husbands, sons, and relatives. Some are lost to death and others unfortunately join extremist armed groups, whether in Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq. Some within the international community are funding armed extremist groups and supporting their existence. We demand a stop to the killing. We demand this money go to the protection of civil society in Lebanon, to education, to security for both refugees and Lebanese citizens, and finally to the elevation of the economic status of marginalized parts of the country in which extremism originates, in the hopes of restoring social justice. And we need your support to achieve that.
Syria Country Statement -the international community stands by while armed conflict in Syria destroys the commitment to dialogue and human rights -pressure all countries to stop the flow of terrorists and weapons to Syria - support a political solution inclusive of civil society - prioritize the economic empowerment of women and youth In Syria, armed conflict has won over the commitment to dialogue, logic, and reason. The cost has been a loss of respect for human rights. As a result of the ongoing conflict, the country s infrastructure has totally collapsed. Syrian citizens are subject to abuses from all sides, including arbitrary arrests, rape, murder, displacement, and violence. Women are especially vulnerable to these types of violence. This is happening under the watchful eyes of the international community and with regional participants. The struggle against militarism and extremism can only be successful if we are able to: Support women s participation in political processes and decision-making; Empower women economically in the places where they live, with a view to prevent their exploitation; Integrate young people into civil society work, by offering an alternative to armed conflict; Send children back to school and restore the educational system; and Support a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The international community can help by: Support for the containment and elimination of ISIS, through pressure on neighboring countries so that they stop the flow of terrorists and weapons into Syria; Putting greater emphasis on the need for a political solution that is inclusive of the diverse voices of Syrians through civil society networks and addresses the concerns and solutions that Syrians bring to the table; and Support, including technical support and funding, the economic empowerment of women and youth and building of a free and democratic Syria.
Tajikistan Country Statement - there is little space for freedom of religious expression - religious education is poor, allowing extremism to flourish - incorporate studies of world civilizations and international religions into school curricula Tajikistan is a Central Asian republic, but for 75 years, it was part of the Soviet Union. It is no secret that during those years, people did not have freedom of religion. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan embarked on a bitter Civil War from 1992-1997, which extracted a devastating toll on the population. Though the war ended in 1997 our economy has lagged as a result for more than 20 years. In view of the fact that for much of our history we have not had the space for religious expression and we have not had many educated religious leaders, it is unsurprising that fake religious clerics emerged who speak about Islam but in fact are promoting extremism. Religious extremists and Islamic radicals attract young boys and men to their mosques and gatherings and preach their ideology. They appeal not only to young boys and men throughout Tajikistan, but also to those Tajiks living and working as labor migrants throughout the Russian Federation. The migrant workers then return home even more radicalized, and spread their ideas further to the people living in their communities. Consequently radicalism affects our women and children, too. Although we do not have a strong and broad-based women s movement in Tajikistan, several NGOs and other organizations fight against emerging extremism and militarism. NGOs such as the League of Women-Lawyers of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Bureau of Human Rights work with men and women who have been released from detention centers, and provide them with psychological and legal assistance to reintegrate them into Tajik society. We also help them seek jobs. Our key message to the government of the Republic of Tajikistan is to incorporate studies of world civilizations and international religions within our school curricula. From the international community, we ask you not to neglect Tajikistan in tackling these problems and help us with your expertise and knowledge in educating a generation who will be tolerant and respectful toward all the religions of the world. We came to this conference organized by ICAN for the first time and learned that there are so many countries that have fought against extremism and militarism for many decades; we can learn from them. We kindly request these countries share their knowledge and experience with countries such as Tajikistan where extremism and militarism are new issues for our state and society. For example, we learned that some of Pakistan s private schools have incorporated the basics of world civilizations and world religions into their curricula, helping young children to become more tolerant. We believe this practice would be very helpful in Tajikistan as well. We need to educate our people, starting with our families, our schools, and our communities. We would like to thank the representatives of ICAN for including Tajikistan in such a conference and for giving us this opportunity to convey our key message.