The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) is deeply disappointed with the December 11 ruling of the Indian Supreme Court reversing the 2009 Delhi High Court verdict that recognized same sex relationships between consenting adults to be outside the purview of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. This section criminalizes sexual acts “against the order of nature,” and has been used in the past to discriminate against those with non-conforming genders and sexualities. In dismissing the premise of the 2009 verdict and declaring it as “legally unsustainable,” the Supreme Court has contributed to the erasure of over two decades of organizing in India for the freedom of sexual and gender expression and protection from harassment and abuse on grounds of sexual difference.
We join our Indian colleagues in protesting the Court’s inability to recognize Section 377 as a colonial vestige that is not reflective of a homegrown culture. As contended in the Court, Section 377 was passed during the colonial period and reflects British values from the Victorian era. The Indian court’s torpor reflects its inability to disengage from colonial prejudices. We also protest the voices that have hailed the judgment as religiously and culturally appropriate. The multiple religious leaders uniting to express their dissent against homosexuality are in fact expressing hegemonic cultural values that surfaced during the colonial period, and are disregarding the role of sexual and gender minorities in shaping their own religions. Moreover, India is a multicultural country where no definition of “Indian” culture can represent the entire populace. India is also a secular country, where it is unconstitutional to allow hegemonies that originate from one or even several religions to shape legal proceedings.
We stand with our Indian colleagues in their continuing struggle against this and other denigrating laws that have been used to criminalize and discriminate against vulnerable communities on the basis of caste, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. Section 377, in declaring “carnal sex against the order of nature” to be unlawful, criminalizes all sexual acts except penile-vaginal penetration, and contrary to the claims made by the Supreme Court, infringes on the rights of large fractions of the Indian population.
We demand that the Indian government discuss Section 377 in the Parliament and in the spirit of inclusiveness promised in the Indian constitution repeal a law that has led to the marginalization and denial of the existence and expression of multiple forms of genders and sexualities.
This statement has been endorsed by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslims Societies and the following organizations:
– AlQaws, for gender and sexual diversity in Palestinian Society (Palestine) – GAYa NUSANTARA (Indonesia) – Women’s Aid Organization (Malaysia)
Solidarity with Demands for Justice Against the Abuse and Degradation of Non-heteronormative bodies by the Municipality of Dekwaneh, Lebanon
People across Lebanon have risen up against the injustice perpetrated by the Municipality of Dekwaneh last Saturday April 20th, 2012. Antoine Chakhtoora, Municipality Mayor of Dekwaneh, ordered his internal security forces to raid and close a Club frequented by people with non-heteronormative sexual orientations and gender expressions. Internal Security Forces were also ordered to conduct the arbitrary abduction in trunks of police cars and abuse and degradation of 4 persons, one of which who was ordered to strip in front of police officers at the Municipality Headquarters under the supervision of the Mayor to ‘check whether she was a man or a woman’. Pictures of the naked body were taken by municipality police officers under Chakhtoora’s directions and distributed on mainstream media. Chakhtoora said:
‘We took their clothes off, in our office, the holding station, of course. We need to know. We saw something scandalous happening, we need to know, what are these? Public immorality on the streets…okay…but is this a girl or a man? No, it turns out, half girl and half man.’
Antoine Chakhtoora, Mayor of the Dekwaneh, blatantly announced his decision to detain, humiliate and shame transpersons and vehemently denies the criminality of his, and the Municipality’s, actions. This incident falls in parallel with a recent policy by the Municipality of Dekwaneh to enforce a 7 pm curfew on Syrians living in Dekwaneh .
These arrests and the subsequent illegal detention, humiliation and police harassment constitute a flagrant abuse of power, a deployment of police brutality, and criminal assault. We also acknowledge the rampant misogyny explicit in Chakhtoora’s actions and words and his role within a patriarchal system to monitor, survey and police gender roles on one hand, and to discipline, humiliate and punish any deviation from these gender roles on the other. We attest to the misogyny inherent in this incident, where the “cross-dressing” of men as women has been described by Chakhtoora and his associates as abhorrent, criminal and an attack on “the vigor and strength of Dekwaneh”.
Reprehensible decisions from Lebanese municipalities are a growing issue of concern. Lebanese municipalities, including Dekwaneh, have taken it upon themselves to institute a police state that represses the freedom of mobility of Syrians and migrants in Lebanon, with many incidents of police brutality and hard-handed enforcement.
Antoine Chakhtoora has the power, resources and security apparatus to enforce a transphobic monopoly on morality. It is not within the jurisdiction of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces to forcefully strip people of their clothes and examine their genitals, and it is even more reprehensible that the Dekwaneh municipality felt it was entitled to photograph and publicize the naked bodies and genitals of persons which we consider to be a violation of sexual autonomy, rape. This behavior constitutes criminal assault on the part of the Municipality of Dekwaneh and, directly, it’s Mayor, Chakhtoora. It has become apparent since the incident that Chakhtoora has been strategically targeting individuals with little or no political backing, such as Syrian refugees and residents, people with non-heteronormative gender expressions, and the working class, in a bid to ascertain power in the next Municipality elections.
We recognize the deep connections and similarities between the experiences of our peoples in the Global South and loudly protest the normalization of transphobic decisions and behavior by Lebanese elected officials and the Internal Security Forces and the persecution of trans* and migrant bodies as a political tool. We demand that the Lebanese Courts give no leniency in the persecution of the blatant illegal abuse of power and criminal assault perpetrated by Chakhtoora and his municipality and also urge the residents of Dekwaneh to bid for the immediate dismissal of Chakhtoora from office.
The signatories of this statement reject and condemn all forms of state violence and police brutality condoned by the State that systematically oppress social, political and bodily freedoms. This incident is a continuation of recent rampant and uncontested police brutality, abuse of power and criminal assault. Lebanon’s security apparatus violated the sexual autonomy of 36 working class men in a porn cinema in Nabaa by conducting anal probes, (test for homosexuality subsequently denounced by the Lebanese Order of Physicians, the harassment of migrants in Dora by general security forces, attacks on political protestors by the security forces in front of the Egyptian Embassy in January 2010 and the attack on Chaml organization in their Civil Marriage protest as well as the vicious and unresolved attack by the SSNP (Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party) militia on political protestors, and, most recently, the trans-bodies assaulted by Municipal Chief Chakhtoora, and the attack on sex workers sensationalized in the Lebanese TV Program ‘Inta Horr’ . We call on the Lebanese state to denounce all forms of violations on social, political and bodily freedoms and end its permissibility for abuse of the rule of law.
We salute all individuals (in this case the trans* and Syrian individuals) living under daily threat of physical, verbal and structural abuse and violence and commend the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) for exposing the criminality of the Municipality of Dekwaneh and their unyielding demands for justice. We call for the intersectional unity of Lebanese civil society and activist movements to organize collectively on the growing issue of police abuse, brutality and violence and the unpunished transgressions of elected officials.
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Thank you for adopting this statement in solidarity with the demands for justice against the abuse and degradation of non-heteronormative bodies by the Municipality of Dekwaneh. We urge you to spread the statement to your affiliations, acquaintances and connections to the media and join the campaign of mobilizing mass support in Lebanon and the Global South in the pursuit of justice.
To add your organization’s signature, please email solidarity.lebanon@gmail.com
Endorsements
VISION, Pakistan
Mideast Youth, Bahrain
Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud, México
GAYa Nusantara, Indonesia
Nasawiya, Lebanon
Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR), Turkey
Take Back Parliament, Lebanon
Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), International
Anti-Racism Movement, Lebanon
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), Turkey
Women Living Under Muslim Laws, International
Lebanese LGBT Media Monitor, Lebanon
Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health, Lebanon
المنتدى الاشتراكي، لبنان
The Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, International
بيان تضامن مع مطالب العدالة ضد الإساءة والإهانة للأجساد غير النمطية من قبل بلدية الدكوانة، لبنان
لقد احتج العديد من الناس ضد الظلم الذي مارسته بلدية الدكوانة يوم السبت الماضي في ٢٠ نيسان ٢٠١٣. أنطوان شختورة، رئيس بلدية الدكوانة، أمر قوى الأمن الداخلي بمداهمة وإغلاق ناد يرتاده أشخاص ذي أنواع اجتماعية وتوجهات جنسية غير نمطية. أمرت قوى الأمن الداخلي لإجراء عملية اختطاف تعسفية داخل صناديق سياراتهم الأمنية واعتدوا وأذلوا 4 أشخاص، من بينهم/ن من أجبرت على خلع ملابسها أمام رجال قوى الأمن الداخلي في مقر بلدية الدكوانة وبإشراف رئيس البلدية وذلك “للتحقق من كون المرأة رجلا أو امرأة”. وقد أخذ رجال شرطة البلدية صورا بإشراف السيد شختورة وجرى توزيعها على وسائل الإعلام. أنطوان شختورة، رئيس بلدية الدكوانة، أعلن قراره بشكل صارخ، لاعتقال وإذلال وتعيير المتحولين جنسيا ونكر بشدة إجرامية أفعاله وأفعال البلدية و قال:
“لقد خلعنا ملابسهم، في مكتبنا، في مركز البلدية، بالطبع. ويجب أن نعلم. رأينا أمرا فضائحيا يحصل، ولذلك كان علينا أن نعلم، ما الأمر؟ الفجور في الشوارع العامة… نعم… ولكن هل هي امرأة أم رجل؟ لا، اتضح أنها نصف امرأة ونصف رجل”.
هذه الاعتقالات والاحتجاز غير القانوني، والإهانة وتحرش رجال الشرطة تمثل تسعفا في استعمال السلطة، وتعميما لعنف أمني، واعتداءً إجرامياً. كما ندرك كراهية الن الواضحة في أفعال وأقوال السيد شختورة من خلال دوره في النظام البطريركي، لضبط واستقصاء ومن خلال الدور الجندري للشرطة من جهة، بهدف ضبط ومعاقبة أي خروج عن هذه الأدوار الجندرية من جهة أخرى. كما نشهد على كراهية النساء المتأصلة في هذا الاعتداء، حيث وصف شختورة “خلع ملابس” رجل كامرأة ورفاقه كأمر بغيض وجنائي وهجوم على “قلعة الصمود للدكوانة”.
وتتخذ البلديات في لبنان قرارات تستحق الشجب وهي مسألة متنامية وتبعث على القلق، وقد اتخذت بلديات لبنانية، ومن بينها بلدية الدكوانة، على عاتقها فرض دولة بوليسية تقمع حرية التنقل للسوريين والمهاجرين في لبنان، مع تسجيل العديد من اعتداءات الشرطة والتشدد العنفي حيالهم.
أنطوان شختورة لديه السلطة والموارد الأجهزة الأمنية لفرض جو من رهاب المتحولين جنسيا على الأخلاق. وليس من اختصاص قوى الأمن الداخلي أن تجرد الناس بالقوة من ملابسها وتفحص أعضائها الجنسية، وإنه أمر يستدعي الشجب أن تشعر بلدية الدكوانة أن لها الحق لتصوير ونشر صور لأجساد الأشخاص المعتدى عليهم/ن ولأعضائهم/ن الجنسية، الأمر الذي نعتبره اعتداءً للذاتية الجنسية، أي اغتصاب. هذا السلوك يشكل اعتداء إجراميا من جانب بلدية الدكوانة وبشكل مباشر، رئيسها السيد شختورة. لقد أصبح واضحا منذ وقوع الحادث أن السيد شختورة يستهدف بطريقة استراتيجية الأفراد الذين لا يتمتعون بدعم سياسي، كاللاجئين السوريين وأشخاص ذي أنواع اجتماعية غير نمطية والطبقة العاملة، في محاولة منه لتأكيد سلطته تمهيدا للانتخابات البلدية المقبلة.
نحن ندرك الصلات العميقة والتشابه بين تجارب شعوبنا في جنوب الكرة الأرضية ونحتج بشدة ضد القرارات والسلوك المعادي للمتحولين جنسيا الذي قامت به السلطات المنتخبة وقوى الأمن الداخلي واضطهاد المتحولين جنسيا والعمال الأجانب كأداة سياسية. ونطالب القضاء اللبناني أن لا تتساهل إزاء الاضطهاد غير المشروع والتعسف في استعمال السلطة التي ارتكبها السيد شختورة وبلديته وأيضا نحث سكان الدكوانة الضغط بهدف إقالة السيد شختورة من منصبه.
إن الموقعين/ات على هذا البيان يرفضون ويرفضن ويدينون ويدنّ كل شكل من أشكال العنف الذي تمارسه السلطة من خلال الوحشية التي تمارسها الشرطة، وتتغاضى عنها السلطة، عبر اعتدائها على الحريات الاجتماعية والسياسية والجسدية. هذا الاعتداء يشكل استمرارا لوحشية الشرطة والتعسف في استعمال السلطة والاعتداءات الإجرامية والاغتصاب. فالشرطة اللبنانية اعتدت على الاستقلالية الجنسية ل٣٦ عامل في سينما بلازا في منطقة النبعة من خلال إجبارهم على الخضوع لفحوصات شرجية (اختبار المثلية الجنسية جرى التنديد به من قبل نقابة الأطباء)، الاعتداء على المهاجرين الأجانب في منطقة الدورة على يد قوى الأمن الداخلي، والاعتداء على متظاهرين سياسيين أمام السفارة المصرية في كانون الثاني 2010 والاعتداء على ناشطين من جمعية شمل خلال اعتصامهم المطالب بقانون مدني للزواج أمام مبنى مجلس النواب اللبناني، كما الهجمة الشرسة، التي بقيت دون حل، والتي شنها أعضاء في الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي على ناشطين سياسيين في منطقة الحمرا، وفي المرحلة الحالية الاعتداء على أجساد المتحولين جنسيا من قبل رئيس البلدية السيد شختورة، والهجوم على عاملات الجنس خلال برنامج “إنت حر” التلفزيوني. ندعو السلطة اللبنانية إلى إدانة جميع أشكال الانتهاكات على الحريات الاجتماعية والسياسية والجسدية ووقف إباحته لانتهاكه سيادة القانون.
ونحن نحيي كل الأفراد (في هذه الحالة المتحولين جنسيا والسوريين) الذين يعيشون تحت التهديد اليومي من الاعتداءات الجسدية والكلامية والعنف الممنهج ونشيد بالمؤسسة اللبنانية للإعلام(LBC) لفضحها إجرام بلدية الدكوانة ومطالبتها المستمرة بتحقيق العدالة. ونحن هنا ندعو إلى وحدة المجتمع المدني اللبناني والحركات الناشطة لتنظيم جماعيا حول تزايد حالات انتهاكات الشرطة، والعنف والوحشية والتجاوزات غير المعاقبة بواسطة المسؤولين الرسميين.
ملاحظة إلى الموقعين/الموقعات نشكركم/نشكركن على تبنيكم/تبنيكن لهذا البيان تضامنا مع مطالب العدالة ضد الاعتداء والتردي ضد الأجساد غير النمطية من قبل بلدية الدكوانة. ونحن نحثكم/ نحثكن على نشر هذا البيان في منظماتكم/ منظماتكن ومعارفكم/معارفكن وأن تعملوا/تعملن على إيصاله إلى وسائل الإعلام والانضمام إلى حملة الحشد الجماهيري في لبنان وعالم الجنوب في السعي لتحقيق العدالة. الرجاء تسجيل بريدكم/ بريدكن الالكتروني: solidarity.lebanon@gmail.com
Endorsements
VISION, Pakistan
Mideast Youth, Bahrain
Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud, México
Nasawiya, Lebanon
Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR), Turkey
Take Back Parliament, Lebanon
Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), International
Anti-Racism Movement, Lebanon
Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL), Turkey
Women Living Under Muslim Laws, International
Lebanese LGBT Media Monitor, Lebanon
Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health, Lebanon
Today, the UN Member States resoundingly committed to ending violence against women and girls, including strong agreements on promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and ensuring reproductive rights and access to sexual and reproductive health services.
The Agreed Conclusions of the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women represent another important step forward, building on the global momentum of the past twenty years, which has created a strong framework by which to end all forms of violence against women, young women, and girls.
Women’s health and rights organizations congratulated the governments who have defended the human right of women and girls to live free from all forms of violence. We have seen two weeks of intense negotiations, in which culture, tradition, and religion have been used to try to deny women their rights.
In this context an important outcome of the Agreed Conclusions is the recognition accorded to women human rights defenders, who often come under attack when they defend universal human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The Agreed Conclusions explicitly call for accessible and affordable health care services, including sexual and reproductive health services such as emergency contraception and safe abortion, for victims of violence. For the first time the CSW Agreed Conclusions have urged governments to procure and supply female condoms. The CSW reaffirmed previous commitments made in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and in the Programme of Action at the International Conference on Population and Development and the key actions for its further implementation.
Governments have also recommitted to important strategies such as comprehensive sexuality education, the need to end harmful practices perpetuated in the context of negative culture and traditions, and the need to focus services based on the diverse experiences of women and girls, including indigenous women, older women, migrant women workers, women with disabilities, women living with HIV, and women who are held in state custody. The links between HIV and violence against women was noted throughout the Agreed Conclusions. The Agreed Conclusions condemned and called for action to prevent violence against women in health care settings, including forced sterilisation.
Violence against girls is also a major theme throughout the document. The Commission calls for an end to child, early and forced marriage, which is an increasing problem in many countries. Worldwide, 67 million girls are forced into marriage before the age of 18. Countries also committed to improving safety of girls on their way to and from school, at school, and in playgrounds; ensuring educational opportunities for girls who already married and/or pregnant; and preventing, investigating, and punishing acts of violence against women and girls that are perpetrated by people in positions of authority, such as teachers and religious leaders.
The Agreed Conclusions emphasize the role of men and boys in ending violence against women, and call for national policies to counteract gender stereotypes that present women and girls as subordinate to men and boys. The CSW calls on governments to engage, educate, encourage, and support men and boys to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive behaviour and become strategic partners and allies in the prevention and elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
The Agreed Conclusions emphasize the need to abolish legislation, policies, and programs that discriminate against women or have a discriminatory impact on women. The CSW also calls for women and girls’ unimpeded access to justice and to effective legal assistance. The Agreed Conclusions also recognize that small arms and light weapons aggravate violence against women and girls.
Importantly, the Agreed Conclusions recognize new issues in the campaign to end violence against women, including the need for strategies to address the role of new media; the impact of climate change on women; the need for measures to encourage businesses to act on workplace violence, but also their responsibility to support workers experiencing violence in the home; and the need for multisectoral responses to end violence against women.
In addition, discussions at this CSW showed high levels of support for governments to address violence against women and girls based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. There was also widespread support for addressing the problem of intimate partner violence. Although Member States at this year’s CSW failed to agree on specific language about these issues, human rights groups are confident that consensus that has been achieved on these matters throughout the UN system and will soon be reflected in Agreed Conclusions of the CSW.
However, civil society groups expressed deep concern over attempts by conservative members to derail negotiations during the CSW. Thankfully, many governments held firm on commitments to women’s rights. A statement signed of concern signed by feminist organizations during CSW is available online at http://cwgl.rutgers.edu/program-areas/gender-based-violence/csw57/statement-on-outcome-document.
The UN Commission on the Status of Women meets annually in New York and in 2013 has focused on the elimination of violence against women. Comprised of 45 Member States the CSW is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women with the sole aim of promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social, and educational fields. Its mandate is to ensure the full implementation of existing international agreements on women’s human rights and gender equality.
Cross-posted via the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC).
نعربُ، نحن، ممثلو الكتلة العربية االمشاركة في أعمال الدورة السابعة و الخمسين للجنة وضع المرأة؛ من افراد و منظمات، عن قلقنا البالغ إزاء دور قيادات بلادنا في المفاوضات المفصلية المتعلقة بقضية العنف ضد النساء و الفتيات. اذ قامت حكوماتنا في هذه الجلسة و بشكل متزايد باستخدام حُججاً تستند إلى الدين، و الثقافة، و التقاليد، و القومية، لتبرير استمرار العنف و التمييز، واستمرار انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان دون محاسبة او عقاب. نحن نتحدث هنا عن العنف الذي يستهدف بنحو خاص النساء، والفتيات، والأقليات العرقية و الدينية، والأشخاص الذين يحيدون عن و يتحدون الهويات و الادوار المعيارية الخاصة بالجنس و النوع الاجتماعي .
إن المواقف التي أبدتها بعض البلدان العربية في هذا الاجتماع لا تمثل تطلعات المجتمع المدني و طموحاته، و لا تقرب الى الممارسات الفُضلى المتعلقة بالقضاء على العنف ضد النساء و الفتيات، في واقع الأمر إن قلقنا ينبع من أن العديد من الحكومات تتبنى مواقفا من شأنها تقويض جوهر الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان، ألا وهو عالمية حقوق الإنسان وكونها غيرَ قابلةٍ للتجزئة.
إننا، كمنظمات غير حكومية، نخوض نضالاً يومياً من أجل تقديم خدمات الصحة الجنسية والإنجابية؛ وإصلاح القوانين التي تشرِّع التمييز وتنتهك حقوق الإنسان، كالحقوق الجنسية والإنجابية؛ و تقديم التربية الجنسية المتكاملة؛ كما نقاوم من اجل التصدي للعنف ضد النساء والفتيات، بما في ذلك الاغتصاب الزوجي والاعتداء الجنسي؛ ومد يد العون والحماية إلى الجماعات التي تواجه التهميش والإقصاء على أساس العرق، والمذهب الديني، والنوع الاجتماعي والهوية الجنسية؛ كما نعمل على كسر المحرَّمات الثقافية والاجتماعية المتصلة بالجنسانية.
إننا نؤكِّد بأن المحرَّمات الاجتماعية وعملية تسييس المسائل المتعلقة بالجنسانية إنما هي عقبات رئيسية في سبيل العدالة بين الانواع الاجتماعية المختلفة والقضاء على العنف ضد النساء والفتيات في بلادنا، كما أن إنكار حدوث ممارسات جنسية بين الشباب ما قبل الزواج، وانكار حدوث علاقات جنسية خارج إطار الزواج، وإنكار وجود عمالة جنسية، والممارسات الجنسية بين أشخاص من نفس النوع الاجتماعي؛ إنما هو تهديد خطير لسلامة مجتمعاتنا ومستوى الصحة العامة فيها. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، ومن خلال عملنا من أجل مجتمعات أكثر تقبلاً وعدالة ومساواة؛ فإننا نؤكد بأن التقاطعات بين العنف، والفقر، والعِرق، والأصل الوطني، ومفاهيمنا الجنسانية؛ يتعيَّن أن تكون أساس إطار عملنا، ومصدر خطابنا، والمرجع في المفاوضات المتعلقة بوضع النساء.
إننا قلقون من كون الصياغة التي اقترحتها بعض الحكومات إنما تدحض الغرض من هذا الاجتماع، بل تمثل في واقع الأمر رِدةً إلى الوراء بدلاً من أن تكون خطوةً إلى الأمام. كأعضاء وقادة في المجتمع المدني، فإننا نعتقد أن هدف اجتماع الأمم المتحدة هذا ينبغي أن يكون تعزيز الالتـزام وتقوية الخطاب المستخدم في هذا الميدان، و العمل على تعزيز حِراك المؤسسات والهيئات الحكومية ذات العلاقة في بلادنا.
إننا نرغب بأن تأخذ حكوماتنا في اعتبارها، أن اتفاقيات حقوق الانسان تبين بجلاء أنه حيثما وُجد صراعٌ مُفترضٌ بين التـزامات الدول المتعلقة باحترام حقوق الإنسان وحمايتها وتعزيزها؛ و بين الأعراف الاجتماعية والثقافية والدينية؛ أن الالتـزام باحترام حقوق الإنسان و حمايتها و تعزيزها ياتي أولا.
لذا إنَّ هذا يتطلب أن تكف حكوماتنا عن مواصلة التأكيد على الخصوصية الدينية والثقافية وعلى مسألة النسبية في التعاطي مع حقوق الإنسان، وأن تقوم بدلاً من ذلك بتكريس جهودها من أجل ضمان سياسات تصحيحية شاملة تتسم بالعدالة وإشراك مختلف الفئات، كما تعترف بالفضاءات المتقاطعة، والهويات المختلفة، والخلفيات المتباينة التي تحيا في سياقها اؤلئك النساء و الفتيات.
و بالنظر إلى الالتـزامات والتحديات التي أُشير إليها آنفاً، فإنَّ الكتلة العربية المشاركة في أعمال الدورة السابعة و الخمسين للجنة وضع المرأة تدعو الحكومات إلى:
الكف عن استخدام الخصوصية الدينية الثقافية والقومية وخصوصية التقاليد من أجل منع تقدم القوانين على مختلف المستويات، بما في ذلك ما يتصل بالقانون الدولي و بالدورة السابعة و الخمسين للجنة وضع المرأة هذه، فلا بد من تحدي مثل هذه الذرائع، لأن العنف الذي تتسبب به غير مقبول و لا يمكن السماح به أو التسامح معه.
وضع حد لاستخدام الدين و التقاليد و الثقافة على نحو مسيء لحماية الممارسات التي تؤدي إلى استمرار ممارسة العنف ضد النساء و الفتيات.
التأكيد على الالتزام بالاتفاقيات والقرارات التي سبق توقيعها، والاعتراف بحقوق النساء و الفتيات التي تُحترم بالفعل في بلادنا، والسعي إلى تعزيز هذه الحقوق، لا الانتقاص منها.
تبني تعريف للعنف ضد النساء يشمل العنف الذي تواجهه النساء في جميع مراحل حياتهن، بحيث يشمل الفتيات.
الإدانة الصريحة لجميع الممارسات التي من شأنها إدامة العنف ضد النساء و الفتيات، بما في ذلك تلك التي تتخذ من التقاليد والدين والثقافة أساساً لتبريرها، والعمل على القضاء على تلك الممارسات، بما في ذلك الختان، الزواج المبكر و القسري، الاغتصاب الزوجي، قتل النساء، و عنف الشريك.
الاعتراف بالوضع الخطير والخاص للنساء والفتيات في البلدان التي تواجه وضعا انتقاليا (مثل مصر، وتونس، وليبيا)، واتخاذ جميع الإجراءات الضرورية بالتعاون مع الفئات الفاعلة من المحليين لضمان احترام حقوق النساء و حمايتها خلال المرحلة الانتقالية.
ضمان قيام المجتمع الدولي و الحكومات بالتحقيق في جميع الانتهاكات التي تستهدف النساء و الفتيات، ولا سيما العنف المتصاعد خلال المرحلة الانتقالية, وبشكل خاص حالات النـزاع المسلَّح (كما هو الحال في سوريا و العراق)، و وضع حد لإفلات الجُناة من الحساب و العقاب، سواءٌ كانوا من العناصر التابعة للدولة أم من الأفراد.
الاعتراف بحساسية وضع النساء الفلسطينيات اللائي يعشن تحت نظامٍ الفصل العنصري في دولة فلسطين المحتلة وفي إسرائيل، وضمان تحمل المجتمع الدولي والحكومات مسؤولياتهما المتعلقة بالتحقيق في جميع الانتهاكات ضد النساء اللائي يعشن تحت نظام الفصل العنصري، ووضع حد لجميع أشكال إفلات مرتكبي هذه الانتهاكات من العقوبة.
الاعتراف بالعنف الممارس ضد المدافعات عن حقوق الإنسان ممن يواجهن مخاطر حقيقية بسبب النوع الاجتماعي الذي ينتمين إليه والعمل الذي يقمن به، ذلك الموجه إما من قبل هيئات الدولة او الهيئات الفاعلة من غير أجهزة الدولة (مثل العائلة، وأفراد المجتمع، وجماعات برلمانية، والجماعات العسكرية، والجماعات المتطرفة، والعمل على حمايتهن من هذا العنف.
الموقعون:
الائتلاف من أجل الحقوق الجنسية والجسدية في المجتمعات المسلمة CSBR،
نسوية الدولية، لبنان
منظمة القوس، من أجل التعددية الجنسية في المجتمع الفلسطيني، فلسطين
الرابطة التونسية للنساء الديمقراطيات ATFD، تونس
المبادرة المصرية للحقوق الشخصية EIPR، مصر
الجمعية المصرية للنهوض بالمشاركة المجتمعية، مصر
جمعية النساء التونسيات للابحاث التنموية AFTURD، تونس
جمعية النساء العربيات AWO، الاردن
محامون من اجل العدل و السلام LJP، مصر
اتحاد مناهضة العنف ضد المراة FAVAW، مصر
منتدى المراة و التنمية FWID، مصر
الداعمون:
Sisters in Islam, Malaysia Aliansi Remaja Independen (Independent Young People Alliance), Indonesia Women’s Health Foundation, Indonesia Youth Interfaith Forum on Sexuality, Indonesia Drag it to the Top, Pakistan Pilipina Legal Center, The Philippines Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways, Turkey Rural-Urban Women And Children Development Agency (RUWACDA), Ghana Clóset de Sor Juana, México Venezuela Diversa Asociación Civil, Venezuela Sexuality Policy Watch, Brazil Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre, Pakistan Women’s Research and Action Group, India Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), International Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), International Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), International Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), International International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), International Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), Rutgers University Secularism Is a Women’s Issue, International Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), International Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), International
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, as represented in the Arab Caucus at the 57th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), are deeply concerned with the role of the leadership of our countries in the negotiations on the crucial issue of violence against women and girls. At this session, our governments are increasingly using arguments based on religion, culture, tradition, or nationality to justify violence, discrimination and allow the violations against human rights and continue with impunity. This violence is particularly targeted against women, girls, ethnic and religious minorities, people who dissent from or challenge normative gender identities and sexualities.
The current positions taken by some Arab governments at this meeting is clearly not representative of civil society views, aspirations or best practices regarding the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls within our countries. We are in fact concerned that many of our governments are taking positions, which undermine the very basis of the UDHR, which is the universality, and indivisibility of human rights.
We, as non-governmental organizations, struggle on a daily basis to provide sexual and reproductive health services, reform laws that discriminate or violate human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, provide comprehensive sexuality education, combat violence against women and girls, including marital rape and sexual abuse, reach out to and protect groups who have been marginalized and minoritised on the basis of their ethnicity, religious sect/and or sexual orientation and gender identity, and break the cultural and societal taboos associated with sexuality.
We underline that the taboos and politicization of issues around sexuality are major hindrances to gender justice and the elimination and prevention of violence against women and girls in our countries. The denial of the existence of youth and premarital sexuality, extra-marital sexuality, sex work and same sex practices constitutes a dangerous threat to the well-being and public health in our societies. As well, as we work towards a more inclusive, just and equitable societies, the intersection of violence, poverty, race, national origin, and sexuality must be at the center of our social justice framework, language and negotiations on the status of women.
We are alarmed that the language proposed by some governments severely compromises the very intention of this meeting and in fact takes us a step back rather than forward. As members and leaders of civil society, we think that the goal of this UN meeting should be to further strengthen the commitments, language, discourse and action of many institutions and government entities in our societies.
We would like our governments to take into account that where there is any perceived conflict between States’ obligations to respect, protect, fulfill and promote human rights and social, cultural or religious norms, human rights instruments clearly state that the obligation to respect, protect, fulfill and promote human rights takes precedence.
This requires that our governments move away from an emphasis on religious and cultural specificity and relativism, and instead put their efforts to ensure restorative justice, inclusivity, and holistic policies that recognize intersectional spaces and identities women and girls of different backgrounds exist in.
Taking into account the above commitments and challenges, the Arab Caucus at the 57th Commission on the Status of Women calls upon governments to:
Stop using justifications based on religion, culture, tradition or nationality to block the progress of laws at all levels, including in the sphere of international law and at this 57th session of the CSW. These justifications must be challenged. The violence they cause is unacceptable and cannot ever be condoned or tolerated.
End the harmful use of religion, tradition, and culture to safeguard practices that perpetuate violence against women and girls.
Reaffirm past agreements and resolutions and recognize the rights of women and girls already existing in our countries, and work on enhancing those rights, not undermining them.
To adopt a definition of violence against women that encompasses violence against all women across their life spans, including girls.
To clearly denounce all practices which perpetuate violence against women and girls, including those which are justified on the basis of tradition, culture and religion and work on eliminating them, like female genital mutilation, early and forced marriages, marital rape, feminicide, and intimate partner violence.
To recognize the serious and particular situation of women and girls in countries of transition (like Egypt, Tunisia and Libya) and to take all necessary actions in cooperation with local actors to ensure that women’s rights in transition are respected, protected and fulfilled.
To ensure that the international community and governments investigate all violations against women and girls, in particular the escalation of violence during transitional periods and in situations of armed conflict (such as in Syria and Iraq) to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators, both state and individual actors.
To recognize the sensitive situation of Palestinian women living under apartheid in the occupied state of Palestine and in Israel. And To ensure that the international community and governments will take responsibility to conduct investigation on all violations against women living under apartheid and stop all kinds of impunity for the perpetrators.
To include recognition of, and recommendations to address violence against women human rights defenders who are at particular risk, from both State and non-state actors (such as families, community members, paramilitary groups and extremist groups) because of their gender as well as the work that they do.
Signatories
The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), International
Nasawiya, Lebanon
Collective for Research and Training on Development – Action (CRTD.A), Lebanon
alQaws, for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society, Palestine
Muntada: The Arab Forum for Sexuality Education and Health, Palestine
Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD), Tunisia
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), Egypt
The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, Egypt
Association des Femmes Tunisiennes pour la Recherche sur le Développment (AFTURD), Tunisia
Women and Development Association in Alexandria, Egypt
Arab Women Organisation, Jordan
Lawyers for Justice and Peace (LJP), Egypt
Federation Against Violence Against Women (FAVAW), Egypt
Forum for Women In Development (FWID), Egypt
Supporters
Sisters in Islam, Malaysia
Aliansi Remaja Independen (Independent Young People Alliance), Indonesia
Women and Youth Development Institute of Indonesia (WYDII), Indonesia
Women’s Health Foundation, Indonesia
Youth Interfaith Forum on Sexuality, Indonesia
Drag it to the Top, Pakistan
Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran, Iran
Pilipina Legal Center, The Philippines
Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways, Turkey
Rural-Urban Women And Children Development Agency (RUWACDA), Ghana
Clóset de Sor Juana, México
Venezuela Diversa Asociación Civil, Venezuela
Sexuality Policy Watch, Brazil
Shirkat Gah – Women’s Resource Centre, Pakistan
Women’s Research and Action Group, India
Institute for Women’s Empowerment, Hong Kong
L’Association Nationale de Protection des Femmes et Enfants Haitiens (ANAPFEH), Haiti
Women and Law in Southern Africa, MOZAMBIQUE
Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC), Canada
Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML), International
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), International
Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), International
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), International
International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), International
Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), Rutgers University
International Alliance of Women/ Alliance Internationale des Femmes, International
Secularism Is a Women’s Issue, International
Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP), International
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), International
Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), International
To add your organization’s signature to this statement, please write to coordinator[at]csbronline.org.
STATEMENT OF FEMINIST AND WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS ON THE VERY LIMITED AND CONCERNING RESULTS OF THE 56TH SESSION OF THE UN COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN[1]
We, the undersigned organisations and individuals across the globe, are alarmed and disappointed that the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) failed to adopt agreed conclusions at its 56th session. This failure has diminished the considerable work, energy, time and costs that women all over the world invested on the 56th session of the CSW. The advancement of women’s human rights should not be put on hold because of political battles between states. We say NO to any re-opening of negotiations on the already established international agreements on women’s human rights and call on all governments to demonstrate their commitments to promote, protect and fulfill human rights and fundamental freedoms of women.
We are particularly concerned to learn that our governments failed to reach a consensus on the basis of safeguarding “traditional values” at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms of women. We remind governments that all Member States of the United Nations (UN) have accepted that “the human rights of women and of the girl-child are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights” as adopted by the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna. Governments must not condone any tradition, cultural or religious arguments which deny human rights and fundamental freedoms of any person. After more than 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was embraced and adopted by the UN, the relationship between traditional values and human rights remains highly contested. We affirm the UDHR as not only ‘a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations’ but a common standard of assessment for all traditional values. The UDHR is an embodiment of positive traditional values that are universally held by this community of nations and are consistent with the inherent dignity of all human beings. We remind governments that under the Charter of the United Nations, gender equality has been proclaimed as a fundamental human right. States cannot contravene the UN Charter by enacting or enforcing discriminatory laws directly or through religious courts nor can allow any other private actors or groups imposing their religious fundamentalist agenda in violation of the UN Charter.
“No one may invoke cultural diversity to infringe upon human rights guaranteed by international law, nor limit their scope. Not all cultural practices accord with international human rights law and, although it is not always easy to identify exactly which cultural practices may be contrary to human rights, the endeavour always must be to modify and/or discard all practices pursued in the name of culture that impede the enjoyment of human rights by any individual.” (Statement by Ms. Farida Shaheed, the Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights, to the Human Rights Council at its 14th session 31 May 2010)
Amongst other things, it is alarming that some governments have evoked so-called “moral” values to deny women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. Sexual and reproductive rights are a crucial and fundamental part of women’s full enjoyment of all rights as well as integral to gender equality, development and social justice. Social and religious morals and patriarchal values have been employed to justify violations against women. Violence against women, coercion and deprivation of legal and other protections of women, marital rape, honour crimes, son preference, female genital mutilation, ‘dowry’ or ‘bride price’, forced and early marriages and ‘corrective rapes’ of lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and inter-sexed persons have all been justified by reference to ‘traditional values’.
We remind governments that the CSW is the principal global policy-making body dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women with the sole aim of promoting women’s rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. Its mandate is to ensure the full implementation of existing international agreements on women’s human rights and gender equality as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action as well as other international humanitarian and human rights law.
We strongly demand all governments and the international community to reject any attempt to invoke traditional values or morals to infringe upon human rights guaranteed by international law, nor to limit their scope. Customs, tradition or religious considerations must not be tolerated to justify discrimination and violence against women and girls whether committed by State authorities or by non-state actors. In particular, we urge governments to ensure that the health and human rights of girls and women are secured and reaffirmed at the coming Commission on Population and Development and the International Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Any future international negotiations must move forward implementation of policies and programmes that secure the human rights of girls and women.
We call upon the member states of the UN and the various UN human rights and development entities to recognise and support the important role of women’s groups and organisations working at the forefront of challenging traditional values and practices that are intolerant to fundamental human rights norms, standards and principles.
ASIA PACIFIC FORUM ON WOMEN, LAW AND DEVELOPMENT (APWLD)
ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN DEVELOPMENT (AWID)
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH COALITION (IWHC)
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTION WATCH ASIA PACIFIC (IWRAW ASIA PACIFIC)
WOMEN LIVING UNDER MUSLIM LAWS (WLUML) / VIOLENCE IS NOT OUR CULTURE CAMPAIGN
COALITION FOR SEXUAL AND BODILY RIGHTS IN MUSLIM SOCIETIES (CSBR)
WOMEN’S AID ORGANIZATION (WAO)
WOMEN FOR WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS (WWHR) – NEW WAYS
ASSOCIATION TUNISIENNE DES FEMMES DEMOCRATES (ATFD)
PILIPINA LEGAL RESOURCES CENTER
MUNTADA – ARAB FORUM FOR SEXUALITY EDUCATION AND HEALTH
This will be submitted to UN Member States, CSW and other relevant UN human rights and development entities.Endorse here. The deadline 5 April 2012.
[1] Drafted by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Association For Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC), International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific) and Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML)/ Violence is Not Our Culture Campaign.
Ms. Laura Dupuy Laserre
President of the Human Rights Council
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Your Excellency,
We, the international solidarity network Women Living Under Muslim Laws, the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies, the Violence is Not Our Culture International Campaign, the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, and the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights are writing to express our appreciation for your support and leadership in hosting the upcoming panel at the UN Human Rights Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
The spirit of the UDHR is instrumental to our advocacy efforts, and it is our understanding that the authors and signatories of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) recognized the need to protect against all forms of discrimination, regardless of “status,” including statuses that had not been articulated or officially recognized at the time. This includes sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).
We note that discrimination on the basis of SOGI can and has been used to deny fundamental rights that are guaranteed to all individuals under international law. This includes not only the UDHR, but also Articles 17 and 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, Articles 2, 4, and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as the indivisible and connected rights guaranteed by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
We look forward to the opportunity to discuss and strengthen these mechanisms, which exist to protect and promote human rights for all globally.
As a transnational network working to promote the rights of women and minorities whose lives are governed by laws said to be derived from Islam (WLUML), a coalition working for the protection of sexual and bodily rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), an international campaign against culturally justified violence against women (VNC), as well as a global network working to promote sexual and reproductive rights (WGNRR), we also express our concern at the position of the OIC on sexual orientation and gender identity. We feel strongly that creating a dialogue and open discussion on the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity is essential to the full promotion of the principles set forth in the UDHR.
We affirm the need to bear diverse religious and cultural backgrounds in mind stated in the Vienna Declaration, but we are increasingly concerned that the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) is passing from the principle that religion must be “borne in mind” with regard to human rights, to making supreme a single interpretation of religion in international laws. We find this contrary to the spirit of the UDHR, especially Article 18, which affirms the beliefs of numerous Muslim scholars and practitioners who find no contradiction between their understandings of Islam and the existence of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Similarly, scholars and practicing Muslims the world over have recognized that gender equality and women’s rights are not incompatible with Islam.
We note that Pakistan, an OIC member state which voted for and re-affirmed its commitment to the UDHR at several UN meetings, recognises the rights of diverse orientations and identities. We appreciate the Pakistani Supreme Court’s ground-breaking ruling on 23 December 2009, invoking the spirit of the UDHR, which mandated that hijras be officially recognized as a third gender on national identity cards and resulted in a commission to protect the full exercise of their rights, including access to education, inheritance, and more. Regrettably, the government of Pakistan has moved extremely slowly in implementation.
We look forward to the panel, and offer our full support in promoting the discussions and results that come out of this important initiative.
CSBR Statement on United Nations Report on Discriminatory Laws and Practices and Acts of Violence Against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
January 20, 2012
(Beirut, Lebanon)
The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) welcomes the report issued by the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. This report was initiated by a landmark resolution presented by South Africa and supported by many countries in various regions in June 2011. The resolution expressed grave concerns at acts of violence and discrimination across the world based on sexual orientation and gender identity and requested that the High Commissioner for Human Rights prepare the report.
The report documents discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, in all regions of the world, and outlines how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This report is very important as it is the first of its kind and it documents the abuses faced by individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. These abuses include: killings, torture, rape, criminal sanctions, and other forms of violence and discrimination. The report also highlights the international human rights legal framework as it applies to discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The report emphasis the duty of the State under international law to protect the human rights of all individuals including those who are of non conforming sexualities or gender identities. The report makes some strong recommendations and emphasizes that the Human Rights Council and UN Member States have a duty to address human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Specifically, the report calls on States to:
Repeal provisions that criminalize same- ‐sex relations between consenting adults, including the use of the death penalty;
Legally recognize the self- ‐identified gender of transgender persons, including in identity documentation;
Include sexual orientation and gender identity in non- ‐discrimination legislation, and address related discrimination in employment, access to health care and education;
Ensure an equal age of consent for opposite and same sex relations;
Ensure accountability for killings and other acts of violence based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression;
Provide sensitization and awareness- ‐raising for police and other law enforcement officials;
Recognize discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity as valid grounds for asylum seeking;
Ensure the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
CSBR strongly endorses the report and calls on all its members and allies to utilize the report as an additional tool in furthering the struggle for sexual and bodily rights and the recognition of rights for non-conforming sexualities and gender identified individuals.
What will be the next violation of human rights in Indonesia?
First there was the Aceh Legislative Council that passed the Qanun Jinayat punishing adultery and homosexual conduct with stoning to death and caning. Then there was the
Constitutional Court decision upholding the Anti-Pornograhy law that criminalizes
homosexuality, and leaves room to criminalize sensuality violating especially cultural
minorities’ freedom of expression. Finally there came the mobs attacking the ILGA Asia Conference participants in broad daylight of Surabaya.
On March 23rd the Indonesian police cancelled the regional Asia Conference of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association (ILGA) that was to be held in Surabaya through 26 – 28 March and was to be attended by more than 150 activists representing 100 organizations from 16 Asian countries. It is claimed that the police cancelled the conference due to pressures and threat of attacks from conservative Muslim groups, though in fact the duty of the police was to deter such attacks.
As the inability of a state and its law enforcement units to protect the freedom of expression and association can only reflect institutional discrimination and systematic intimidation against human rights advocates.
On March 26th, these groups did indeed attack the Conference participants in the Oval Hotel where they were trapped, having arrived in Surabaya unaware of the last minute cancelation, and unable to leave the city.
We know that the freedom of association is protected by the law in Indonesia, and we also know that though not required by law, the Organizing Committee had received the permit for the conference and that this permit was withdrawn by the police in Surabaya, which allegedly feared violent attacks by radical Islamic groups.
Yet the same police had no fear dining with the attackers in the lobby of the Oval Hotel, while the mob harassed the Conference participants subjecting them to verbal and physical abuse. The mob also sealed the office of GAYa NUSANTARA, the local organization that hosted the conference. This office is still closed and human rights activists in Surabaya are still under the threat of further attacks.
In a country such as Indonesia that prides itself on its diversity, and is supposed to uphold the universal principles of human rights, these acts of violence and intimidation against human rights activists are simply and completely unacceptable. In a democratizing country such as Indonesia, the duty of the state, its legal instruments and its police is to guarantee the constitutional right of association of the people, and not to deprive them of this right by sheltering pressure groups that wrongfully use the name of Islam to further their political agendas.
As 38 leading non-governmental organizations and academic institutions from 16 countries in the Middle East, North Africa, South and South East Asia, we call upon the
members of the press to spread the news on these outrageous violations of human rights,
so that the authorities take immediate and solid action to guarantee the safety of the Conference organizers and participants who are still in Surabaya, and reopen the doors of GAYa NUSANTARA and safeguard the security of all its members.
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)
Coordination Office: Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways, TURKEY
AAHUNG, PAKISTAN
Association des Femmes Tunisiennes pour la Recherche et le Développement (AFTURD),
TUNISIA
Ahfad University for Women (AUW), SUDAN
AMARGI, TURKEY
Association Marocaine des Droits des Femmes (AMDF), MOROCCO
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), MALAYSIA
Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM), MOROCCO
Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD), TUNISIA
BRAC University, BANGLADESH
Collectif Maghreb Egalité, ALGERIA
Egyptian Initiative For Personal Rights (EIPR), EGYPT
GAYa NUSANTARA, INDONESIA
HELEM, LEBANON
Indonesian Women Association for Justice (APIK), INDONESIA
Institut Pelangi Perempuan (IPP), INDONESIA
IWRAW-AP, MALAYSIA
Jordanian Women’s Union, JORDAN
LAMBDAISTANBUL LGBTT Association, TURKEY
Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women (LECORVAW), LEBANON
MADA al-CARMEL – Arab Center for Applied Social Research, PALESTINE
Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC), MALAYSIA
Meem, LEBANON
Muntada – Arab Forum for Sexuality, Education and Health, PALESTINE
New Woman Foundation (NWF), EGYPT
Pilipina Legal Resources Center (PLRC), PHILIPPINES
Rassemblement Contre la Hogra et pour les Droits des Algériennes (RACHDA), ALGERIA
RAHIMA, INDONESIA
RESEAU WASSILA, ALGERIA
Sisters Arabic Forum (SAF), YEMEN
Sisters in Islam (SIS), MALAYSIA
Synergie Civique, MOROCCO
VISION, PAKISTAN
Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC), PALESTINE
Women Against Violence (WAV), PALESTINE
Women’s Aid Organization (WAO), MALAYSIA
Women’s Health Foundation, INDONESIA
The Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development (ZENID), JORDAN
