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CSBR Featured, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, ODOS, Resources & Tools

ODOS 2016: Nazra for Feminist Studies hosts “My Own Body” – a discussion on Bodily Integrity & Autonomy

For One Day One Struggle 2016, Nazra for Feminist Studies is hosting “My Own Body”, a public discussion to raise the question of women’s bodily autonomy and integrity through a feminist analytical lens. The event is being held in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, and will take place from 6-9pm on 9 November in Cairo.

“My Own Body” will bring together diverse stakeholders to sharpen the picture the restrictions and possibilities for change across fields such as the medical industry, film and creative media, civil society organizing, and academia. Topics to be explored include how contemporary medical/psychological developments reinforce patriarchal authority over women’s bodies; the role played by conservative social and political foundations in controlling women’s bodies and sexualities; how laws interact with traditions to serve as guardians of these politics of control; as well as addressing the everyday violations and violence that women encounter as their bodies are being objectified and targeted. Taking in consideration the escalation of those violations against women’s bodies and their personal spaces in addition to the traumatizing sexual violence in the public sphere, the One Day One Struggle event will explore not only how patriarchal structures of power are normalizing this violence, but also women’s every day strategies to claim their bodies.

Additionally, Nazra will be sharing articles and blogs on different aspects of bodily integrity and autonomy by feminist writers across Egypt throughout the day. Follow the online campaign with the hashtags #MyOwnBody and #OneDayOneStruggle.

See the Facebook page for more details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1457243860952778/

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تشارك نظرة للدراسات النسوية بحملة “جسدي وحدي” في إطار حملة “يوم واحد، نضال واحد” وهي حملة عالمية يطلقها تحالف الحقوق الجسدية والجنسية في المجتمعات الإسلامية. تُطلَق الحملة يوم 9 نوفمبر ولمدة يوم واحد فقط من كل عام، وتشارك نظرة للدراسات النسوية هذا العام من خلال طرح سؤال أجساد النساء من منظور نسوي تحليلي. ويُجدر الإشارة أن طرح مسائل مثل السلامة الجسدية والخصوصية تثير بدورها تساؤلات خاصة بالمنظومة الأبوية ككل. تهدف الحملة لمناقشة وتحليل الدور الذي تلعبه المؤسسات المجتمعية والسياسية المختلفة في التحكم في أجساد النساء، وكيفية تعامل المؤسسات الأبوية مع أجساد النساء بشكل يومي وذلك من الناحية الطبية والنفسية، وكذلك من منظور الفنون والآداب المعاصرة.
وفي هذا السياق تتشرف نظرة للدراسات النسوية بدعوتكن/م للحضور والمشاركة في الأنشطة المختلفة لهذا اليوم وتشمل:

1- ندوة بعنوان ” جسدي وحدي” في تمام الساعة السادسة مساء في مركز جوته بالدقي، ويتبع الندوة نشاط تصوير صور فوتوغرافية مع من لديه/ا الرغبة في المشاركة في الحملة المعنية بالتضامن.

2- النشر والتدوين والزقزقة علي هاشتاج #جسدي_وحدي و #يوم_واحد_نضال_واحد على مدار اليوم.

3- مشاركة ومتابعة مقالات رأي متنوعة حول موضوع أجساد النساء بقلم نسويات شابات من مختلف محافظات مصر، تابعوناعلى موقع “ولها وجوه أخرى” http://wlahawogohokhra.org/home وكذلك على موقع “مصريات” http://masreiat.com/ .

CSBR Featured, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, ODOS, Resources & Tools

ODOS 2016: Towards a Gender Equality Act in Malaysia – Women’s Aid Organisation

For One Day One Struggle 2016, Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) is raising awareness to end discrimination against women in the work force, with a particular focus on ‘pregnancy discrimination’. The mobilization is part of a larger push to see the domestication of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Malaysia, through the passing of a Gender Equality Act.

WAO_CSBRODOS2016_4

Malaysia ratified the CEDAW Convention in 1995, and submitted its 1st and 2nd periodic reports at the 35th Session of the CEDAW Committee in 2006. Based on the submissions and discussion, the CEDAW Committee recommended “the creation of a State-wide legal mechanism to ensure harmony in the country’s laws, policies and programmes, and to guarantee fully that the rights of Malaysian women were upheld“. Advocates on the ground say the first step to achieving this is a Gender Equality Act.

After the 2006 CEDAW review process, advocates engaged with policy makers about drafting a Gender Equality Bill, as per the CEDAW Committee’s recommendations. However, as shared by WAO Communications Officer Tan Heang-Lee, “In Malaysia the process of passing a Bill into law requires that the Bill first be drafted and presented by Cabinet Ministers, then it is debated in Parliament, then discussed in the Senate, and final endorsement resides with the King. Unfortunately, no Bill was ever drafted by the Cabinet“.

Given that Malaysia is due for review by the CEDAW committee in January 2018, advocates have increased mobilization over the last year to revive the conversation and build support for domestication of CEDAW through a Gender Equality Act.

Focusing on Article 11 of CEDAW, WAO launched a survey to document women’s experiences with discrimination in the workplace. Their research showed that over 40% of women in the workforce have experienced job discrimination due to pregnancy.

When Malaysia was reviewed in 2006, it was the case of Beatrice Fernandez v Sistem Penerbangan Malaysia, in which Beatrice Fernandez was forced to resign from her job with Malaysia Airlines in 1991 when she became pregnant, that was cited by the Committee as a clear shortcoming that needed to be redressed through domestication of the CEDAW Convention. 15 years on, WAO’s survey results are a timely and important reminder that a Gender Equality Act in Malaysia is urgent and long overdue.

Tan Heang-Lee shared, “This survey is one part of a larger process. With the research, we wanted to document women’s experiences, to identify the gaps in practice and policies, and to help women understand as a first step what recourse options they have if they experience such discrimination. For example, if you face discrimination right now, how can you best document your experience, build up evidence, and who can you turn to. Ensuring women’s greater access to what recourse is available is a first step, while we work towards building greater public understanding and support to end discrimination through legislative and policy reform.”

For ODOS 2016, WAO will be sharing infographics from their survey and building momentum towards the next phase of their campaign, which will explore and identify best policies and practices from employers in ensuring non-discrimination.

“Malaysia has one of the lowest levels of women’s participation in the workforce in the region, hovering at about 53%. That’s an unnecessary toll on our economy, and something we need to address. With this research, down the line we also want to engage employers, to identify best practices, and to see how women’s leadership in the workplace ultimately benefits them.“

Want to get involved? Join the campaign by sharing the infographics, and keep up with Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) on Facebook @womens.aid.org, Twitter @womensaidorg and Instagram @womensaidorg.

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CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Response to the UN Women’s call on: “Consultation seeking views on UN Women approach to sex work, the sex trade and prostitution”

CSBR is one of 190 national, regional and international sex workers’ rights, women’s rights and human rights organizations/networks who submitted a joint response to UN Women’s Call for “Consultation seeking views on UN Women approach to sex work, the sex trade and prostitution”.

The submission focuses on five key recommendations for UN Women to consider in their policy development process:

Develop the policy through a transparent and participatory process, engaging a diverse range of sex workers from the global South and North,
Anchor the policy in human rights principles
Distinguishing between sex work and trafficking
Emphasize the importance of decriminalization and remove related punitive laws and policies
Address all forms of violence against all sex workers

Read the PDF Statement here: Joint-statement-from-womens-rights-and-sex-workers-rights-organisations-to-un-women-31-october and text below

31 October 2016

This statement has been jointly prepared by 190 sex worker rights, women’s rights, and human rights organizations.[*]

We are writing this statement in response to UN Women’s call for submissions in an e-consultation about the development of a UN Women policy on sex work. A number of sex workers’, women’s and human rights organizations have been engaging with UN Women for some months about this proposed policy, stressing the importance of a process that meaningfully engages with a broad range of sex workers’ and women’s rights organizations as essential to the process of developing a policy.

While UN Women has stated that they are engaging in an open process, we are alarmed at the possibility that the end result will not support the human rights of sex workers.[1] For instance, the wording of question 3, to us, indicates an already established point of view. They ask “The sex trade is gendered. How best can we protect women in the trade from harm, violence, stigma and discrimination?” While we would certainly agree that sex workers of all genders face discrimination, harm, stigma and violence, we note that there is ample evidence that decriminalization of sex work is the best remedy to empower sex workers to advocate for their rights and to engage with state and non-state actors to secure their rights. It is imperative to clearly distinguish consensual sex work from human trafficking, as well as recognize that there are female, male and transgender sex workers.

As a co-sponsor of UNAIDS, we urge UN Women to ensure that their policy aligns with the recommendations from the Global Commission on HIV and the Law and the UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work which recommends:

“States should move away from criminalising sex work or activities associated with it. Decriminalisation of sex work should include removing criminal penalties for purchase and sale of sex, management of sex workers and brothels, and other activities related to sex work.”[2]

In the following statement, we focus on five key recommendations for UN Women to consider in their policy development process:

1. Development of the policy through a transparent and participatory process, engaging a diverse range of sex workers from the global South and North.

We are deeply concerned that the only public consultation to date is an e-consultation. Such a process risks excluding many of those who are critical to the discussion – sex workers in communities with limited Internet and not familiar with UN jargon or human rights treaties. Therefore, we call on UN Women to develop and engage in a transparent and inclusive consultation with sex workers’ rights, women’s rights, and other relevant organizations in the preparation of any UN Women policy in relation to sex work.[3]

An appropriate process should be well planned, participatory and must include sex workers representing the full diversity of classes, races, sexes, genders, ethnicities, health status, ages, nationalities, citizenships, languages, education levels, disabilities, and other factors, in order to ensure that those most impacted by such policies/guidelines in various regions of the world are significantly engaged in the process.

2. Anchored in human rights principles

UN Women, as a UN agency dedicated to advancing gender equality and the human rights of women, should take as its starting point the respect, protection, promotion and fulfilment of human rights, enshrined in international and regional conventions and national constitutions.

Any UN Women policy in relation to sex work should recognize sex workers as rights holders and decision makers. Their choices should be respected in relation to all areas of engagement in life, including in relation to their sexuality, reproduction, employment, access to services and information, freedom of movement and assembly. Sex worker’s participation in legal, policy and programmatic processes in relation to sex work should be guaranteed.[4]

In this regard, recognizing sex worker’s labour as work, not dissimilar to other forms of labour in the service sector of the economy, and hence of their economic contribution to society, is integral to respecting, protecting and fulfilling sex workers’ human rights. In this regard, it is important for UN Women to align their policy with that of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The ILO recognises sex work as informal labour in the official Report of the Committee on HIV/AIDS, which accompanied the publication of the ILO standard ‘Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work, 2010 (No. 200)’.[5] The ILO is clear that sex work is covered by this instrument recognizing work in both formal and informal economies.

3. Distinguishing between sex work and trafficking

The conflation of consensual sex work and human trafficking leads to the implementation of inappropriate responses that fail to assist either of these groups in realizing their rights, and can contribute to violence and oppression.[6] At the same time the narrow concentration of anti-trafficking programmes on the sex industry also distracts from efforts to prevent other forms of trafficking such as domestic servitude and forced labour.[7] Instead of victimising women who engage in consensual sex work and questioning their capacity to make decision for themselves and their right to self-determination, UN Women should protect and promote sex worker’s rights. We recognize that exploitation and labour rights abuses exist in the sex industry; however, as shown in the literature the best way to address these human rights abuses is through the fulfilment of sex workers human rights and through the opposition to all forms of legal oppression of sex work.[8] People who choose to engage in sex work, do so because it is a viable alternative to other work and livelihood choices. Women’s agency and capacity to challenge their exploitation and exercise their rights in relation to their occupation should be recognized.

Trafficking people is not the same as sex work involving consenting persons. A distinction, drawing from the “Palermo Protocol,”[9] must be clearly demarcated between voluntary sex work and involuntary and coercive exploitation and trafficking, including the non-consensual trade of persons for this purpose.[10] UN agencies, such as WHO, UNAIDS, OHCHR, UNDP, international organizations such as ILO, UN treaty monitoring bodies, and UN Special Rapporteurs carefully distinguish between sex work and trafficking and sexual exploitation, and UN Women should follow the same practice.[11]

4. The importance of decriminalization and removal of related punitive laws and policies[12]

Strong evidence shows that criminalization and otherwise punitive and restrictive regulation of sex work puts sex workers at greater risk of violence and poor health outcomes. In contrast, an enabling legal environment for sex workers increases their access to justice and services. Indeed, The Lancet suggests that decriminalization could avert 33–46% of HIV infections globally in the next decade.[13] In doing so, decriminalization is an important tactic for reaching several of the SDGs, including SDG 3 (good health), SDG 5 (gender equality) and SDG 10 (reduced inequality).

Criminalization and the application of other punitive or restrictive regulations that violate the rights of sex workers and foster discriminatory practices and stigmatizing social attitudes, do not eliminate sex work, but rather, create barriers to sex worker’s access to essential services like health care or legal redress. It places women engaging in sex work at a higher risk of violence,[14][15] and reduces sex workers’ ability to organize with the aim to improve their health and safety or advance their rights.[16]

Positive measures, including decriminalization of sex work, that respect and protect the rights and promotes the well-being of sex workers should be supported. This includes full decriminalization of sex work consultation with sex workers prior to any introduction of regulations that aim to protect the rights, health and safety of sex workers, including the formulation and implementation of workplace occupational health and safety standards; recognizing sex work as labor and as an economic contribution to society; provision of non-discriminatory health and social services; non-discriminatory access to health insurance and social protections such as maternity leave; protection of labor rights; and protection from forced eviction, police brutality and violence. [17]

5. Addressing all forms of violence against all sex workers

UN Women’s policy should be anchored in evidence, and comprehensively address all forms of discrimination and violence against sex workers. Violence against sex workers occurs not only because of economic, social and legal disadvantages, but it is perpetrated with impunity by state (law enforcement officers) and non-state actors. Sex workers are often left without legal recourse or access to health and legal services. Hence, a comprehensive structural response is needed in order to eliminate violence against sex workers.[18] And indeed, full decriminalisation of sex work in combination with the recognition of sex worker’s rights and introduction of health and safety protections for sex workers can lead to a dramatic reduction of violence against sex workers of all genders and the reduction of corruption or organized crime.[19]

UN Women’s sex work policy should emphasize the importance of advancing sex workers’ access to equal protection of the law,[20] and address their lack of access to justice, remedies and redress. As suggested by the call by UN Women and the IOM to the UN General Assembly on the occasion of UN Summit for refugees and migrants[21], national or migrant sex workers should have access to justice mechanisms, as well as fair and adequate compensation for their work. They should also have access to health care facilities. The access should be non-discriminatory, free from stigma, youth-friendly, and the testimony and wishes of sex workers should be prioritized.[22] Health services should be available upon request and should not require second-party (spousal guardian or parental) consent.

SIGNATORIES:

NSWP/Global Network of Sex Work Projects (UK/Global)
CREA (India)
CREA (Global)
VAMP/Veshya Anyay Mukti Parishad (India)
Dandelion Kenya (Kenya)
IWHC/International Women’s Health Coalition (US/Global)
African Sex Workers Alliance/ASWA (Kenya/Regional)
Mama Cash (Netherlands/Global)
Davida – Prostituição, Direitos Civis, Saúde (Prostitution, Civil Rights, Health) (Brazil)
Daspu (Brazil)
RedTraSex, (Regional)
Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers/APNSW (Regional)
Global Fund for Women (US/Global)
Urgent Action Fund Sisterfunds (Fondo Acción Urgente (UAF-Latin America), Urgent Action Fund Africa, Urgent Action Fund)
Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (Regional)
Guyana Sex Work Coalition (Guyana)
Balance (Mexico)
UHAI, EASHRI (Eastern Africa)
African Women’s Development Fund/AWDF (Regional)
La Strada International (Europe)
Rose Alliance (Sweden)
South Asia Women’s Fund (Sri Lanka/Regional)
Sexuality Policy Watch, a project based at ABIA (Brazil)
Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice (US)
Foundation Aid Care Prostitution/SHOP- Stichting Hulpverlening Opvang Prostitutie (Netherlands)
SWAN/Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Hungary/Regional)
International Network of Women who use Drugs (Global)
Akahata – Equipo de Sexualidades y Generos (Argentina)
Associação Mulheres Guerreiras (Brazil)
Rights4Change (Netherlands)
UCO Legalife-Ukraine (Ukraine)
TAMPEP International Foundation (Europe)
Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality
GATE/Global Action for Trans Equality (Global)
SWOP/Sex Workers Outreach Project (US)
Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women/GAATW (Global)
ARC International (Canada)
Red Umbrella Alliance, New Jersey (US)
RESURJ/Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice Alliance (Global)
Red Umbrella Fund (Global)
Red Umbrella Sexual Health and Human Rights Association (Turkey)
HIVOS (Netherlands/Global)
International HIV/AIDS Alliance (UK/Global)
AJWS/American Jewish World Service (US)
The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) (Malaysia/Regional)
Best Practices Policy Project (US)
Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (Global)
Prostitution Policy Watch – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Atria – Institute for Gender Equality and Women’s History (Netherlands)
Netherlands Council of Women (Netherlands)
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (Canada)
PONY, Prostitutes of New York (US)
Global Health Justice Partnership, Yale University (US)
Gender at Work (Canada/Global)
Point of View (India)
Count Me In! Consortium (Partnership of AWID, CREA, JASS, Mama Cash and the Urgent Action Funds)
Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (Global)
IWRAW-AP/International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (Malaysia/Global)
SANGRAM/Sampada Gramin Mahila Sanstha (India)
CASAM/Centre for Advocacy on Stigma and Marginalisation (India)
Nazariya (India)
Coalition of African Lesbians (South Africa, Regional)
Sexual Rights Initiative (Global)
Center for Women’s Global Leadership (US)
Naripokkho (Bangladesh)
AWID/Association for Women’s Rights in Development (Global)
Just Associates/JAS (Global)
Sex Workers Project, Urban Justice Center (US)
Hydra e.V. (Germany)
ASTRA anti-trafficking action (Serbia)
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights/WGNRR (Global)
African Sky
FairWork, (Netherlands)
LEFÖ – Information, Education and Support for Migrant Women (Austria)
Association of Women and the Law/Vereniging Vrouw en Recht (Netherlands)
Rede Brasileira de Prostitutas (Brazilian Network of Prostitutes)
Gempac (Grupo de Mulheres Prostitutas do Pará – Brasil )
Rutgers: for sexual and reproductive health and rights (Netherlands)
DAWN/Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (Global)
TIYE International (Netherlands)
Association PROJOB (Netherlands)
Pathways of Women’s Empowerment (UK)
International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe/ICRSE (Europe).
Coyote, Rhode Island (US)
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (Canada)
MATCH International Women’s Fund (Canada)
Taso Foundation – Women’s Fund and Memory Research Center (Georgia)
CFEMEA – Centro Feminista de Estudos e Assessoria (Brazil)
Dutch CEDAW Network (Netherlands)
Stepping Stone Association of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)
CVC/Caribbean Vulnerable Communities (Jamaica/Regional)
Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (South Africa)
Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement of South Africa
AMSHeR/African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (Continental Africa)
Asia Pacific Network of People Living With HIV (APN+)
International Council of AIDS Service Organizations/ICASO (Canada/Global)
Coalition of Asia-Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS (7 Sisters)
Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute/Instituto de Liderazgo Simone de Beauvoir (Mexico)
Stella, l’Amie de Maimie (Canada)
Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (South Africa)
Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement of South Africa (South Africa)
Maggie’s Toronto Sex Workers Action Project (Canada)
APDES (Portugal)
Asociación Civil Angel Azul (Peru)
Feminist Ire (Ireland)
Gender and Sexual Health Initiative (Canada)
Healthy Options Project Skopje (Macedonia)
Ghapro VZW (Belgium)
Comitato per i Diritti Civili delle Prostitute onlus (Italy)
OTS-ES (El Salvador)
STAR-STAR (Macedonia)
Pace Society (Canada)
Operation Snatch (Canada)
L’association Nationale de Protection des Femmes et Enfants Haïtiens (Haiti)
Pacific Rainbows Advocacy Network (Fiji)
Zi Teng (Hong Kong)
Respect Inc. (Australia)
Women’s Network for Unity (Cambodia)
HPLGBT (Ukraine)
HIV/AIDS Research and Welfare Centre (Bangladesh)
WONETHA (Uganda)
Espace P (Brussels)
Asociación de Mujeres Las Golondrinas (Nicaragua)
Genera: Asociación en defensa de los derechos de las mujeres (Barcelona)
Athena Network (US/Global)
Kenya Sex Workers Alliance -KESWA
Sisonke Botswana
Alcondoms Cameroon
WOPI -Nigeria

131. Rights Not Rescue Trust (Namibia)

SWATU (Swaziland)
Rwanda Sex Worker
Bar Hostess Empowerment and Support Programme (Kenya)
Philippine Sex Worker Collective (Phillipine)
The Stepping Stone Association (Canada)
Réseau Solidarité pour le Droit des Travailleuses du Sexe (Burundi)
Association Nle de Protection des Femmes et Enfants Haitiens (Haiti)
Safe Harbour Outreach Project (Canada)
Sexual Health Options, Resources & Education Centre (Canada)
Sex Professionals of Canada / SPOC (Canada)
Voices of Women in Western Kenya/VOWWEK (Kenya)
East Africa Trans Health and Advocacy Network (EATHAN)
Fundación Arcoiris (Mexico)
The Global Network of People Living with HIV/GNP+ (Netherlands/Global)
Center for Health and Gender Equity/CHANGE (US)
Options for Sexual Health (Canada)
FEM Alliance Uganda
SCOT-PEP (Scotland, United Kingdom)
Associação das Prostitutas dr Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Caribbean Sex Work Coalition (Caribbean, Regional)
Jamaica SW Coalition (Jamaica)
Guyana SW Coalition (Guyana)
HIPS (United States)
Crested Crane Lighters (Uganda)
OPSI (Indonesia)
Organization for Gender Empowerment and Rights Advocacy (Uganda)
Amitiel Welfare Society (Pakistan)
Aids Myanmar Association (Myanmar)
Philadelphia Red Umbrella Alliance (United States)
Kisauni Peer Educators (Kenya)
Lady Mermaid’s Bureau (Uganda)
Malawi Sex Workers Alliance (Malawi)
Transgender Equality Uganda (Uganda)
Tanzania Community Empowerment Foundation (Tanzania)
Ohotu Diamond Women Initiative (Nigeria)
Sex Workers Outreach Project Chicago (United States)
Homme pour Les Droits et la Santé Sexuelle (Congo)
Alcondoms (Cameroon)
Cameroon Sex Worker Alliance (Cameroon)
SeksworkExpertise (Netherlands)
Aids Fund/Soa Aids (Netherlands)
PROUD (Netherlands)
Geledes Instituto da Mulher Negra (Brazil)
CEPIA/Cidadania Estudo Pesquisa Informação Ação (Brazil)
Rede Nacional Feminista de Saúde Direitos Sexuais e Direitos Reprodutivos (Brazil)
Pivot Legal Society (Canada)
Astitva Trust (India)
Asia Pacific Transgender Network
Uganda Health and Science Press Association
LGBTI and Sex Workers Rights to Health in Public Health Policy and Law in Uganda
Empower Foundation (Thailand)
JJJ Association (Hong Kong)
Teenz Links Uganda (Uganda)
Action Humanitaire pour la Santé et le Développement Communautaire (Congo)
MAIZ (Australia)
Association of HIB Affected Women and their Families (Lithuania)
Le Collectif Femmes de Strasbourg-Saint-Denis (France)
Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network (Canada)
Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya/GALCK (Kenya)
Asia Pacific Transgender Network/APTN (Thailand/Regional)

[*] All signatories are listed at the end of the letter. Several of the signatories are networks that represent a number of other organizations, each of which did not sign individually but as part of the network. The Global Network of Sex Work Projects, for instance, has over 200 members.

[1] Sex workers include “female, male and transgender adults and young people (over 18 years of age) who receive money or goods in exchange for sexual services, either regularly or occasionally”. Sex work may vary in the degree to which it is “formal” or organized. It is important to note that sex work is consensual sex between adults, which takes many forms, and varies between and within countries and communities.

[2] UNAIDS. UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work, Geneva, 2012. http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents/unaidspublication/2009/JC2306_UNAIDS-guidance-note-HIV-sex-work_en.pdf

[3] UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work that has been published in 2012. http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/sub_landing/JC2306_UNAIDS-guid…

[4] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013. See also UNAIDS Guidance Note On HIV and Sex Work, 2012; UNFPA Guidance Note On HIV/Aids, Gender and Sex Work – complete reference; NSWP Consensus Statement reaffirms NSWP ’s global advocacy platform for sex work, human rights and the law. 2013.

[5] International Labour Organization, Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work (No. 200) adopted 2010. Available at http://www.ilo.org/aids/WCMS_142706/lang–en/index.htm

[6] Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20); see also Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW), “The Cost of a Rumour” available at http://www.gaatw.org/publications/WhatstheCostofaRumour.11.15.2011.pdf; and Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) “Sex Work is not Trafficking” available at http://www.nswp.org/resource/sex-work-not-trafficking.

[7] See, for instance, Joanna Busza. Sex work and migration: the dangers of oversimplification-a case study of Vietnamese women in Cambodia. Health and Human Rights, 7:2, 231-249, 2004.

[8] See citations listed in footnote 6. See also the Lancet Special Issue on HIV and Sex Work, July 2014 at http://www.thelancet.com/series/HIV-and-sex-workers; Decker, et al., “Human rights violations against sex workers: burden and effect on HIV, in the Lancet, Volume 385, Issue 9963, 10–16 January 2015, Pages 186–199; J. Amon et. al., Evaluating Human Rights Advocacy on Criminal Justice and Sex Work, International Journal of Health and Human Rights, Jun2015, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p91-101.

[9] The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol). GA resolution 55/25, adopted 15 November 2000. Available at http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/ProtocolTraffickingIn…

[10] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013;

[11] Global Commission on HIV and the Law. (2012) HIV and the law: risks, rights and health. New York (NY): United Nations Development Programme; 2012; Technical guidance for Global Fund HIV proposals Round 11 (complete), The report of the UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2011; WHO, UNFPA, UNAIDS, NSWP, World Bank & UNDP, 2013, “Implementing Comprehensive HIV/STI Programmes with Sex Workers: Practical Approaches from Collaborative Interventions” available athttp://www.who.int/hiv/pub/sti/sex_worker_implementation/en/. UNODC 2006 Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. New York (NY): United Nations; 2000 (A/55/49 (Vol. I)); http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/ProtocolTraffickingIn…

[12] Decriminalization measures should include: every consensual act relating to exchanging sex for money; or specific or surrounding acts, such as buying sex and/or soliciting for the purpose of sex work, renting a room for this purpose, or brothel-keeping; and/or use of administrative and local regulations, such as charging with offences like vagrancy, public nuisance, being in parks or other public places after hours and the like. Persons who shall not be punished for activities related to consensual sex work, includes sex workers, clients, third parties such as brothel keepers, receptionists, maids, drivers, landlords, hotels who rent rooms to sex workers and anyone else who is seen as facilitating sex work, as well as families, partners and friends. See The report of the UNAIDS Advisory Group on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2011. Global Commission on HIV and the Law 2012; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015.; UNAIDS Guidance note on HIV and sex work. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2009.; Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20; CREA, NSWP

[13] Shannon et. al. Global epidemiology of HIV among female sex workers: influence of structural determinants. Lancet Special Issue on HIV and Sex Work, 2015; 385: 55–71.

[14] (UNAIDS 2011b). (Burris et al. 2010; Global Commission on HIV and the Law 2012; Mossman 2007). WHO 2015 (Betteridge 2005; Day and Ward 2007; Reckart 2005; UNAIDS 2009, United Nations 2010). CREA, NSWP; Understanding the De- Criminalisation Demand: Aarthi Pai and Meena Saraswathi Seshu. 2014.

[15] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013

[16] Sex work, HIV and access to health services in Namibia: national meeting report and recommendations. Windhoek: UNFPA/Namibia; 2011; Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015. Eight working papers/case studies: Examining the intersections of sex work law, policy, rights and health. New York (NY): Open Society Institute; 2006. (India related reference)

[17] Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2012) Dutch Policy on Prostitution. Questions and answers 2012 (http://www.minbuza.nl/binaries/content/assets/minbuza/en/import/en/you_and_the_netherlands/about_the_netherlands/ethical_issues/faq-prostitutie-pdf–engels.pdf-2012.pdf, ; New Zealand. (2003) Prostitution Reform Act 2003. Public Act 2003 No 28; República de Colombia Corte Constitucional (Constitutional Court of the Republic of Colombia). (2010) Sentencia T-629/10.Decided on 13 August 2010; South Africa Labour Appeals Court. (2010). Kylie v. Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration and Others. Case No. CA10/08. Decided on 26 May 2010; Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights and Others v. Government of Bangladesh and Others. Case 53 DLR (2001) 1. Dhaka: High Court Division, Supreme Court; 2000 (e.g. Bangladesh; Bangladesh Supreme Court 2000). Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012. Global Commission on HIV and the Law. (2012) HIV and the law: risks, rights and health. New York (NY): United Nations Development Programme; 2012; Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization 2015.

[18] UN Women. Note On Sex Work, Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking. 2013

[19] Sexual Health, Human Rights and the Law. World Health Organization, 2015.

[20] (General Recommendation No. 19: Violence against women. New York (NY): United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; 1992 (A/47/38). United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; 1999. (A/54/38/Rev.1, Chapter I Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. New York (NY): United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child; 2000 (A/RES/54/263) (Entered into force 18 January 2002).; Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. New York (NY): United Nations; 2000 (A/55/49 (Vol. I); Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover. New York (NY): United Nations; 2010 (A/HRC/14/20). Prevention and treatment of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections for sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2012.

[21] http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2016/9/statement-un-women-and-iom-call-on-world-leaders-to-make-migration-policies-that-work-for-women

[22] NSWP Consensus Statement sets out sex workers entitlements and demands around sex work, human rights and the law. 2013.

CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Holding governments to account for the sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of women and girls around the world

On the occasion of the 1st Anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), CSBR joined 60+ organizations and International Planned Parenthood Federation in writing to the UN General Assembly President and UN Secretary-General to urge them to hold UN Member States accountable to their committments to sexual and reproductive health rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment. Read the letter below.

* * * * * *

13 September 2016

To the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), HE Ambassador Peter Thomson of Fiji and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki Moon,

On the anniversary of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we, the undersigned, call on you, in your roles as the President of the United Nations General Assembly and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to hold Member States to account for their progress towards achieving SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment. As you know, gender equality is central to achieving sustainable development, and the target on universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights is a pre-requisite for that change.

The ambition set out in the SDGs is clear. Gender equality, women’s and girls’ human rights, and the empowerment of girls and women will not be possible without the realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Providing the full range of sexual and reproductive health services, information and education so that all women and girls can make free and informed choices about their sexuality and their reproductive lives is a basic human right and central to realizing the full range of women’s rights, and to progressing gender equality.

Achieving sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality is not just an end in itself. Enabling everyone to access these life-changing services will support the elimination of poverty and hunger, achievement of gender equality and quality education, reduction of inequality, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable consumption. Without access to sexual and reproductive health services and education achieving some of the other goals will become a much harder task, while others will be impossible to realize.

We must ensure that the commitments made just one year ago are not forgotten. We cannot risk failing on all the goals due to a lack of political will to implement those related to gender equality and SRHR.

In this 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, one year after the SDGs were adopted, we urge you to work with Member States to turn their ambition into reality by supporting their efforts for implementation, encouraging effective partnerships and ensuring their commitment through strong accountability mechanisms. In advance of The High Level Political Forum in 2017, which will be focusing on goals 3 and 5, now is the opportunity to work with Member States to help them to meet their commitments on SRHR and move towards a sustainable world where no one is left behind.

Signed

Action Works Nepal

AFLED Mali

AKAHATÁ

Akina Mama wa Afrika

American Jewish World Service

Arab Women Organization of Jordan

Association for Farmers Rights Defense, AFRD – EUFRAS Georgia

Balance from México

Caidre Cameroon Association

CARE International

China Family Planning Association

Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies

Coordinadora de la Mujer – Bolivia

Danish Family Planning Association

Family Planning New Zealand

Family Planning NSW

Family Planning Tasmania

Family Planning welfare Northern Territory

FOKUS- Forum for Women and Development

Forum International des Femmes d’lespace Francophone

Fundación para el Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer

Gender and Development Network

Gender-Center Republic of Moldova

GENDERS AC

GROOTS Trinidad & Tobago

INPPARES- Perú

International Community of Women Living with HIV

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations

International Federation of Women in Legal Careers

International Federation of Women Lawyers

International Peace Initiatives

Isis-Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange

Japan Family Planning Association

Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning

medica mondiale

Mexfam

Mongolian Family Welfare Association

National Alliance of Women’s Organisations Nigerian Network of Women

Exporters of Services Orchid Project

‘Pacificwin’ Pacific Women’s Indigenous Networks

Papua New Guinea Family Health Association

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Red Federación Mujeres & Municipalidades A.L.C- Enlace Perú

Regional Centre for International Development Cooperation

Rural Women’s Network Nepal

Rutgers

Samoa Family Health Association

SDGs Kenya Forum and GCAP Kenya

Sexual Health information networking & education SA Inc

Sexual Health Switzerland

Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries

Solar Cookers International

SOVA Somalia

Stichting Ultimate Purpose

Support for Women in Governance Organization

The Association of War Affected Women

The Central America Women’s Network

The German Medical Aid Organization

The Global Initiatives for Human Rights – Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights

The International Alliance of Women Equal Rights – Equal Opportunities

The Swedish Women’s Lobby

Tonga Family Health Association

Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health Union de l Action Feministe

Väestöliitto ry

Vision Spring Initiatives Lagos Nigeria Womankind Worldwide

Women for Women’s Human Rights-New Ways

Women Peacemakers Program

Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights

World Vision Finland

View the PDF letter here: http://www.csbronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IPPF_UNGALETTER_SRHR_SDGS_SEPT-2016.pdf

CSBR Featured, News from Member Organizations, Resources & Tools

Bandhu Social Welfare Society, Bangladesh, joins CSBR!

We are excited to welcome Bandhu Social Welfare Society (BSWS) in Bangladesh as a new member of the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)!

Over the last year, we’ve had the pleasure of connecting more closely and learning from BSWS about their outreach, capacity-building, social organizing and advocacy efforts on issues such as youth sexual health, legal aid & education, as well as sexual and reproductive health rights across Bangladesh.

In October 2015, Shale Ahmed joined CSBR’s panel on “Strengths & Challenges of LGBTI Organizing in Muslim Societies”, a first of its kind session at the ILGA-Asia conference in Taipei, Taiwan.

Shale_2CSBR-ILGAAsia — *Shale Ahmed: “Recognition of Hijra as Third Gender in Bangladesh” at ILGA-Asia 2015*

Shale Ahmed profiled the work that Bandhu has been doing to ensure Hijra access to education, health and housing rights, since the landmark 2011 decision by the government of Bangladesh officially acknowledging the Hijra’s as third gender. The presentation focused on the strategies and challenges of engaging institutional mechanisms–such as the National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh, drafting national Anti-Discrimination Legislation, and reporting at the UN Universal Periodic Review–to monitor progress & effect long-term change at the national level.

View Shale Ahmed’s presentation here: ShaleAhmed_HjraRights_CSBR-ILGAAsia2015, and read more about Bandhu’s work below.

Bandhu_Logo
Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu) started its journey in 1996, and works toward the well-being of sexual minorities by facilitating sexual and reproductive health services and supporting human rights, dignity and livelihoods of their choices.

Bandhu Social Welfare Society envisions a Bangladesh where every person, irrespective of their gender and sexuality, is able to lead a quality life with dignity, human rights and social justice.

Main Activities & Projects

Current Programmatic activities:

Community strengthening and mobilizing to more effectively engage in governance, policy and service delivery

Provision of safe spaces to meet, socialize and educate
Outreach and networking
Health and rights education
Capacity building
Knowledge generation
Policy and advocacy
- Sensitization Meeting/workshop/consultation session at policy level
- Project Facilitation Team (PFT) Meeting with local level administration, social elites, Lawyers and Journalists
- Local elected bodies
- Law Enforcement Agencies

2. Social welfare and support services

Drop-in services
Psychosexual, psychosocial and Mental health counseling
Livelihood program
- Vocational training and skills building
- Community building activities

3. Health services

STI and general health treatment services
HIV voluntary testing and counseling
Care and support services
- Free medical consultation
- Free medicine
- Referrals for ARV access and other health services

4. Legal support

Legal counseling
Document harassment and violation cases
Monitoring and evaluation of the cases
Refer the cases to the appropriate authority

For more information visit: http://www.bandhu-bd.org/

CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News from Member Organizations, ODOS, Resources & Tools

Turkey – Stop Sexual Violence! Infographic on the Istanbul Convention

Blast from the Past: For the 2014 One Day One Struggle campaign, our members in Turkey–Lambda Istanbul, KAOS-GL and Women for Women’s Human Rights-New Ways—organized around Turkey’s responsibilities to implement the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention).

Check out their Infographic below, and download a copy here: http://www.csbronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ODOS2014-Turkey-IstanbulConvention-Info.pdf

View the online campaign on Twitter with the hashtags: #istanbulsozlesmesi and #ortakmucadelehepbirlikte

CSBR Featured, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Rights Spotlight: IDAHOT

Yesterday and today – people around the world continue to be denied their basic and fundamental human rights, targeted on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression. And not only do violence, criminalization, discrimination, and impunity remain widespread, anti-rights actors frequently justify them at the national and international level in the name of culture, religion and tradition.

Over 70 countries continue to criminalize consensual same-sex relationships, and many people who are non-conforming in terms of their gender identity and expression and sexual orientation, including LGBTIQ people, undergo torture and ill-treatment in everyday life, in custody, and in clinics and hospitals. Across contexts, the law is employed to punish individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity and to restrict rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Still today, region across region, entrenched discriminatory attitudes thrive in legal and policy vacuums and hate-motivated violence blights and ends the lives of many.

Yet states are legally bound by international human rights law to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all persons, no matter their gender identity and expression and sexual orientation.

Human rights are for each and every one of us. To reserve rights for the powerful in society and to withhold them from the marginalized makes a mockery of our human rights system and of state obligations to their citizens, and to deny any group or individual their essential rights is nothing less than to try to define them as less than human.

Join OURs today in celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia(IDAHOT) and stand in solidarity with activists and individuals worldwide. Let us call for all states to uphold the universality of rights for everyone, everywhere – equally and without discrimination.

What is OURs?

OURs aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on anti-rights initiatives threatening our human rights systems. Our goal is to strengthen the work of activists facing direct challenges to rights, especially rights related to gender and sexuality.

Resources and further information

This IDAHOT, OURs highlights a selection of resources for activists working on rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression worldwide.

Please share these with your networks, let us know of your key resources, and tweet using the hashtags#RightsAreUniversal and #IDAHOT

Resources:

CSBR Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

Rights Spotlight: International Day of Families

This May 15th is the International Day of Families. So what’s this all about – and what do families, human rights and gender justice have to do with one another?

Established principles of international human rights law uphold the rights of all individuals within families to be free of coercion, violence and discrimination; free to found families on an equal basis; and free to become a part of diverse forms of families around the world.

Yet today we stand witness to ongoing violations of these intrinsic rights across regions – including intimate partner violence and child abuse, harmful practices, stigmatization, and unequal family laws – and the failure of states to ensure these rights and to hold perpetrators accountable.

And at the same time, conservative actors are leading the charge at the United Nations and other human rights spaces to undermine and chip away at our rights protections themselves. Ironically, many of these actors use emerging discourses around ‘the family’ to defend violations committed against family members, to bolster and justify impunity, and to restrict equal rights within and to family life.

Today, join the Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) in calling for our universal human rights: equality within families and respect for the human rights of all family members worldwide, without discrimination. Human rights are indivisible, universal, interdependent, and inalienable to every person in the world.

OURs aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on anti-rights initiatives threatening our human rights systems. We hope to strengthen the work of activists facing direct challenges to rights, especially rights related to gender and sexuality.

This International Day of Families, OURs highlights a selection of relevant resources. Please share these with your networks, let us know of your key resources, and tweet using the hashtags #RightsAreUniversal and #FamilyDay

Families are diverse

Counter to the claims of anti-rights actors, as the human rights framework has recognized time and time again, families are diverse and take many different forms around the world.

Conservative discourses undermining rights

We are increasingly seeing the spread of a conservative discourse in human rights spaces which seeks to employ the term “family” strategically – to reserve human rights for the few instead of for all, to promote inequality and to weaken our existing human rights protections.

Regressive actors are collaborating across borders and religions to attack human rights standards with appeals to a narrow and discriminatory conception of ‘the family’ and ‘family values,’ including the recent “Protection of the Family” resolutions at the United Nations.

Equality in family laws

From country to country, personal status or family laws discriminate against women and are employed to restrict their rights to family life and other fundamental freedoms.

Not only do these laws continue to grant unequal rights to custody; provide cover for coercion, abuse and sexual violence; and delimit women’s access to money – states continue to attempt to back out of their human rights commitments to change these laws and challenge discriminatory gender stereotypes by reference to national sovereignty, tradition, religion and culture.

Resources

Diversity of families

Love is a family value: Supporting all families and family members (UN LGBT Core Group – video/event)

Conservative discourses

Family laws

CSBR Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools

Queering Indonesia: Self, Subjectivity and Crisis

IFJ Vol.4 No.1, March 2016

Feminism gives hymn of equality the power and the incentive to emancipate humanity. Originally this fight embraces the cause of women’s liberation in full which still unachieved in recent years. Those experiences defend a specific understanding of philosophy as social critique. It owes its conceptual tools from the long struggle against racism and the history of slavery. In Indonesia, the tradition of phenomenology explores women’s experiences facing state violence as well as society’s unjust treatment against LGBT’s voices. The relationship between language and linguistic meaning as cultural marker has sharpened the way state and society rejected equality. Indonesia fails to think of history of transgendering, of Srikandi’s transgendering in Mahabharata epic. Or the ritual role of Banyuwangi transgendered males.

Full Journal in PDF from: http://www.jurnalperempuan.org/indonesian-feminist-journal.html

Articles:

CSBR CSBR Activities, Featured, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools

Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) web platform launch

The Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) is pleased to announce the launch of its web platform: oursplatform.org. The platform will be the goto place for information and resources on safeguarding the universality of rights in international and regional human rights spaces.

A new collaborative project

Human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, and inalienable for every person in the world.

Yet, increasingly conservative actors are targeting the systems established to protect human rights for all. These actors use arguments based on antirights interpretations of religion, culture, tradition and state sovereignty to roll back our fundamental human rights — particularly women’s rights and gender justice— and to justify state impunity.

The Observatory on the Universality of Rights (OURs) is a new collaborative project that aims to monitor, analyze, and share information on antirights initiatives threatening international and regional human rights systems.

Grounded in a feminist framework, the OURs initiative works across regions, issues, and human rights spaces towards the advancement of social justice.

The project seeks to understand who is undermining the universality of human rights; why and how they seek to do it; and what can be done to secure equal human rights for all, including and especially rights related to gender and sexuality.

Learn more about the OURs project

A platform for organizations and individuals

Are you or your organization:

● Working for gender justice at the international or regional level?

● Working at the national or local level and encountering religious fundamentalisms?

● Interested in learning more about the dynamics of international and regional human rights spaces and threats to human rights, or starting to engage in this kind of advocacy?

You will find on the OURs web platform:

● A wide range of resourcesfrom quicktouse tools to indepth analysis and reports;

● Latest news related to the impact of religious fundamentalisms on human rights around the world;

● Major events that mark important opportunities to safeguard the universality of rights

PLEASE NOTE: The English language site is now live, with French and Spanish versions set to launch in 2017.

Discover the OURs platform now

Contribute to OURs

OURs welcomes organizations and activists that work to promote human rights, especially rights related to gender and sexuality, to engage and participate.

For more information, to share resources with us, to enquire about institutional membership, or to suggest opportunities for collaboration, please contact: OURs@awid.org

CSBR CSBR Activities, Headline, News from Member Organizations, News on Sexual & Bodily Rights, Resources & Tools, Statements

CSBR: President Widodo & Indonesian Govt. Must Uphold Constitutional Rights of Indonesian Citizens

President Joko Widodo & the Indonesian Government Must Uphold the Constitutional Rights of Indonesian Citizens

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) is gravely concerned about the on-going attacks against the civil, political and human rights of Indonesian citizens of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations.

What began in January 2016 with a spiteful comment from the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher education that LGBTIQ people ‘corrupted the morals of the nation’, has turned into an almost two-month long series of attacks and an increasingly hostile climate spreading across different cities and provinces in Indonesia.^{^[1]}

As a Coalition of over 30 civil society organizations and academic institutions working to uphold sexual and bodily rights in Muslim societies, CSBR urges President Joko Widodo to unequivocally come out in support of Indonesia’s LGBTIQ citizens, to uphold democratic rights and ensure protection from discrimination and harassment, and to call for an end to the hateful and discriminatory rhetoric being propagated by government officials.

To this end, President Joko Widodo and the Indonesian government must take all measures to protect the constitutional rights^{^[2]} of Indonesian citizens, including:

the right to education and the right to participate in and benefit from social, cultural and scientific life (Art. 28C(1));
the right to collective struggle for rights (Art. 28C(2));
the rights to equal recognition, guarantees, protection and fair treatment under the law (Art. 28D(1) and 28I(1));
the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, expression, opinion, assembly and association (Art. 28E);
the right to be free from discriminative treatment based upon any grounds whatsoever and the right to protection from such discriminative treatment (Art. 28I(2)).

As a member of the United Nations, and as a state party to the ICCPR and the ICESCR, the Indonesian government also has a duty to ensure non-discrimination, academic freedom, and access to education, to enable citizens to make informed decisions and autonomous choices on all matters relating to themselves, including their beliefs, opinions, and identities.

CSBR applauds the strong leadership demonstrated by KOMNAS-HAM, Indonesia’s independent National Human Rights Commission, which has consistently applied clear, rational and informed juridical reasoning to highlight the unconstitutionality of attempts to restrict the rights of all those who would seek to engage in public discussions, support services, and advocacy for rights, protection and education on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.^{^[3]}

Background & Further Details:

In January 2016, the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education called to ban a Support Group and Resource Centre on Sexuality Studies (SGRC) that offered LGBTIQ-friendly counselling services to students on Indonesian university campuses. His statement set off a chain reaction of spiteful attacks by militant groups, the police, and other government officials against civil society and LGBTIQ individuals.

Since January, numerous government officials have made hateful statements against the LGBTI community. This includes:

Legislator and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Nasir Djamil stating that “The LGBT community should not be allowed to grow or be given room to conduct its activities. Even more serious is those LGBT members who go into universities with scientific studies, or hold discussion groups”;^{^[4]} in contravention of Articles 28D(1) and 28D(2) which upholds the rights to education and participation in technology, arts, and culture, and the collective struggle for rights.
Culture and Primary Education Minister Anies Baswedan telling parents and teachers “that LGBT people were deviant and a danger to adolescents”,^{^[5]} and the National Broadcasting Commission banning content on TV and radio that ‘normalizes’ being LGBTIQ, in the name of ‘protecting children and adolescents’.^{^[6]} Such rhetoric ignores the Constitutional rights of LGBTIQ children to protection from violence and discrimination (Art. 28B(2)).

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi, who stated that “Of course it is inappropriate for civil servants to be [homosexual]”, despite Art. 28D(3) guaranteeing “Every citizen shall have the right to obtain equal opportunities in government”.

Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu labelling the LGBTIQ movement a ‘proxy war’ that is a greater threat to national security than nuclear weapons;^{^{^[7]}}

Indonesia’s Communications and Information Ministry has proposed and begun drafting a bill that will ban websites that ‘promote LGBT propaganda’ that could “damage national security, identity, culture and the faith of Indonesians.”^{^[8]}

The proliferation of fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric has also emboldened vigilante and militant groups to harass civil society and succeed in shutting down LGBTIQ events and spaces:

On 4 February, a militant group harassed participants at an event on access to justice for LGBTIQ people in Jakarta, and had the police shut the event down;^{^{^[9]}}

On 23 February, the police turned against LGBTI advocates at a public demonstration in Yogykarta who were rallying to counter an anti-LGBTIQ demonstration;^{^[10]}^{^{,^[11]}}

On 24 February, the Al Fatah Pesantren Waria, a longstanding community supported religious boarding school for waria (transgender) students, was closed in Yogyakarta.^{^[12]}

These are but a few of the many statements and incidences that have been reported on in mainstream media in recent months, and they highlight a clear lack of political will to uphold the rule of law or ensure access to justice.

As Vera da Costa, an activist from long standing Indonesian LGBT organization GAYa NUSANTARA shared with us,

“The space for LGBTIQ people to exercise their rights to freedom of assembly and association in Indonesia is now very limited. The security of individuals and organizations is in jeopardy; we are being threatened and there is no protection from the government. Meanwhile the media sensationalizes the news in a negative fashion, so that the public is increasingly misinterpreting what is at stake here. We want the President to intervene and take action to protect us as citizens, because it is the government officials of his cabinet that are attacking us in the first place.”

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies is deeply concerned for the security and safety of our friends and allies who are organizing and living within such a climate of fear and insecurity, with no protection or recourse from the judicial or legal systems in place.

We join Indonesian civil society’s call and urge President Joko Widodo to take immediate action to end the harassment and to uphold the civil, political and human rights of Indonesia’s LGBTIQ citizens.

12 March 2016

For more information, please contact CSBR: coordinator@csbronline.org, and GAYa NUSANTARA: gayanusantara@gmail.com.

———————————————-

^{^[1]} Further details below.

^{^[2]} http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—ilo_aids/documents/legaldocument/wcms_174556.pdf

^{^[3]} http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/05/komnas-ham-slams-vilification-lgbt-officials.html

^{^[4]} http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/01/25/lgbt-not-welcome-university-minister.html

^{^[5]} http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/13/luhut-defends-lgbt-groups.html

^{^[6]} http://www.kpi.go.id/index.php/lihat-terkini/38-dalam-negeri/33218-kpi-larang-promosi-lgbt-di-tv-dan-radio

^{^[7]} http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/02/23/055747534/Minister-LGBT-Movement-More-Dangerous-than-Nuclear-Warfare

^{^[8]} http://www.curvemag.com/News/Indonesia-Sees-Rising-Discrimination-Against-LGBT-Community-1008/

^{^[9]} https://www.hrw.org/tet/node/286749

^{^[10]} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu66JLcEv8I

^{^[11]} http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/24/police-ban-rally-held-lgbt-supporters.html

^{^[12]} http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/02/26/yogyakarta-transgender-islamic-boarding-school-shut-down.html

CSBR CSBR Activities, Resources & Tools, Videos

CSBR hosts 1st International Screening of CALALAI: In-Betweenness by Ardhanary Institute

The Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR) is honoured to have hosted the first international screening of CALALAI: In-Betweenness, a stunning documentary film made by the Ardhanary Institute that explores the historical & contemporary socio-cultural understandings of gender amongst the Bugis in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The film premiered on 10 December 2015, on the occasion of the International Day for Human Rights in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ardhanary Institute generously granted us rights to screen the documentary as part of our 8th Sexuality Institute, where we brought advocates from across 15 countries together for an intensive week-long training in Sri Lanka, on a holistic approach to sexual and bodily rights as human rights. The film sparked rich and lively discussions, and opened up participants eyes to the global historical variations in gender identities and sexual orientations that have existed beyond a western binary worldview. These dynamic experiences of gender and sexuality across the Global South are too often overshadowed and silenced today, especially by conservative and political ideologues that cast cultural mores across the Global South generally, and across Muslim societies particularly, as monolithic and static.

CALALAI: In-Betweenness is a vehicle for re-claiming and discussing our own histories, cultures and identities on our own terms, and broadening our minds to deeper understanding in an ever shifting landscape of cultural experiences and identities. Our great appreciation to the Ardhanary Institute for their support and congratulate them on this exciting and timely documentary.

Watch the preview to the film below (with English subtitles), and get in touch with Ardhanary Institute for more information about the film.

“A story about the existence of women of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, living in Bugis culture in the midst of modern world ruled by binary system. For centuries Bugis people have accepted gender diversity as implicitly written in La Galigo manuscript, where they believe that humans consist of five genders, and one of them is calalai.
Who is calalai?”

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“Jadal” Publishes New Articles about “Sexual Politics in Palestine”

العدد 24 من مجلّة جدل الالكترونية: “السياسات الجنسية والجندرية”

اصدر مركز مدى الكرمل العدد الرابع والعشرين من مجلّة جدل الالكترونية، بتحرير عرين هوّاري. يتناول المحور المركزي لهذا العدد من جدل السياسات الجنسية والجندرية بتقاطعها مع مباني قوة أخرى، وعلى نحوٍ خاص السياق الاستعماري في فلسطين. تلقي مجموعة المقالات النظر على زوايا غائبة أو مغيّبة في مناقشة المجتمع الفلسطيني لقضايا الجندر وللسياسات الاستعمارية، إذ يرفض كتّاب المقالات فصل الجنسي عن السياسي وفصلهما عن الاستعماري. معظم المقالات في هذا المحور كُتبت في أعقاب مشاركة الكاتبات في المخيم الأكاديمي “السياسات الجنسية ضمن السياق الاستعماري في فلسطين،” الذي بادرت اليه ونظمته مؤسسة القوس في كانون الأول (ديسمبر) 2014

“Jadal” Publishes New Articles about “Sexual Politics in Palestine”
alQaws’ first academic school on sexual and gender diversity took place in December 2014. It engaged activists and academics, and was attended by 30 participants. In 2015, we composed and collected written materials produced by the participants. This resulted in a publication of a first set of articles published by Jadal (November 2015 issue), the journal of Mada al-Carmel, edited by Areen Hawari. To read more about this project, click here.

For more information, visit alQaws website

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The Philippine Shari’a Courts and the Code of Muslim Personal Laws

Publication Date: 14 October 2014

The Philippine Shari’a Courts and the Code of Muslim Personal Laws

Isabelita Solamo-Antonio

Abstract

A survey, conducted by the PILIPINA Legal Resources Center (PLRC) in the Philippines, on the extent of usage of, and the attitudes, aspirations and behavior of Muslim women in relation to the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (CMPL) found that the majority of Muslim women were not familiar with their official legal rights. The solution to the problem of lack of legal literacy is easy. The greater problem, as the survey indicated, is that women’s lack of autonomy is largely cultural, and justified by invoking customary laws and religious traditions. This worldview affects the individual’s ability to participate in every level of social life—from decision making within her home and family, to education, employment and public office. This chapter will discuss the implications of this research and what outreach projects have been implemented (including engagement with the UN Cedaw Committee) since it was undertaken, to overcome the problems revealed concerning Muslim women’s understanding of their legal rights in the Philippines.

Permanent Link to Chapter at Springer: http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-09605-6_6
This is a Chapter in The Sociology of Shari’a: Case Studies from around the World, Volume 1 of the series Boundaries of Religious Freedom: Regulating Religion in Diverse Societies pp 83-101

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Kohl: The Non-Exotic Erotic – Questions of Desire and Representation

The winter edition of Kohl: A Journal for Body and Gender Research, Vol. 1, No.2 is available in English and Arabic.

THE NON-EXOTIC EROTIC
Questions of Desire and Representation

Reposted from: Kohl

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Documentary: The Reformer of Wringin Sukowono (Indonesia)

This video, created by Institute for Women’s Empowerment, tells the story of the struggles of Najma Milla and her husband Nurul to establish an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) which is at the same time a public school, rather than being solely based on religion. This model of boarding-cum-public school did not previously exist in Wringin Sukowono Village (Jember District, East Java).

Still from The Reformer of Wringin Sukowono. (Credit: IWE/WELDD) — The Reformer of Wringin Sukowono. (Credit: IWE/WELDD)

Najma Milla is an alumna of RAHIMA in Indonesia, and is featured in this film as a truly innovative and successful feminist leader in her community.

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GISWATCH 2015: Sexual Rights and the Internet

GISWatch 2015 is out, with a focus on Sexual Rights & the Internet. This edition brings together 57 country reports on a wide array of sexual rights issues, including: GISWatch2015-SexualRights-Internet

– Restrictions for Sexual Rights Activists in Sudan

– Internet rights, culture, and religion in Ethiopia

– Stopping FGM in the Gambia

– Sexual harassment in cyberspace in Morocco and Yemen

– Censorship of sexual expression online in Turkey

– Third gender rights in Bangladesh

– Teenage sexual health education in Indonesia

and much, much, more. Read more details below and find the reports online at GISWatch.org.

* * *

12 November 2015

The Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) 2015 presents stories from around the world on how the politics of sex and sexual rights activism takes place online. Since 2007, the GISWatch provides a space for collaborative monitoring of implementation of governments commitments towards the creation of an inclusive information society.

The topics of the 57 country reports gathered in this year’s GISWatch are diverse, ranging from the challenges and possibilities that the internet offers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LBGTQ) communities, to female genital mutilation, the suppression of sexual rights such as same-sex marriage and the right to legal abortions, to the rights of sex workers, violence against women online, and sex education in schools. Each country report includes a list of action steps for future advocacy.

The eight thematic reports introduce the theme from different perspectives, including the global policy landscape for sexual rights and the internet, the privatisation of spaces for free expression and engagement, the need to create a feminist internet, how to think about children and their vulnerabilities online, and consent and pornography online.

The timing of this publication is critical: many across the globe are denied their sexual rights, some facing direct persecution for their sexuality (in several countries, homosexuality is a crime). While these reports seem to indicate that the internet does help in the expression and defence of sexual rights, they also show that in some contexts this potential is under threat – whether through the active use of the internet by conservative and reactionary groups, or through threats of harassment and violence. The reports suggest that a radical revisiting of policy, legislation and practice is needed in many contexts to ensure that the possibilities of the internet for guaranteeing sexual rights are realised all over the world.

Reposted from: GenderIT.org

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An Advocacy Brief: Post 2015 Development Agenda, Influences of Religious Fundamentalisms on Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights of Women

This brief by the Post-2015 Women’s Coalition highlights the influences of religious fundamentalisms on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, as a key concern for the adoption and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

From the Introduction: “The term ‘religious fundamentalism’ has connotations of regression and backwardness and has been used in debates, Islamic militancy activities5 , Protestant ideology, anti-Americanism and fanaticism. The use of the term in this brief does not signify one religion, but illustrates how the political (mis)use of religion may limit rights, including SRHR, of women and marginalized groups.

Religious fundamentalism misuses religion for political power, and selects specific aspects of modernity as going against religious identity and rejecting others. It is associated with conservative authoritarian policies. Religious right ideologies use discourses of religion and culture to maintain and extend power over the public and private domains. Religious fundamentalists impose their worldviews and apply religious law to all aspects of life. Women are often considered the custodians of family norms and honor and religion is used to control them in direct and indirect ways. As a result, their bodies and sexualities, as well as freedom of movement, reproduction, and dress, become sites of religious control. Extreme interpretations of religion have also impacted people of diverse sexuality.”

Read the full brief on the Post-2015 Women’s Coalition site here.

IFJ Vol.4 No.1, March 2016

President Joko Widodo & the Indonesian Government Must Uphold the Constitutional Rights of Indonesian Citizens

Editorial

Opinion Piece

Testimony

Openings

Articles

Commentary

Resource