One Day One Struggle! 2023

On November 9th, a global chorus rises in celebration of sexual and bodily rights as human rights. This year, the One Day One Struggle! campaign, led by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), united communities around the world. We proudly supported four dynamic member organisations: Asosiasi LBH APIK Indonesia and Qbukatabu; Forum for Dignity Initiatives (FDI), advocates for sexual and bodily rights in Pakistan; and Kaos GL, a leading voice for LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey.

From Indonesia to Pakistan and Turkey, these organisations brought the spirit of One Day One Struggle! to life through diverse and impactful initiatives. Stay inspired by these stories and join the movement for sexual and bodily rights for all. Visit the CSBR social media pages to learn more and discover how you can contribute.

Pathchola Foundation – Bangladesh

Pathchola organised an online workshop, “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Youth through Transgender Sensitization in the Digital Age,” on Monday, November 27, 2023, via Google Meet regarding One Day One Struggle (ODOS) in the month of November. This workshop was held for support to Global Campaign One Day One Struggle #ODOS2023.

A total of 37 participants from Government Organization, NGO, Local Level and youth community attended the workshop. The workshop aimed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the transgender community and to discuss ways to empower them through digital literacy and sensitization. 

Asosiasi LBH APIK Indonesia – Indonesia

Asosiasi LBH APIK Indonesia has arranged an Instagram Live online discussion entitled “From Morals, Culture, Religion, to the State: The Situation of the Fulfillment of Rights Access to Safe Abortion for Women in Indonesia”. The discussion was held to celebrate the ODOS campaign together with the opening of 16 days of anti-violence against women campaign, by inviting three speakers from a SHR expert, a legal assistant for victims of sexual violence, and a Moslem religious expert.

The 1.5 hours Live IG discussed the current situation of access to safe abortion in Indonesia with various obstacles both from religious, cultural aspects and legal instruments that still hasn’t yet accommodated the needs of women and people with the capacity to become pregnant. Currently, abortion regulations in Indonesia can only be provided to: (1) victims of sexual violence up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, and (2) pregnancy which has medical emergencies. Meanwhile, the absence of implementing regulations that regulate the technical implementation of safe abortion makes safe abortion to those two specific conditions still inaccessible.

They also produced two short videos highlighting the speaker’s key statements. The recorded discussion can be accessed here, and the bilingual short videos can be accessed on Youtube.

Through the safe abortion access campaign, the LBH APIK Indonesia Association aims to: (1) raise public awareness regarding safe abortion belongs to sexual and reproductive health right, (2) breaking the stigmas and discriminations aimed at women and people with the capacity to become pregnant regarding abortion, (3) encourage and invite the public to jointly monitor the technical regulations of the Health Law 17/2023.

Qbukatabu – Indonesia

To observe ODOS 2023 campaign, Qbukatabu brought the conversation about Feminist Queer Artists: Resistance and Resilience. A number of feminist queer artists voiced out their work, struggle and hopes in future in doing artivism in the format of video. We hope this video can inspire others who also have to deal with everyday resistance because of their bodies, sexuality, gender identity and self-expression to persistence and to be resilience. They also produced and published short videos in YouTube Channel & Instagram Reels a short video that contain basic information regarding ODOS campaign. They would also upload a compilation short videos from Feminist Queer artists regarding artivism to promote sexual & bodily rights. The latter video would consist of thoughts and experiences from up to 8 feminist & Feminists Queer artists regarding their works & journey in the respective fields.

Forum for Dignity Initiatives (FDI) – Pakistan

FDI arranged a study circle to support an important and timely initiative aimed at addressing the intersections of climate change, women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and the deficiency of gender-responsive policies. The One Day One Struggle Campaign would provide the perfect opportunity for FDI to organize a study circle with university students on the implications of climate change on women’s bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health, and rights. The study circle aimed to raise awareness by educating students and the community about the linkages between climate change and women’s SRHR, shedding light on the vulnerabilities and challenges women face. It also facilitated research on this critical intersection, identifying specific issues, and solutions that can inform policy changes. Develop a clear advocacy strategy to promote gender-responsive policies at the local, national, and international levels. The ultimate goal is to build a community of engaged individuals advocating for gender-sensitive climate policies by encouraging dialogue to better understand the intersectionality of sexual and reproductive health and rights and climate change and through actionable research findings to advocate for gender-responsive policies.

Kaos GL – Turkey

The ODOS 2023 was organized by Kaos GL Association in 9 November 2023. This year, in parallel with the global economic crisis after Covid-19 pandemic and its subjective effects of different societies was brought to the agenda. In this framework, the theme of the event was “+” is not always positive. Between sur-plus exploitation and sur-plus potentiality.

OneDayOneStruggle 2021

Every 9 November communities around the world come together in celebration of sexual and bodily rights as human rights, as part of the One Day One Struggle! campaign, coordinated by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR).

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented challenges to all of us, 2021 has been a tough year for human rights movements, many of which face setbacks unique to their communities. In the spirit of acknowledging this struggle, for this year’s One Day One Struggle campaign, all member organizations will focus on themes that they deem important and most pressing respectively.

See a brief listing of the planned actions below, and keep up with us using on Twitter (@SexBodyRights, #OneDayOneStruggle), Instagram (@csbrsexbodyrights) and Facebook (facebook.com/CSBRonline) on November 9th for updates as the actions occur!


TURKEY

WWHR-New Ways and Kaos GL from Turkey, have been organizing these events since 2019 to emphasize the importance of the struggle of feminists and LGBTI+s together against anti-gender movements and discourses, and to develop new strategies.

This year, they wanted to consider all these debates which arose again around the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, and to rethink the concepts of gender and gender equality. For this purpose, their panel titled  “Gender: from Feminism to Queer Theory”, which will be online on November 9, will discuss how and when gender has become one of the key concepts of the LGBTI+ rights struggle, theoretical and historical transformations that paved the way for the emergence of trans exclusionary feminist views and their increasing visibility in years, the reflections of these debates in the feminist movement in Turkey, the historical alliances between the Turkey’s feminist and LGBTI+ movements and the possibilities of alliances in the near future. 

After the panel, they continue with an online party. 

The event will be Turkish. If you still want to participate, you can register via this link.

Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVzzJ9QgFV7/?utm_medium=share_sheet

BANGLADESH

Inclusive Bangladesh and its EQUAL partner organizations (Prantoz Foundation, Pothchola Hijra Shongho, and Shree) will be jointly celebrating this year’s ODOS, highlighting the day-to-day struggle of Non-Binary people in the context of Bangladesh. The celebration will be a month-long program where the organizations will hold online and offline events such as ten digital poster publications, one art campaign, one webinar with nonbinary people, and a virtual dance show. This year ODOS will be celebrated under the hashtag #DOTOKOTA, a Bengali term that reflects upon something that has the power of creation, mixing with others. This highlights the power of non-binary people who shades lights on the unknown aspects of diverse gender in one singular body.

Event logs will be available from 1st November onwards on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/INCLUSIVEBD/ and on twitter https://twitter.com/Inclusivebangla

INDONESIA

GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation, one of the first national LGBTIQ+ organisations in Indonesia, will be uploading 15 video/audio series of religious narrations delivered with love by young friends with Islamic & Christian backgrounds. They will be uploaded gradually through the GAYa NUSANTARA YouTube channel from November 8, 2021 to November 12, 2021.

Da’wah in Love, the title for this campaign, delivers religious narratives that calm, reassure and embrace diversity in gender and sexuality, so that religion can increasingly appear in a friendly face and uphold justice and equality for all mankind.

It is hoped that the doors of love or mercy can be opened wider in a religious framework that no longer judges, oppresses and hurts, but is instead open to accepting those who are often labeled as sinners and are limited in their safe spaces even in the context of religion which should be a place of worship and shade for sweat bearers; those who continue to be attacked and hated in such a way simply because they have a different sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sex characteristics from the majority group.

Below is the list of the videos.

November 8, 2021

1) Developing Islam Rahmatan Lil Alamin – audio (Surya Alam Maulana);

2) Love Wins (Yasinta Fatmawati);

3) Creating a Safe Space for All (Agus R Nugraha);

November 9, 2021

4) Conversion Therapy: Coercion in the Name of God (Felix);

5) Religion and Justice for the Oppressed – audio (Miftahul Huda);

6) Judging Others (Amar Alfikar);

November 10, 2021

7) Gender Diversity in Religion (Ratna Triwulandari);

8) Highlighting Labeling of Gender Identity and Sexuality (Han);

9) Self-Acceptance as Part of Faith (Mohamad Safiq Niam);

11 November 2021

10) Religious Da’wah that Embraces not Clobbers (Ratna Dewi Palupi).

11) Religion and Humanity (Arimbi);

12) Worship in Diversity (Agetta Putri Awijaya).

12 November 2021

13) God’s Judgment Doesn’t See Gender Identity and Sexuality (Fikri Abdillah);

14) Gender and Sexuality Based Violence (Masruroh);

15) Interpreting the Story of the People of the Prophet of Lut or Sodom & Gomorrah – audio (Kelphin Jeremiah T)

In the Land Where Everyone’s God: Interview with Musdah Mulia

Professor Siti Musdah Mulia has taken part in many CSBR activities, including teaching at our Sexuality Institutes. Here’s an interview with her from August 2014, where she shares views on religious conservatism in Indonesia and the importance of critical thinking, education, and a rights-based democracy to counter it.

***

Musdah

In the Land Where Everyone’s God: Interview with Musdah Mulia

Muslim scholar Siti Musdah Mulia is a controversial figure, if being controversial means adhering to moderate religious teaching and relentlessly promoting pluralism and gender equality.

The Islamic jurisprudence professor has irked many conservative Muslims for her boldness in criticizing some aspects of Islam considered sacred. These include her view on hijab (“it’s just fashion, a personal decision, but there’s no directive demanding it”), although she herself wears it out of habit; her progressive view on gender role; and her LGBT-friendly perspective.

Born in Bone, South Sulawesi in 1958, Musdah is the first Indonesian woman to hold a PhD in the field of Islamic political thinking from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta.

She has written a number of books on contemporary Islam, Islamic public policy, gender equality and polygamy. Musdah has received the prestigious Yap Thiam Hien Award for national human rights activist in 2008, thanks to her bravery in promoting Islam as a peaceful community that upholds dialog and inclusiveness.

The mother of three was the director of religious research and social affairs at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. She is currently the director of the Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (ICRP) and the director of Megawati Institute, former president Megawati Soekarnoputri’s think tank.

Magdalene recently sat down with her to talk about the growing religious conservatism in the country, and below is excerpts from the interview.


Magdalene: Forgive my ignorance, I didn’t even know that there was a Megawati Institute. What does it focus on?

Musdah Mulia: We have Sekolah Pemikiran Pendiri Bangsa (SPPB – School of the Thoughts of Nation’s Founders), which is aimed to sow the ideas of the nation’s founders that are still very relevant. For four months students are introduced to the ideas of Soekarno, Mohamad Hatta and Budi Utomo to Tan Malaka and Kartini.

I feel sad that people are not familiar with their thoughts and ideas. Tan Malaka is a brilliant thinker but he’s only known as a leftist. People refuse to read comprehensively. They only read in pieces and bits and sometimes see them outside the context. Often they consider the ideas dangerous, instead of getting the right message.

I want the students to really learn the ideas and be able to provide arguments, whether they agree or not, and they are encouraged to write. The course is for students aged 17 to 24. They come from universities across the country. The teachers are mostly historians, who really understand the ideas of the thinkers. This course is free.


Were you involved in (Presiden-elect) Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s team during the election?

Yes, I was in the team of experts, formulating the vision, mission, speeches, and materials for the presidential debates, etc. I give inputs about religion. When people found out I was in the team, I was bullied. People don’t seem to be fond of me (laugh). I was accused of legalizing communism, fighting for the elimination of religion status on ID card. The smear campaign was so evil. I think we need to write a book about the effectiveness of smear campaign. We have to make people aware to not be gullible with propaganda because it is not only blasphemy, but also character assassination.


People believed in the religious issues brought up in the widespread smear campaign. Why is that?

I really believe that most of us don’t really understand about religion. Most of people’s knowledge comes from verbal explanation. It is rare that people understand religion because they read the sources themselves.

I learned about religion systematically from authentic and authoritative sources. But most people only learned from their ustad (religious teachers), and they believe that the knowledge is absolute.

Secondly, our education system does not emphasize on critical thinking. Education must sharpen critical thinking. When learning, even about religion, one must use reason, otherwise it would be wasted. We would accept everything as dogma, instead of something that results from our critical understanding.

Religious teaching is based on fear, whereas God is the Most Loving, Most Merciful, Most Beneficent, as stated in the phrase Muslims say everyday, ‘Bismillaahirramanirrahim’. These characteristics cited should be rooted first in us, so there would be no stigma and prejudice. Before we become suspicious of other people, we should accept them for what they are. But religion seems to spread horror, fear, and sometimes they are baseless and unreasonable.


I know for a fact that during the election, a number of mosques asked their congregations not to vote for Jokowi, because if he’s elected as president, Jakarta would have a Chinese Christian governor.

In many places – I happen to oversee a religious school in Klender, East Jakarta – a group of people came and preached, asked them not to vote for Jokowi because he was a member of the Communist Party (the disbanded PKI). I sometimes ask, what do you think PKI is? They said, they didn’t know. Many people are confused as to what PKI really is.

I told people at the religious schools that many PKI members were Muslims and even ulemas. It had nothing to do with the organization or atheism.


But in Islam, what is the rule of being led by non-Muslims?

There is no such rule. I have an authoritative book written by Ibn Taymiyyah, a really well known Middle Eastern scholar back in 13th-14th century. He said, being led by a fair king even though he is non-Muslim is far better than being led by an unjust Muslim king.

There is no rule that a leader must be Muslim, but the belief (that Muslims should be led by a Muslim) is entrenched deeply. My concern is how many people still understand religion in a very conservative point of view. This issue should be addressed by the government. The government should push for the dissemination of moderate thoughts, not just in Islam but also in other religions, that are compatible with democracy values. That’s the job of the state. But there have been no serious efforts from the government on this.

The government should encourage religious point of views that are democratic, peaceful and that appreciate diversity. Narrow-minded understanding that creates conflict and horror can be gradually eliminated. Unfortunately, the government let it all happens. They should take a strong stand against efforts to desacralize the state ideology Pancasila, including religious teachings.

I’m often confused. Our society is not stupid, but when it comes to religion, they refuse to use reason. Even those intellectuals and professors, whose religious point of views, I think, are naïve. Religious knowledge should be treated the same way as any other knowledge – we must use our critical minds. Maybe because we understand religion as dogma, since we are little, while the teachings must also be criticized especially if there’s something unreasonable.


Why is our society becoming increasingly conservative?

First, it’s a global phenomenon, due to the injustice suffered by Islamic countries as the results of double standards imposed by democratic countries including the US. This is unfortunate for countries that are in transition to democracy.

Second, democracy should be identical with people’s prosperity and social justice. When there’s no justice and prosperity, in addition to gaps and prevailing corruption, people are questioning whether democracy is like that.


If it’s the question of prosperity, why has the middle class grown conservative as well?

The middle upper class only looks for safety. I don’t have any other explanation. They think it would be more harmful to be moderate, so they go with the flow. They should be in a position to say that there is no place for fundamentalism and radicalism anywhere, whatever the risk is.

Young people are conservative because conservative teaching has penetrated the education system since preschool. General school is now more conservative than religious school, through religious extracurricular (Rohis). They’re scarier than religious-based schools.

In Indonesia, Wahabi (radical religious movement) moves and grows freely. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono even officiated the first Wahabi school in Solo called Majelis Tafsir Al Quran (MTA). This Wahabi group from Saudi Arabia is smart. They wanted to establish university but didn’t open a new one. They formed a joint venture with local institutions whose growth is stagnant by offering big money. Who would refuse?

I don’t understand where domestic and foreign politics in the country are going. Various groups tend to choose Wahabi over Iran, for example. Because Iran follows Shiite school of thought while Wahabi is from Saudi. Saudi is a capitalistic, hedonistic country, and they keep Wahabi groups to avoid demonstration and democratic thoughts, to easily control the people. In Indonesia, what good is that for? Maybe for control as well.


What makes Indonesians so hostile against Shiite?

The Shia in Indonesia is the traditional kind. If we’re to be honest, Islam was brought to Indonesia by Gujjarat traders from India, and it’s from the Shiite school of thought. A lot of Islamic traditions held and celebrated in Indonesia came from the Shiite tradition, such as celebrating the Prophet’s birth (Maulid Nabi). The difference between the Shia in Indonesia and in Iran is that there is no political element of it in here. People don’t even understand Shiite tradition. Shia in Iran has the tradition of Imam, here there is none.

The hatred against Shiite is spread by Wahabi groups that hate Shia. From a number of researches in Indonesia, the growing existence of Wahabi in Indonesia created the anti-Shia, anti-Ahmadiyah and anti-liberal groups stances. The more the government protects Wahabi, the more intolerant we’ll become. I heard that the government allows this group to grow so that the society will not be too liberal, so that the government could easily “play” with people.


Fundamentally, is there any difference in terms of teaching between Shia and Sunni?

Essentially, there is no difference. They worship Allah and they have the same Prophet, Muhammad.

People easily accuse people of being Shiite, such as (ulema and Muslim scholar) Quraish Shihab. Many people are not familiar with his expertise, they don’t know Pak Quraish but they attack him. Some of the attackers just graduated from schools. That’s ridiculous.


Pak Quraish is one of the ulemas that are often attacked by conservative groups.

Yes, one of them is because of his views about hijab. He said, ‘I’ve never said that hijab is haram(forbidden), no. I just want to say that hijab is a tradition of Arabic culture.” It is a tradition. If you want to wear it, go ahead, if not, then don’t. Pak Quraish said that many ulemas were angered by his view, but he felt that he had to tell the truth.

For me, hijab is more of a habit, because I grew up in a religious school. I never force my daughters or sisters to wear it.

The government should champion a moderate perspective. We should look at other Islamic countries, and not making Saudi Arabia as a role model. In Turkey, imam and khatib (preacher) have to go to special schools. There are standards. The schools teach moderate point of views, so the society is moderate, even though the current president is a bit conservative.

Tunisia adopts the sharia, but it bans polygamy and it closes down media and mosques that teach radicalism.


Has religious conservatism turned women’s movement backward?

Very. The discussion on gender equality bill at the Parliament has not finished until now. I’m now reluctant to be asked about my opinion about it, because the discussion never moves forward, just wasting my time.

It seems that there is a movement to return women to domestic realm. It’s apparent from various conservative views. I found religious teachers who are women, and they said that women cannot be leaders, cannot be active in public domain. You work in public domain, how could you teach that? I asked.


What should we do then?

The government should take a strong stand and say that the only religious teachings accepted in this country are those that are compatible with the principles of democracy, Pancasila and the principle of Islam as rahmatan lil alamin – the blessing for all humankind. That’s it. Why so afraid?

Islam is very compatible with democracy. As a human rights activist, I never lose ground. I strongly believe that Quran and Hadith (the records of Prophet Muhammad’s saying and behavior) uphold human rights. Religion is there to humanize human. It’s very clear for me.

Countering (the radical teachings) is not easy, but if we allow it, Indonesia will become Taliban in 20 to 30 years. I’ve met the Taliban in Afghanistan. I was assigned by the UN to conduct a dialog with them. At first they refused to look at me, they were angry, but we kept going. I know Quran by heart, they didn’t and they finally showed some respect for me and were willing to talk.

They said, “Don’t blame us. We’ve never heard those kind of (moderate) views.” So, dialog is necessary. It’s certainly not easy, it takes time and a lot of patience.


You are also known for your gay-friendly point of view. We have published an interesting article about being gay and Muslim, which the writer realizes it’s a paradox and conflicting.

He shouldn’t feel conflicted. When we talk about LGBT, first we talk about sexual orientation, which, according to many researches, is something given. If people are attracted to people of the same sex, there’s nothing wrong with that. There is no rule about that actually.

Second, about sexual behavior. There are heterosexual people who are into sexual perversion, while there are LGBT people who are sexually inactive because they feel that they are sinners. What are haram is sexual behaviors that are irresponsible, that hurt people and make people sick or tortured, regardless of the sexual orientation.

Islam speaks in details about sexual behaviors. Much of it is targeted for husbands, because in Arab society, the active ones are the husbands. So, the verses in Quran and the hadiths always ask husbands not to treat their wives like animal, that sexual intercourse should also include foreplay, sweet kisses and sweet words.

If gay people have sexual intercourse and do it with love and responsibility, what is wrong with that? Quran mostly emphasizes on behavior.


What about the story of Prophet Lot (of Sodom and Gomorrah)?

That story has always been used as the final conclusion. My understanding is that it’s about God’s warning to those who perpetrate sexual crimes. Anyone who does it – heterosexual or homosexual, anybody. There is no specific statement that homosexuality is forbidden.

Why is every religion against homosexuality? Because religions exist to propagate. At the end of the day, all religions are vying for devotees. They are threatened by homosexuals.

I have written about homosexuality and have repeatedly been invited to attend gay weddings in South Africa. I had a great time attending one of them. It was a wedding of an imam, a gay Muslim. I was invited along with Amina Wadud (American scholar of Islam with a progressive focus on Quran exegesis).

There is nothing wrong with being gay and Muslim. There is a group of lesbian Muslims in West Java – the members regularly hold mass prayers and donate to orphans. They are more Sufi than others. Only God has the right to rule whether people are wrong or not, faithful or not.

The problem with our society is that there are too many people who place themselves as God.

 

Source: Magdalene

Milestones for the LGBTI Movement in Indonesia

The Jakarta Post recently featured a list of milestones of the LGBTI movement inGN Triangle Indonesia, which included the founding of CSBR member and current coordinating office Gaya Nusantara! Read the article below.


Milestones for the LGBT Movement in Indonesia

Indonesia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) advocacy movement has come a long way since the 1960s, when then Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin first facilitated a transgender association in the city.

“The era after the 1998 reform was the dawn for more political LGBT organizations. […] Before 1998, the LGBT movement was accepted but controlled. After the reform era, LGBT organizations could get more political,” the director of LGBT rights group Suara Kita, Hartoyo, said on Monday.

Here we list the milestones of the Indonesian LGBT advocacy movement:

1960: Establishment of the Jakarta Transgender Association (Hiwad), with the support of then Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin. Other cities subsequently established similar organizations.

1982: Creation of the first public gay organization, Lambda Indonesia. Lambda members were mostly gay men, with little participation from lesbians or transgenders. The organization was disbanded in 1986.

1987: Creation of GAYa Nusantara, the oldest LGBT group still in existence.

1993: Indonesian Lesbian and Gay Congress (KLGI) held in Kaliurang, near Yogyakarta. Subsequent congresses were held in Lembang, West Java, in 1995, and in Denpasar, Bali, in 1997.

1998: Lesbian and bisexual women, as well as transgender men, participate in the Indonesian Women’s Congress in 1998.

2006: Signing of the Yogyakarta Principles, the first international principles on the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity.

2007: Establishment of the Gay, Transgender and Men Who Have Sex with Men Network (GWL INA), which aims to support the scale-up of HIV prevention and care programs for targeted communities.

2008: After the third International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Conference in Thailand, six LGBT organizations from Jakarta, Surabaya and Yogyakarta team up to strengthen the movement, the forerunner of today’s LGBTIQ Forum.

2013: National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) sets LGBT rights as a topic for a plenary discussion for the first time in 10 years.

Source: The Jakarta Post

One Day, One Struggle around the World!

Today, November 9, 2011 marks the 3rd annual celebration of One Day, One Struggle. This time, every year, CSBR member organizations join forces to campaign locally and globally for sexual and bodily rights. Events will be happening around the world over the coming week, here are some:

MORE UPDATES COMING AS WE RECEIVE THEM!

MALAYSIA

You can also read the statement by Women’s Aid Organization in solidarity with the campaign.

PAKISTAN

Rutgers WPF have launched a survey with special focus to the issues faced by transgenders in Pakistan. Fourth question of the poll refers to the recently released Pakistani famous Movie “BOL” which highlights different Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights issues with the context of Muslim families living in Pakistan.

Rutgers will share the results of the poll on 10th December 2011 on the commemoration of International Human Rights Day.

LEBANON

Nasawiya in Lebanon are organizing around the theme of marital rape, which has recently caused controversy during the campaign to Protect Women from Family Violence. Marital rape is exempted from bring considered criminal in the Lebanese Penal Code and women’s movements are calling for its criminalization.

A conference with interactive theater and public forum will take place on Tuesday, November 15 on the theme of marital rape and you can watch the video prepared by the group, gauging out the public’s reactions to the campaign below (in Arabic):


The Lebanese Society of ObGyn will also be holding a session on sexual pleasure deconstruction from a biomedical perspective on November 17.

PHILIPPINES

In Davao City, PILIPINA Legal Resources Center organized a Human Rights Policy Forum on LGBT Rights with a panel discussion and policy recommendations. The event brought together sociologists, researchers, writers, activists, and city councilors. PILIPINA Legal Resources Center worked to connect the LGBT community with local city legislators, academe, women’s movement, the press in order to intellectually discuss the proposed Anti Discrimination Bill Of Davao City Legislative Council which does not have a section on LGBT rights.

Isabelita Solamo-Antonio writes about the issue in Womenwise: LGBT (Lesbians, Gay, Bi-sexuals & Transgenders) Rights Are Human Rights. Check out the Facebook photo album here!

INDONESIA

Organizations in Indonesia marked ODOS with 2 days of events under the theme “My Body, My Rights : No Health Without Rights.” The occasion brought together several NGOs, academic institutions and AIDS Commission at province level (Government Organization). The Organizations that joined the events are Dipayoni (Lesbian organization), Savy Amira (Women Crisis Center), Bhinneka (Religion and pluralism organization), AIDS Commission (Government organization), and Study Center for Human Rights- Surabaya University, Study center for gender and Health- Psychology Faculty-Surabaya University.