Mother, What is Your Name?

Grandpa calls you “Daughter” Uncle calls you “Sister”, I call you “Mom”.

Papa would call you “wife” – Mother, what is your name?

I went to school, then college but I didn’t need your name. Whenever I presented myself, no one asked for your name!

When I came of age by law and got the right to vote, there was no mention of your name on the card. I became a citizen, but with Dad’s name. I got a job, this too with dad’s name. I am the daughter of a nameless mother -Tell me, mother, what is your name?

I want to make it known to one and all, as your name never needed to be spoken anywhere. Please speak mother, what is your name?

Saudi Cleric Confirms That Being a Woman in Saudi Arabia Sucks, Big Time

While all Saudis live under a hyper capitalist,sectarian and brutal authoritarian regime, a Saudi cleric has issued a fatwa making it official that being a woman in Saudi Arabia sucks extra bad. This fatwa comes after some confusion surrounding the physiological effects of driving.

Last month a Saudi cleric issued a fatwawarning that driving effects the hips and pelvis of women, and thus their reproductive efficacy. After (some) men began worrying about the effects of driving on their testicles, the cleric clarified that driving is only harmful to ovaries and the female pelvis and the strange, magical and dangerous stuff contained within— just as the potentially catastrophic effects of traveling alone and of public and willful displays of hair seem to confine themselves to the section of the Saudi population that has vaginas. The cleric did urge Saudi women to cheer up, however, because it could always be worse—at least they are not foreign female domestic labor in Saudi Arabia.

When asked about these fatwas after a meeting between King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and President BarackObama, both king and president loudly condemned the regime of gender terror that currently rules Iran, where women are exposed to the deleterious effects of driving, voting, working, and holding public office. 

[This fatwa may not apply to female members of the Saudi royal family, particularly when they are in Paris, New York City, or London, spending the very hard earned, sweat soaked money of the Al-Saud.]

The complete version of news can be seen here

Photo Source can be seen here

The ugly side of Kashmir, Do We Respect Women?

In a bizarre incident, first of its kind in Kashmir, a father of a four year old girl, from north Kashmir was found guilty of murdering his daughter, Muskaan. The motive behind the murder is a gruesome case of honor killing.

“Khale shaakhein bula rahie hain, 

Phuloo awao, kahan gaye ho…” Ahmed Mushtaq

The father on questioning confessed his crime and the reasons behind the murder. He admitted that his suspicious about him not being the biological father of the girl grew as the girl was born before nine months of their marriage. As such over a period of time; he had developed hatred for her. The other motive of killing had been greed as his wife happened to be a Panch member. He planned the murder in such a way that the blame of the killing will fall on militants and he could demand cash compensation from the government in return.

Is Positive Peace with Us? Exchange Program of Muslim Women from Aceh, Pattani and Mindanao

On the occasion of AMAN’s 20th anniversary held in Pattani in January 2011, AMAN organized a workshop titled “Women in Armed Conflict”. This workshop was a part of its Assembly that focused on Multi-culturalism and World Peace. The workshop brought together women living in conflict areas and through experience-sharing and analysis of women’s roles as peace builders, addressed the relevant issues and formulated recommendations regarding the problems faced by women in areas such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Aceh, Mindanao, Myanmar/Burma, Kashmir, Manipur in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

As a follow up to the workshop, AMAN brought together eight women two from Southern Thailand (Mrs. Gareeman Saree-Nga, Yaseming Yama, Haibah Lohma), three from Mindanao (Remma Baban, Ruby Andong, and Mo'mina Abdul Jalal), and Aceh (Rizki Afiat, Kusmawati Moh. Hatta, Yusdarita) who are either affected by armed conflict and/or work for women and children affected by the same. The workshop was held in April 21 to may 3, 2012 comprising of class orientation, field visit to Aceh and Pattani, and reflection. To get insight experiences of women living in conflict area, AMAN invited eight women from Aceh, Pattani and Mindanao to document stories of women during their visits to Aceh after peace agreement comparing with situation of Muslim women in Pattani, who struggling for access to justice till now.

Women 'banned from shopping alone' in northern Pakistan: A Reflection

"We have decided that women will not visit bazaars without a male relative," the cleric, Maulana Mirzaqeem, was quoted as telling AFP news agency.

"Those who will visit markets without male relatives will be handed over to police.

"They spread vulgarity and spoil men's fasting in Ramadan."

(quoted from BBC 20 July 2013)

If we look at the quotation above it is obvious that idea of banning women in public was inspired by misogynistic views. Women were accused as source of “fitnah” (chaos) or moral degradation of men in Karak District in Pakistan. Though culturally women in Pakistan’s tribal North-west cover their heads and bodies, but it is still not enough. Why are men afraid of women in public without accompaniment? 

Firstly, in patriarchal society, people believe the division of labor is natural inspired by religious teaching. Moreover, it is strongly believed as religious teaching that has tied women must be responsible for do households and men are in charged as head of household, who most of the time dealing with public sphere. The rigid division of labor is misleading to restriction of women going to public. As a result, we found many Muslim women are not confidence dealing with social life and are often targeted by men in sexual assault, rape, harassment, fraud and only on be passive object. 

Secondly, men are feeling threaten because of socio, economic, religious and cultural pressure that always position men in advantage situation as “unquestioned power”. Unlike women, men are more enjoying privileges in the community as public adventurer. While women are likely playing disadvantage actors, who often suffering from violence against women, lack of education, less payment, and often neglected from decision making process in the community and national level. When globalization is open access for women, men who think narrowly perceiving that increasing women in public will increase more competitor. Currently, girls are more committed to education and pass with high score, who will have better chance to get prestigious job. While, men are not well prepared for facing globalization, keeping dreaming that they are leader forever, and do not need hard effort to enjoy opportunity because the world belongs to men. The situation has changed dramatically, that causes men are not able to compete, then channel their social jealousy to oppressive and violent acts. 

To conclude, banning women in public will increase more resistance among other muslim women living in different part of the world, who many of them already enjoy freedom, so their livelihood has improved. Ironically, when Islamic teaching supports women to enjoy freedom as human being, in contrary the ulama of Karak District in Pakistan is trying to push back women into domestic. Moreover, this attitude will decrade Islamic teaching that always support women’s rights. ***

Source of Photo http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23388205

Girls Education Fund in Kashmir

September 8th 2013, Dr.Shabistan Gaffar, was alumni of Peace Studies Course of AMAN, now Chairperson of Committee of Girls Education, National committee of Minority Educational Institution belong to Ministry of of Human Resource Development, has launched Girls Education Fund to help more girls and young people from Minority Groups in Kashmir to enjoy education, health and vocational skill. Though the Indian Constitution assure equality of education access for people despite their gender, race, caste, religion, age and background. However, Muslim Girls are still left behind compare to majority population. Disparities of opportunities among girls to get access of school enrollment, lack of autonomy to select her own major, and marriage pressure from the family are mostly  influencing factors, why Muslim women are less competitive than men in seeking job opportunity. The initiative that promoted by Dr. Shabistan will be able to increase the number of girls enjoying school time and postpone marriage time so they could reach higher education and find better job.  When Muslim women are having enough education, they are better to decide the best for family and better negotiation with husband in the future. When they have equal power relation, violence against women is likely avoided.  *** 

The complete report can be seen at http://aicwete.org/admin/uploads/Annual_Report-01.pdf

Source of Photo: http://aicwete.org/ 

Expert Group Meeting: Access to Justice for Muslim Women Living in Conflict Affected Area in Southeast Asia

On 2nd-3rd May 2013, The Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) held two days Expert Group Meeting in Bali by inviting 20 Muslim women living in conflict affected areas in Southeast Asia. The workshop was aimed to facilitate sharing and learning experience among Muslim women from conflict zone to discuss about access to justice. In answering problem access to justice, the workshop linkaged framework human rights, which instruments of human rights such as Covenant on Elimination all form of discrimination against women (CEDAW) and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) of framework of Muslim family law.Some recommendations from the workshop need to be addressed within and without AMAN network, they are:

# Community level:

1. To remove cultural barriers regarding women’s leadership, victims of sexual violence to speak out and access to economy, social, politics by having intensive dialogue with community and religious leaders

2. To address negative community attitudes (and their consequences) towards victims and survivors of sexual violence by encouraging discussion with religious authorities on the differences between rape and zina (fornication)

3. To advocate not to marry off rape survivors with the rapist, and for women’s access to safe abortion services

4. To build on existing indigenous knowledge and practices that already promote women’s access to ECOSOC rights