| To: Solon who wrote (70857) | 10/22/2003 9:17:45 AM | | From: Rainy_Day_Woman | | | | where do you start?
where they are, in clear cut demands, international exposure
The major laws and measures that we demand and struggle for are as follows:
1- Abolition of the current Personal Status Code, replacing it by a secular and egalitarian family law. Laying down equal rights and obligations for women and men regarding the care and upbringing of children, control and running of family's finance, inheritance, choice of residence, housework, divorce and in case of separation custody of children.
2- Abolition of honor killing laws. Recognition of honor killing as a grave crime.
3- Putting an end to forced marriages
4- Prohibition of imposing the Islamic dress code and veil. Freedom of clothing
5- Prohibition of interference of authorities and family members in the private lives of women
6- Prohibition of any form of segregation of women and men in public places.
7- Abolition of any restriction on the right of women to work, travel and choose the place of residence at will.
8- Equal political rights for women, rights to vote and to be elected women's rights to hold any position and office - political, administrative and judicial. Women's rights to form women organizations and affiliation to political parties without any restriction. Supporting and encouraging non-governmental women’s rights groups.
9- secure equality of rights of women and men in employment, wages, insurance, education and family affairs.
10 -Imposition of severe penalties on abuse, intimidation and violent treatment of women and girls in the family.
11-Prohibition of polygamy
Women's rights activists from Iran, Jordan and Lebanon have founded CDWRME in July 2001, and Azam kamguian is the coordinator and the spokesperson of the committee. |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Sun Tzu who wrote (70851) | 10/22/2003 9:20:58 AM | | From: Solon | | | | "It still does not answer the question as to the why."
The article states it plainly enough:
"During her last visit to the country, she did a report on Iranian young people which seems to have displeased the regime, which is in the habit of blocking the return of journalists who have done reports considered critical." |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: Sun Tzu who wrote (70852) | 10/22/2003 9:36:46 AM | | From: Rainy_Day_Woman | | | | This is turning into a very useless debate and I have other things to do.
hehehehe, because you have lost the debate
females in the middle east are treated very poorly
they have sub-par human rights, individual freedom and civil rights
as I said in my original post, the middle east is decades [I hope it doesn't take decades, but I have my doubts] behind America and Europe in their treatment of women
your basic responses have been in this vein The question arises of why these women devote so much energy to a cause that preaches women's subordination and confinement to home and family. Simple answers -- such as they're stupid or brain-washed -- are unacceptable because they degrade these women's intelligence and will and ignore their honest conviction that what they are doing is best for women and for society.
you think females in the middle east want it that way
I disagree
I think they want individual freedom and civil rights
or at the very least, the right to choose either or
they don't have that |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Rainy_Day_Woman who wrote (70860) | 10/22/2003 9:40:22 AM | | From: Solon | | | | Insulting the army is a criminal offence. You can go to jail for 6 years...
news.bbc.co.uk
Turkey's state-run religious foundation has sparked public anger after publishing a booklet which approves of wife-beating.
The booklet, published by the Pious Foundation, which is part of the government's Religious Affairs Directorate, says men can beat their wives as long as they do not strike the face and only beat them moderately.
The "Muslim's Handbook", authored by a retired cleric Kemal Guran, also suggests that men are naturally superior to women.
It says that if man's wife is ill and he cannot afford a servant, he can take a second wife.
The handbook says a woman's face should be spared
A leading female deputy in the Turkish parliament expressed her disappointment at the publication of the booklet, describing it as totally unacceptable.
Sema Piskinsut, who chairs the parliamentary human rights commission, said the booklet was full of inaccuracies, and it mis-interprets the words of prophet Mohammed and Islam.
Modern interpretation
"I am outraged that such a book was published with state funds - with money women paid in taxes", said Zuhal Kilic, head of Kader, a group which promotes women in politics.
Although several books published in the past approved of wife-beating, the "Muslim's Handbook" tries to present a modern interpretation of Islam which includes greater rights for Muslim women.
But the publishers are already in trouble with the government. Another of its recently produced booklets described the Turkish army as the representatives not of the whole nation but of a faction within society.
The military is investigating whether the PIous Foundation violated laws which makes insulting the army a criminal offence.
Such an offence is punishable by a maximum prison sentence of six years. |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Solon who wrote (70864) | 10/22/2003 9:49:24 AM | | From: Rainy_Day_Woman | | | | the publishers are in trouble with the government for insulting the military [a criminal offense] but not for advocating men beating their wives [as long as they do not strike the face and only beat them moderately]?
astonishing
this about says it all as to how male oriented middle eastern society is - if man's wife is ill and he cannot afford a servant, he can take a second wife |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| To: Rainy_Day_Woman who wrote (70865) | 10/22/2003 9:52:30 AM | | From: Solon | | | | This is sad but somewhat encouraging, as well.
metimes.com
Men take a beating over violence against women
By Lucy Ashton Middle East Times
Out of the darkness, a husband grabs at his wife's shirt, shakes it and then slaps her across the face hard. Her eyes fall to the ground in shame. Next, a man pushes his daughter to the floor, snatches her wrist and taking his shoe beats her about the neck and breasts as her mother watches.
These two scenes from Arab movies were a sharp reminder to the Regional Conference for Violence against Women that domestic abuse is common in the Arab world. Men often beat women and in many countries this is culturally – if not legally - acceptable.
The conference was the first of its kind in the Middle East. NGOs from 17 Arab countries met with representatives of the UN and international aid organizations to discuss how best to stop women being abused in the home, at work and by the state.
"Men have beaten women since forever," said Hoda Badran, head of the Arab Women's Alliance and host to the conference, "but everyone denied it."
No longer. Many governments in the Middle East have signed human rights conventions. NGOs are also asked to give their human rights assessment in 'shadow reports' to ensure that there is no cheating.
The Violence against Woman report has given Arab human rights groups the green light to discuss abuse in the community.
A National Demographic and Health survey in 1995 discovered that a third of Egyptian women had been beaten by their husbands more than once, some during pregnancy and with such violence that they were hospitalized. The 2000 survey did not follow up this issue because of a claimed 'lack of funds'.
It is essential that the local, regional and international agencies communicate if violence against women is to be eliminated.
All the signatures approving the laws are "pointless" said Christina Saunders, the assistant to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, unless people understand their rights.
Female genital mutilation or female circumcision outside hospitals was banned in 1997, after reports showed 94 to 97 percent of women in Egypt were cut, but the legislation, which does not address the cultural beliefs behind the practice, is weak.
Challenging cultural norms and introducing communities to the idea of women's rights requires nerves and patience. In the case of domestic violence, organizations have to go up against many Muslim clerics too.
"There is a Koranic verse that says if you are worried your women will not behave as they should, you can beat them," explained Badran. "Though many scholars agree this is a metaphorical beating, there is resistance to change in traditional Islamic society."
The excuse has permeated into the minds of many women too, to the extent that they accept and believe they deserve to be hit.
Those women who question the legitimacy of their 'punishment' and go to the authorities still have to overcome a patriarchal society.
"Women who have the guts to report domestic violence to the police are often asked 'Well so what?'" said Badran. Many officers tell the woman to take the beating as a just punishment.
The Arab Women's Alliance is pressuring the government to put a policewoman trained to deal with such complaints in every police station. "This is the first step to making a man think twice about abusing his wife," said Badran.
"We have to eliminate the impunity of gender-based violence and make the perpetrator feel guilty," said Saunders.
NGOs are trying hard to make women aware of their rights. A network of 370 organizations is presenting women with movies and holding discussion groups to build a grassroots resistance to domestic violence. Four women's shelters are now in service.
Observers say that many organizations and local authorities do not even know which treaties their governments have signed. To implement human rights legislation, society needs to know what the new laws mean.
"By informing lawyers, judges, policemen and particularly medical practitioners, who are often the first port of call for victims of violence, we can start to change the reality on the ground," said Saunders.
The Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is hoping to recruit Arab organizations into its National Implementation Project to teach judges and lawyers about international law.
The ICJ wants to help Arab nations, says spokeswoman Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, but it questions the Arab League's commitment to human – especially women's - rights. "The Arab Charter of Human Rights adopted in 1994 provides the minimum of protection for citizens," she said.
The international community only affirmed the simple statement that "women's rights are human rights" at the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Arab nations have moved fast to collect all the relevant human rights conventions, but there is a sense that the certificates mean little in society.
"The Middle East has yet to realise that though men and women are different, their value is equal," said a local observer. |
| | Formerly About Applied Materials | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| |
