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In many parts of the world religious practices and cultural
beliefs prevent women from expressing their opinions, exercising
their rights as citizens and participating fully in their societies.
Certain traditions may circumscribe a woman's right to vote, own or
inherit property, drive a car, possess a passport, select a life
partner, or simply go to school. Women's groups are increasingly
standing up to aspects of their own traditions that conspire to
silence or oppress them. At the same time, women are demanding the
right to practice their faith without compromising their human
rights.
The Roma (or gypsies) provide a unique example of a population
challenged with issues of preservation of identity while adapting to
the realities of the times. As an ethnic group, the Roma face deep
prejudice and discrimination across Europe, whether in Hungary,
Romania, Moldova, the Czech Republic or Slovakia. Within their own
community, in turn, Roma women are often subject to extreme forms of
patriarchy and oppression. The Global Fund is helping to support
Roma women as they demand justice and equal protection for their
community under the laws of the European Union, while simultaneously
implementing programs in family planning, vocational training and
women's rights to improve the status of women and girls within Roma
communities.
Across much of the Muslim world, women are challenging the
passage and implementation of "personal status codes." Such codes
help to legalize practices harmful to women such as polygamy,
lowering the age of consent in marriage, and easy divorce procedures
for husbands. Association Epanouissement Féminin in
Morocco uses a twopronged strategy to change the personal status
code. The group lobbies for changes in the law itself while teaching
rural women literacy skills to interpret for themselves the Qu'ran's
(Koran's) teachings about the rights of women. 20 Ans
Barakat uses music by popular Algerian singers in a
strategy to make apparent the discrimination women face under the
Family Status Code. The organization's forthcoming CD will help
disseminate their message of equality more widely.
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