Campaign for Human Rights in Muslim Societies - 11 Countries

WUNRN

http://www.wunrn.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“One Day, One Struggle” to Promote Human Rights across Muslim Societies

Advocates in eleven countries gather for milestone in history of sexual and reproductive rights movement

On November 9, 2009, a diverse group of nongovernmental organizations will stage bold actions in 11 countries to promote human rights. As part of the historic international campaign “One Day One Struggle” organized by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR), over 20 organizations will hold simultaneous public demonstrations and events to assert that sexual and reproductive rights are universal human rights based on the inherent freedom, dignity and equality of all human beings.

“One Day One Struggle” is designed to raise awareness of how human rights—including sexual and reproductive rights—have been under attack in Muslim societies. Rising conservatism, fueled by militarism, increasing inequalities, the politicization of religion and Islamophobia have strengthened patriarchal and extremist religious ideologies. For instance, last week, a woman in Turkey was asked to get written consent from her rapist in order to have an abortion, which is against all existing legal regulations. In the Sudan, a recent bill annulled the prohibition of female genital mutilation, new legislation in Indonesia’s Aceh now allows for stoning to death as punishment for adultery, while the bodily and sexual rights of Palestinian women continue to be violated in the shadow of the apartheid wall.

During the 1-Day Campaign that promises to be a milestone event in the history of the sexual and reproductive rights movement, hundreds will gather in university campuses in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon and the Sudan, at press conferences in Cyprus, Egypt and Malaysia, in conference and concert halls in Tunisia and Pakistan and on the streets of Turkey and Palestine, to underline the fact that sexuality is not a private issue but a site of political struggle.

CSBR is a globally renowned solidarity network of progressive NGOs and premier academic institutions in the Middle East, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, working to promote sexual and bodily rights as human rights in Muslim societies. www.wwhr.org/csbr.php

For more information, please contact Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways at: irazca.geray@wwhr.org - Tel: +90 212 251 00 29

To find out more about the Campaign in:

BANGLADESH:

- Centre for Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University: sabina@bracu.ac.bd; dmsiddiqi@yahoo.com

- Boys of Bangladesh (BoB): xecon27@yahoo.com

CYPRUS:

- Feminist Workshop (FEMA): feministatolye@gmail.com

EGYPT:

- Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), New Woman Foundation (NWF): eipr@eipr.org

INDONESIA:

- GAYa NUSANTRA: maria.notes@yahoo.com

- Puan Amal Hayati Foundation (PUAN): atashabsjah@yahoo.com

LEBANON:

- Meem: lynn@meemgroup.org

- Helem: ghassan@helem.net

MALAYSIA:

- Women’s Aid Organization (WAO), All Women's Action Society (AWAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Empower: vizlakumaresan@yahoo.co.uk

PAKISTAN:

- Vision: ahsan_anwari@hotmail.com

- Organization for the Protection and Propagation of the Rights of Sexual Minorities (OPPRSM): kylapasha@gmail.com

PALESTINE:

- Gender Studies Project at MADA Al-Carmel, Arab Center for Applied Social Research: himmat@mada-research.org

- Muntada, The Arab Forum for Sexuality, Education and Health: safa.tamish@gmail.com

- Women Against Violence (WAV): aida_touma_slima@hotmail.com; wav_org@hotmail.com

SUDAN:

- Ahfad University for Women: Amani_elkhatim@yahoo.com

TUNISIA:

- Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD): ahlembelhadj@gmail.com; childpsy_razi@yahoo.fr

TURKEY:

- Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways: irazca.geray@wwhr.org

Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways
Inonu Cad. Saadet Apt. 29/6 Gumussuyu
Istanbul 34437 Turkiye
Tel:+90 212 251 00 29
Fax: +90 212 251 00 65
www.wwhr.org

Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways is an autonomous women’s non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Turkey. Founded in 1993, WWHR works on the local, national and international levels to promote women’s human rights and enable women to participate in social change processes as free and equal citizens.

================================================================
To contact the list administrator, or to leave the list, send an email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com. Thank you.