Break the Silence!

The CSW parallel event- Break the Silence! MENA Media Platforms Negate Women’s Narratives was sponsored by Nazra for Feminist Studies and co-sponsored by The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in the Middle East and North Africa. This session focused on the violence and stereotypes perpetrated about women in the media in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with a focus on North Africa. The panel consisted of three women who are involved in the media in North Africa- one from Morocco and two from Egypt. One consensus among all panelists was that to properly address the issue of gender-based violence in media, the most important question to answer is: “Are there female leaders in media?” To this question, all panelists answered NO. The panel members stated that it is difficult to get real issues concerning women into the media outlets because of a lack of female representation in leadership positions.

In Egypt, the only sections of the newspapers that are dedicated for women are for fashion, beauty, motherhood and cooking which often perpetuates untrue stereotypes and when real issues are addressed, it is called a corruption of the women’s section of the newspaper. This serves as a battle for the Women Human Rights defenders as they are not only up against the media and a patriarchal society but also against private companies who have a vested interest in continually perpetuating these demeaning stereotypes of women in order to keep up their sales of cosmetic, fashion and beauty products. In Morocco, women are championed as being equal and included but are portrayed in the media as commodity which is a paradoxical situation that reinforced patriarchy among the younger generation and shifts the focus away from gender based violence.

However a battle has been won with the aid of local, regional and international feminist activists who provide journalists with the data needed to compel editors-in-chief to publish these important issues as there are facts and figures to back up the need for this information. In Egypt, Ms. Raneem has taken it upon herself to create a safe space for Egyptian women, especially rural women who experience worse forms of violence to tell their stories from a different perspective than that of the traditional media outlets who blame the victims of sexual terrorism. She created this space because as a professional in the media, she had experienced firsthand how women were portrayed as commodity, the lack of female leadership in media and the portrayal of sexual violence in the media. She uses alternative media outlets to ensure that the voices of women are heard with the hope that these efforts in the media will serve as a tool to change the culture.

New Book on Peaceful Solutions for Women's Advancement Across Cultures

On Friday, March 17 in the Salvation Army Auditorium, African Views promoted 100 Peaceful Solutions for Women's Advancement Across Cultures, a new book and global call to action which has been in the works for over eighteen months. Curator Wade Idris Aijbade was present, along with other authors and families of authors who contributed to the book. The soft launch and panel was moderated by Padmini Murthy, MD, and Regina Askia Williams, RN. 

The event began with keynote speaker Madame Innocence Ntap Ndiaye, President of the High Council on Social Dialogue by Decree and international lecturer from Senegal; her French presentation was translated by an interpreter. She discussed Senegal's Constitution of 2001 which includes a set of principles to promote women's rights and access. Her country has also ratified international policies on the subject, including CEDAW, and a national strategy for social justice and gender equality SNEEG. Women are concentrated in the informal economy, meaning unpaid work that remains invisible in statistics and discussions. Highlighting the context of vulnerability generated by inequality, she stressed the importance of education and social dialogue as "a means of producing social justice through consensus of main actors and democratic means of involvement." 

The first panelist, Ora Welch, M. Ed., President and CEO of Hopes CAP, Inc. (HOPES), focused on respect and early education. She stated that all people need to learn how to respect themselves and each other from a young age, so that we stop mistaking abuse for love. Abuse is tied to education, and poverty will not go away until we fix education. Young people, and particularly girls, need safe spaces for dialogue and support to become well-rounded and self-sustainable. Too many young girls are searching for approval; they need good mentors to help them understand what they are feeling.

The second and final panelist, Terry D. Ince, a human rights activist with expertise in women's economic and political empowerment from Trinidad and Tobago, reminded participants that "change starts with us." She described an incident in her country during Carnival last year where a young women's movement made their voices heard, successfully removing a man from office following his distasteful comments about a young girl's death. Women should be able to walk down the street wearing whatever they choose without being harassed, attacked, or having their space invaded, and these women exemplify the power of civil society in demanding equality and rights. 

Ince also cited CEDAW in the expectation of women and girls to be protected by the government and called for participants to put pressure on their governments to uphold the treaty in practice. For countries that have not ratified CEDAW, including the United States, Murthy encouraged participants to look into Cities for CEDAW, which aims to "Make the Global Local" by passing legislation establishing the principles of CEDAW in cities and towns across the United States. 

During the Q&A portion, the following topics were discussed: 

• Williams said, "These men didn't come from Mars, we raised them." How can we correct inequalities caused by our parents (ex. gendered ways of sitting)? 
• In order to overcome institutionalized inequalities, we must gain the respect of those (parents) we are trying to inform. By carrying yourself with respect and projecting the change you want to implement, you can talk to people one-on-one about the development and growth of their children and make a difference.
• Self-empowerment first, then social engagement. 
• Growing up, girls are encouraged to be affectionate and to be drawn to affection. Caregivers are often the source of this affection, so what advice can be given to victims of molestation by these caregivers? 
• We need protectors in the community that victims can talk to and we need to stop victim blaming. We cannot let silent suffering go on any longer. Safe spaces for dialogue and support will open the door of trust and raise awareness, enabling victims to build networks between mentors and other young people. 

"Inequality is the cause of our time"

“Making a Difference: Innovation and Women in Power” was held during the late afternoon on March 17, in the auditorium of the Salvation Army building, and was sponsored by The International Women’s Forum of Connecticut. Though this session was not as well attended as some of the earlier sessions in the day, those that were there were treated to a panel of internationally renowned women leaders. Moderated by Valerie Gelb, CEO of Gelb Global Business Growth Advisors, the panelist were Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO of Global Fund for Women, Christine McConnell, Executive Coach and founder and president of The McConnell Group, Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children, and Kavita Ramdas, former president and CEO of The Global Fund for Women. As moderator, Ms. Gelb asked each panelist a variety of questions regarding how women in leadership positions can affect social change, though each question was tailored to the particular expertise and experience of the panelist being asked.

Overall, the panel addressed 3 main themes: the role of technology in women's empowerment, the major issues/challenges facing those who are working towards gender equality, and how women can be leaders for change.

Technology

Technology was primarily presented by the panelists as a resource that can be uniquely suited to support women’s empowerment. Carolyn Miles shared examples of how technology can be used to reach women and children who are often missed by traditional healthcare system, including innovative uses of mobile diagnostic devices that can be used to diagnose and treat children in rural areas and deep urban slums, as well as ways that technology can bring training resources to non-traditional healthcare workers so that they can better serve needy populations. Kavita Ramdas shared examples of how technology can be used to give girls and women a public voice, even when they are not physically allowed in public spaces. This has been seen recently in both Saudi Arabia and in India. Musimbi Kanyoro explained how mobile technologies have allowed disadvantaged populations access to information and resources they have been historically be excluded from, though she also noted situations in which technology can be damaging, especially for girls and women whose images are shared publicly though social media without their consent.

Major Issues

A variety of significant issues were discussed by panelists. One of the most cited was the assumption that economic empowerment is the solution to gender inequality. As Kavita Ramdas explained, there are many places in the world where women has achieved high rates of educational and economic parity, but still lack political or cultural power to make change because of historical cultural norms. Education was frequently described as one of the single largest factors in changing the lives of women and girls. From Carolyn Miles' perspective, education improves the future not only of girls, but also their future generations. Because of this, her organization approaches education not only as an empowerment solution, but also a protective solution.

Leading Change

The panelists provided many examples of the lessons they have learned about how to lead change, and advice for women who want to be leaders in working towards gender equality. Chris McConnell emphasized how important it is for women leaders to focus on their own leadership skills, and ways in which they can empower others by empowering themselves. She also discussed the perceived differences between women who lead in the corporate world and those who lead in the non-profit world, encouraging the world to work together to achieve shared goals. Musimbi Kanyoro called for women leaders to embrace the diversity of the world that we live in and to avoid addressing issues related to equality as single-subject issues. Kavita Ramdas provided 3 practical strategies: give to women’s rights organizations, make friends who are different from you, and use your networks as safe places to have tough conversations.

Word Choice

As the panel came to a close, two important questions of word choice came up. First, Kavita Ramdas shared that she doesn’t like to use the word “empowerment”. As she explained it, power it not given, it is taken. Marginalized populations have to reclaim their rights – they aren’t given new rights by those in power – and by doing so they change the balance of power. She also talked about the often-heard statement “women’s rights are human rights” and spoke passionately about this for several minutes. As echoed by other panelists, gender equality improves not only women, but all members of society. The use of the phrase “women’s rights are human rights” calls attention to the idea that women have not been treated as fully human, when instead we should be calling attention to the fact that all humans need the same rights, regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and other factors.

100 Solutions for Peaceful Advancement of Women Across Cultures

Held in the late afternoon of March 17 at the Salvation Army building, “100 Solutions for Peaceful Advancement of Women Across Cultures” served a a soft launch of the brand-new book by the same name. Available online and soon available in print, this interdisciplinary book provides solutions for the advancement of women. Authors and other involved in the development of the book were engaged in this panel session.

The session began with the singing of the national anthem by one of the author’s family members. Upon the conclusion of the anthem, the panel moderators, Padmini Murthy and Regina Askia Williams, introduced the keynote speaker. Mrs. Innocence Ntap Ndiaye, who currently the President of the High Council of Social Dialogue by Decree and has held multiple ministerial positions in Senegal, spoke about the steps that Senegal has taken to promote gender equality. Feeling more comfortable in her native language, she gave her talk in French, with another member of the panel translating. At the conclusion of her brief talk, she was presented with an SDG pin, in honor of her work on gender quality and as an inspiration to continue fighting.

Ora Welch, CEO of HOPES CAP and the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, spoke next about the importance of education in breaking patterns of gender inequality and violence. With particular attention to early education and the education of young people, she described the role that education plays in breaking cycles of violence. Specifically, Mrs. Welch explained that women need education to become self-sustaining, and that the respect they receive (and feel for themselves) once they are economically empowered, will lead to a reduction in violence. She also discussed the importance of women’s education addressing love, noting that girls must be taught that love should feel good and not hurtful, and that they must be supported by their community when they choose to leave domestic relationships in which violence is used as a proxy for love.

Next, Dr. Murthy and Regina Williams introduced the audience to the inspiration behind 100 Solutions, and discussed their perspectives on what can be done across cultures to promote women’s empowerment. Regina draw attention to the role that caregivers, especially women, play in breaking cultural patterns that maintain gender inequality, while Dr. Murthy took an opportunity to thank the feminist men in the audience who are also working towards gender equality.

Finally, Mrs. Terry Ince, a human rights activist and entrepreneur, spoke about women in peace and peaceful ways to get there. Using the recent example of a woman’s death during Carnivale in Trinidad and Tobago, she described how women’s empowerment starts with women. Women coming together to make their voices heard can lead to change, as it has in Trinidad and Tobago. However, international conventions also make a difference, and women in Trinidad and Tobago have been able to point to CEDAW to hold their government accountable when women aren’t getting the protection that they need.

The audience then had an opportunity to ask the panelists questions. The questions were wide-ranging, covering topic such as how communities can come together to make sure that girls have safe places to go when they are experiencing violence to how the recent changes in US governance will impact the worldwide women’s empowerment movement. To conclude the session, all of the book’s authors present (and their families) were called to the stage, where they were presented with flowers. Two authors’ children read poetry, and a third led the audience in singing Bob Marley's “Three Little Birds” to end the session on an inspiring note.

An attempt to challenge patriarchy

Development in Practice and Christian Aid Nigeria sponsored an event called “GEADOR: Breaking Down Gendered Barriers in a Patriarchal Society”, an inspiring panel focused on the organizations’ attempts to work together to challenge existing social structures and give voice to women in rural Nigeria, a society where they are traditionally excluded and oppressed.

This approach was called GEADOR (Gender Empowerment And Development Organizing Resource), and worked at local, village levels with both sexes in order to improve gender equity perspectives and empower women in a nation where women constitute merely 6.4-6.9% of the country’s government. These NGOs believed that the key to improving women’s degrading conditions under traditional patriarchy lay in promoting female statuses within Nigerian communities along with encouraging greater contributions of women and girls at all levels of development. 

Specifically, the approach tried to work together in unity with older men, older women, younger boys, and younger girls in order to tackle barriers upholding inequality of opportunity for female achievement such as the absence of women in decision-making positions, the poor accountability of the state to implement and support women’s rights, and underlying traditional customs such as the inability for women to inherit land or property of their own. Such obstacles were self-identified by focus groups separated by age and gender, since it was assumed that such controversial topics would be more easily discussed among peers. Later however, these groups were brought together for an open discussion as a cohesive group in order to analyze participants of all ages and genders in their ability to listen to and accept different perspectives on gender issues and challenge the accepted, yet oppressive, norms of their society. 

These organizations were thrilled to report that open dialogue among village men and women of all ages had positive consequences for the communities in which GEADOR was implemented. Since the approach was put into practice in 2013, more women have been invited by village members and chiefs to participate in community practices and public meetings than ever before. Additionally, threats facing women are increasingly brought up in discussion and are being addressed by the village community, such as the traumatic customary practice of exiling widows for three months following their husband’s passing being reduced to just one week.

 The organizations attribute this monumental success to their realistic approach, such as agreeing to avoid certain “no-go” topics as discussion of women becoming King, or the questioning of non-harmful traditions such as the women offering male guests sacred fruit. This is also helped along with the support offered by community leaders who back the GEADOR programs and volunteer specific male participants from their villages that they believe would best be open to gender equity ideas, and best be willing to share what they have learned with the rest of their community. In this way, GEADOR has allowed NGOs to defiantly create safe spaces for women and girls to capture their voices and build a strong sense of self-esteem in a region where females are often the least seen and the least heard.

“Let’s criminalize sex purchases!”

Perhaps the most powerful panel I attended at the 59^th annual Commission on the Status of Women was entitled “Criminalizing Sex Purchase: A Method to Combat HIV/AIDS?”. This session was sponsored by National Organization for Women’s Shelters, Young Women’s Shelters in Sweden, and Unizon, and its impressive panel included women physicians/healthcare workers, activists (such as Rachira Gupta, recipient of Clinton Global Initiative Award and an Emmy Award), and retired sex workers themselves from around the globe.

Boldly, these women began their presentation challenging the stance of the United Nations/UN Women in their effort to legalize prostitution. This, they argue, does not at all help protect or empower sex worker women for many reasons, the most important of which being that most women do not want to be sex workers at all. It is impossible to delineate prostitution from human trafficking and as long as prostitution continues to take place, so too will women being forced, captured, or sold into sex work because the demand for their services remains no matter where, why, or what conditions the women workers come from. Therefore, decriminalization of prostitution more times than often ends up decriminalizing pimping and brothels, and giving sex purchasers impunity while leaving sex workers alone with no support of the law behind them.

Furthermore, legalizing prostitution is flawed, the panel insisted, because it assumes that women possess equal status and opportunity to exercise choice in the matter of involving themselves in sex work in the first place, which disregards whether they are trafficked, monitored by pimps, or left with no other options to support their family. Additionally, it also disregards these women’s ability to exercise choice in the critical decisions that are part of such work such as using condoms, untraditional/violent penetration, or knowing whether their partners are infected with sexually transmitted infections. Unfortunately, many sex workers perceive their status as subordinate to their pimps and their purchasers, or are in desperate financial situations that lead them to silence their opinions, no longer consider their own health, and accept more money for riskier clients/behaviors.

Optimistically, the “Nordic Model” approach to prostitution has shown promising results in Europe after widespread enforcement of laws decriminalizing sex workers themselves, but criminalizing sex buyers for their purchases. Here, legislation attacks the overwhelming demand for prostitution by assigning punishment and accountability to purchasers, scaring them away and leading to less instances of prostitution altogether – a step towards the ultimate goal of total abolishment of sex work. Specific data on Nordic societies with this legislation, such as Sweden, compared to similarly cultured societies that legalized the transaction of prostitution, such as Germany, is striking. There is a steep decline in instances of sex work in Sweden where buyers are targeted, but a blooming industry in Germany under open purchase laws, with about 4,000 women catering to about one million men each day, with an increasing amount of those 4,000 women being trafficked into the industry.

Ultimately, the panel acknowledged that the eradication of prostitution is a long, hard battle, but they emphasized the importance of absolutely terminating such work, and offered a few strategic steps towards achieving this lofty goal. Firstly, they asked that more data, and more recent data be gathered on prostitution and its effects. This is important because current decisions to legalize prostitution are being made based on outdated and overall minimally available information on the trends and consequences of the industry. Secondly, the panel begged for the true lack of agency women are able to express to be acknowledged, and that these fundamentally unequal grounds in which they stand against men do not allow them a fair opportunity to exercise choice in sexual matters. And further, they called for the recognition that it is this societal inequality that causes the legalization of prostitution to continue to cultivate a culture where men believe women are items that can be used and bought under their own demand. Lastly however, the panel underscored the fact that the fight against prostitution should most importantly be recognized as every person’s battle that is in every person’s best interest, since it not only the sex workers and the sex purchasers that are at risk for adverse consequences such as sexually transmitted infections, but also these people’s own spouses and other partners that remain oblivious and not considered in the decision-making of such risky behaviors.