4 - Turquie : Une nouvelle législation pour les "crimes d'honneur"

ANKARA, 24 oct (AFP) - Un projet de réforme du code pénal du gouvernement turc a provoqué une levée de boucliers des organisations féministes qui le jugent en deçà des normes européennes et de nature à renforcer la suprématie de la gente masculine dans une société musulmane et patriarcale.

Ces organisations s'insurgent notamment contre les réductions de peine pour "crimes d'honneur" et la possibilité pour un violeur d'échapper à la prison s'il épouse sa victime.

Le projet du parti de la Justice et Développement (AKP, issu d'un parti islamiste), au pouvoir, vise en fait à réécrire l'ensemble du code turc adopté en 1926, trois ans après la fondation de la République de Turquie laïque sur les ruines du vieil empire ottoman théocratique.

Immédiatement après avoir été soumis à la commission de la justice du parlement, le projet a été vilipendé par nombre d'organisations de défense de droits des femmes, ce qui a entraîné la création d'une sous-commission, chargée d'écouter les nombreuses plaintes.

Les féministes s'opposent surtout à ce que la femme, contrairement à l'homme, fasse l'objet d'une définition précise dans le nouveau code, notamment dans le chapitre intitulé "atteinte à la pudeur".

"C'est d'emblée une discrimination contre les femmes. La femme est présentée comme un être sans défense qui doit être placée sous les ailes de la société", explique à l'AFP Sema Kendirci, la présidente de l'Union des femmes turques (TKB), une des plus anciennes associations féministes de Turquie. "Il est honteux que la Turquie veuille frapper à la porte de l'Europe avec ce nouveau code", martèle cette avocate qui lutte depuis des années pour l'égalité des sexes.

La Turquie qui souhaite adhérer à l'Union européenne (UE) a adopté plusieurs réformes dans le domaine des droits de l'homme ces dernières années et a aboli notamment une loi prévoyant des réductions de peine pour les "crimes d'honneur", fréquentes notamment dans l'est et le sud-est anatolien.

Il n'est pas rare qu'une jeune femme soit sauvagement assassinée après une décision du "conseil de famille" par l'un de ses proches pour le seul fait d'avoir manifesté une attention pour le moins chaste à un homme.

Mais dans le nouveau projet, une disposition laisse aux juges le pouvoir de se prononcer pour une réduction de peine en cas de "provocation grave" ayant suscité le meurtre d'une femme.

"Un meurtre c'est un meurtre et un juge doit prononcer le même verdict dans l'ouest que le sud-est du pays", s'indigne Mme Kendirci.

Une autre disposition très controversée du projet porte sur le viol. Un homme accusé de viol peut voir sa peine carrément annulée par la justice s'il consent à épouser sa victime. En cas de viol collectif, si l'un des violeurs épouse la victime, les autres seront exemptés de poursuites.

Le violeur devra cependant rester marié au moins cinq ans.

En outre, le violeur d'une femme mariée écopera d'une peine plus sévère que celui d'une femme "vierge", en l'occurence célibataire, et ce pour protéger l'honneur bafoué de son époux.

Le nouveau code introduit aussi de nouvelles dispositions en faveur des femmes, comme une peine d'un an de prison pour un époux qui abandonne le domicile familial, et des peines plus sévères contre la polygamie, interdite mais fréquente dans la société turque.

Pour Mme Kendirci il s'agit d'une "farce" qui ne change en rien le côté discriminatoire du projet qui devrait être débattu et voté vers la fin de l'année au parlement où l'AKP dispose d'une forte majorité.

Par Burak AKINCI

From : AFP 241541 OCT 03

***

5 - Pakistan : Educating our women

Women are not generally considered equal to men - and this is a perception not only limited to countries like Pakistan but is also prevalent in the developed world. They are expected to satisfy the needs and demands of their husbands, bear children, rear them and run household affairs. In such a situation, the oft-used phrase 'equal opportunities for women' acquires a somewhat different meaning in that it would be difficult for many women to avail such opportunities for education, even if they existed.

Pakistan's social indicators compare unfavorably with countries at similar levels of macro economic development. The most crucial area for the women of Pakistan is education. In 1988, the Seventh Five-Year Plan document stated that "women face the crippling handicap of illiteracy". In 1995 the National Report on Women said that "when resources are scarce gender discrimination in access to food, health care and education is more pronounced. The lower levels of education [among women] is a glaring example". Hence, the deprivation of women in our society is reflected in their lower level of educational attainment.

According to government statistics, the literacy rate in Pakistan is around 50 per cent. However, this is the average for both men and women. If one looks at the gender breakdown, then the level of male literacy is considerable higher - 60 per cent - compared to just 36 per cent for women. Besides, let's not forget that the definition of a literate person is such that it includes anyone who can read and write his own name. In 1990, this percentage stood at 35 which means that during the last decade there has been progress but we still have a long way to go in terms of coming even close to universal literacy. In the 1980s the level of female literacy was 16 per cent, increased by five percentage points to 21 per cent by 1990 and by 1997 was 33 per cent.

Pakistan, unfortunately, has one of the largest gender gaps in the world in terms of literacy. To complicate matters further for the country's female population, there exists a wide disparity between literacy levels in the cities and the rural areas. Sixty-five per cent of the urban population is literate compared to 34 per cent of those living in the rural areas. The ironic thing about this disparity is that educational opportunities are missing in precisely those areas where they are needed the most. Most cities have a thriving private sector which makes up - albeit at some cost - for the vacuum created by the government in providing education. The remoteness and lack of communication or transport links makes the provision of education in the rural areas even more difficult, and this is why the government should see to it that it fulfils its role in the provision of such services.

Another dividing line in the literacy rate is provincial. Punjab is the most literate province in Pakistan, according to official figures, while Balochistan is the least. In 1997, Punjab had a literacy rate of 47 per cent and the male/female percentage split was 73 per cent for men and 57 per cent for women. In contrast Balochistan's literacy rate was only 27 per cent and the NWFP's was 37 per cent. Sindh did comparatively better with 46 per cent but this figure hides a very sharp disparity that exists between the province's rural and urban areas. Only 39 per cent of Sindh's male rural population can read or write. In the case of women in the rural areas, the figures drop to a dismal 13 per cent. The NWFP fares only slightly better with 48 per cent of its overall male population literate but here too women suffer greatly because only 17 per cent have achieved literacy.

Compared with other countries, Pakistan's, literacy figures do not give us much cause for comfort. Afghanistan is among the few countries that we compare favourably with. It has a literacy rate of 36 per cent, 51 per cent male and 21 per cent female. However, when other Muslim countries are considered we cut a sorry picture. For example, Indonesia has an overall literacy rate of 88 per cent: 93 per cent for its men and 84 per cent for its women. Iran has an overall literacy rate of 79 per cent: 85 percent male and 73 per cent; Jordan 91 per cent overall: 96 for men and 86 per cent for women, while 89 per cent of all Malaysians (92 per cent of their men and 85 per cent of their women) are literate. When we look at developed countries then there is in fact no comparison. Most have universal or near-universal literacy; more crucially, they have no gender gap.

We have to examine why even most other Muslim nations are far ahead of us in educating their women. The government wants to and is trying hard to provide education but it has limitations and a lot more can be done. This should include specifically targeting the female population, especially those in the rural areas, to increase their literacy rate. We also must remember that education can play a key role for many women in these areas because it will lead to their empowerment in whatever they choose to do, be it within the confines of the house in their roles as mothers, or individuals deciding to enter the workforce.

By Tanvir Khalid (The writer is a senator. She hold's a master's degree in education from the American University of Beirut) tanvirk@cyber.net.pk
http://www.dawn.com/weekly/education/education.htm#2

***

6 - India : Domestic Violence Rises with Education

- In New Delhi, India, a brilliant doctor tries to commit suicide after her husband slaps her for contradicting him in front of his friends.

- In Manila, Philippines, a former beauty queen tells police she was coerced into "entertaining other men" after being locked in a room without food for days by her husband.

- In Santiago, Chile, neighbors respond to distress calls from a woman battered by her husband for refusing to let him watch a particular TV program in front of the children.

- In Cairo, Egypt, the wife of a highly placed bureaucrat finally speaks up after enduring years of physical and mental abuse for being unable to bear a child.

The incidents were documented in a series of studies carried out by the Washington-based International Center for Research on Women in collaboration with independent Indian researchers. The cross-cultural study looked at the problem of domestic abuse in India, Egypt, Chile and the Philippines and found that violence against women was prevalent across regions, communities and classes. (...)

Risk Rises with Education

According to the 2002 study, 45 percent of Indian women are slapped, kicked or beaten by their husbands. India also had the highest rate of violence during pregnancy. Of the women reporting violence, 50 percent were kicked, beaten or hit when pregnant. About 74.8 percent of the women who reported violence have attempted to commit suicide.

Kumud Sharma of the Centre for Women's Development Studies in New Delhi traced the correlation between education and domestic violence to patriarchal attitudes. "Educated women are aware of their rights," she said. "They are no longer willing to follow commands blindly. When they ask questions, it causes conflicts, which, in turn, leads to violence. In many Indian states, working women are asked to hand over their paycheck to the husband and have no control over their finances. So, if they stop doing so or start asserting their right, there is bound to be friction."

Domestic violence experts say the problem in India stems from a cultural bias against women who challenge their husband's right to control their behavior. Women who do this---even by asking for household money or stepping out of the house without their permission--are seen as punishable. This process leads men to believe their notion of masculinity and manhood is reflected to the degree to which they control their wives.

"The behavior of men stems from their understanding of masculinity," said Nandita Bhatla, researcher with the International Center for Research on Women, "and what their role should be vis-a-vis women, especially their wives."

Problem of Perception

Men have always been taught to perceive themselves as the superior sex, said Jyotsna Chatterjee, director of the Joint Women's Program, a women's resource organization based in New Delhi. It is this conditioning, she said, that makes them believe they have to control their wives, especially if they are considered disobedient.

Although men's preoccupation with controlling their wives declines with age--as does the incidence of sexual violence--researchers found that the highest rates of sexual violence were among highly educated men. Thirty-two percent of men with zero years of education and 42 percent men with one-to-five years of education reported sexual violence. Among men with six-to-10 years of education--as well as those with high-school education and higher--this figure increased to 57 percent.

A similar pattern was seen when the problem was analyzed according to income and socioeconomic standing. Those at the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder--migrant labor, cobblers, carpenters, and barbers--showed a sexual violence rate of 35 percent. The rate almost doubled to 61 percent among the highest income groups.

Researchers have not determined why men with higher incomes and educations are more likely to be violent towards women. (...)

By Swapna Majumdar (WOMENSENEWS) / womensenewstoday@womensenews.org

***

7 - USA

* Une école non mixte

New York: éducation séparée pour défavorisées - Liberation

* White House Anti-Abortion Stance Felt Across Asia

President Bush's scheduled signing today of the misnamed Partial-Birth Abortion ban--which has no exception--will almost certainly cause anguish for American women and families in extremely difficult situations. The president's support of this law, I believe, is another sign of his administration's reckless disregard for women's reproductive health and rights.

Already, those of us working overseas have witnessed how recent U.S. policies--instigated by the religious right--have wronged girls and women in the world's poorest countries. Two recent conferences in Asia, for example, underscored the enormous, tragic impact of unsafe abortion and the extent to which this administration's policies disregard the realities of women's lives.

Every day thousands of Asian women driven by desperation, poverty and social stigma seek help from unskilled providers, or quacks, to end unplanned pregnancies. Every day more than 100 such women--many of them young girls just beginning their lives--die as a result. Tens of thousands more suffer life-long disabilities. In Asia, unsafe abortion accounts for 12 percent of all maternal, or pregnancy-related, deaths and claims the lives of 38,000 women each year, according to the World Health Organization.

With political will and commitment from leaders, advocates, health care professionals and women themselves, this human devastation can be prevented. In fact, unsafe abortion is much easier to address, through preventive measures, than other causes of maternal death, such as severe bleeding, obstructed labor and other complications of pregnancy.

U.S. Policies Hampers Efforts to Protect Women's Health

Recent conferences in Malaysia and Thailand concluded that unsafe abortion has reached such epic proportions in Asia that political leaders must address this issue. Participants stressed that fulfilling international mandates such as the Millennium Development Goals--a series of health and development-related commitments that United Nation member states have pledged to meet by 2015 - --requires confronting unsafe abortion.

Unfortunately, anti-choice Bush administration policies--notably the Mexico City policy--have led to clinic closures, cuts in healthcare staff and medical supplies in numerous countries. This leaves women, children and families without access to vital healthcare services. The Mexico City policy, reinstated by Bush as one of his first acts in office, prohibits any organization receiving population funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development from using those or other, private funds, to provide abortions, inform their patients about abortion, or advocate for change in their nations' abortion laws. The policy, known as the Global Gag Rule, severely hampers efforts to free women from the deadly cycle of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion.

The Global Gag Rule--along with the U.S. abortion ban that Bush is signing today--fly in the face of crucial international efforts to protect women's health.

Asian Countries Beginning to Address Unsafe Abortion

In late September, more than 120 representatives of governments, donors and nongovernmental organizations from 11 Asian countries attended "Saving Women's Lives: The Health Impact of Unsafe Abortion" in Kuala Lumpur. Again and again, noted reproductive health experts emphasized the urgent need to end needless deaths and disabilities by making abortion safer and treating complications of unsafe abortion.

A week later, about 1,400 women's health advocates and program experts from 41 countries convened in Bangkok, Thailand, at a conference called "Move into Action to Realize Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights." There, Senator Mechai Viravaidya of Thailand--also known as the "Condom King" for his work promoting condoms for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention--made an impassioned plea to help end unsafe abortion and apologized for his lack of action to date on this vital issue. He vowed to speak out on unsafe abortion at every future opportunity.

Governments and NGOs in Asia are already taking action to end unsafe abortion. For example, in India, which has long had a liberal abortion law, the government has undertaken a series of important initiatives including removing regulatory barriers so that women can obtain abortion care closer to their villages and expanding training for healthcare workers in quality of care. In Nepal, which reports Asia's second-highest maternal mortality ratio, lawmakers last year replaced what was one of the world's most restrictive abortion laws with one making early abortion available on request.

But to be fully successful, these and similar actions must take place in an international environment that values women's lives. Bush's policies clearly undermine the development of such an environment.

During his recent whirlwind tour of Asia, Bush tackled a gamut of issues of mutual concern to the United States and Asian nations, including global trade, terrorism and the impact of HIV/AIDS. One topic he evidently did not address--but which these recent health summits indicate is of increasing concern to Asian leaders--is the toll of unsafe abortion in Asia. It is a subject the Bush administration steadfastly ignores but in which it is shamefully complicit. Both his global and domestic policies demonstrate a lack of respect for women's ability to make safe, appropriate choices about their own lives that has catastrophic and heartbreaking consequences.

By Mary Luke - WeNews commentator

(Editor's Note: The following is a commentary. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily the views of Women's Enews)
From : womensenewstoday@womensenews.org

***

8 - Guatemala : Maternal Mortality = A Preventable Tragedy

From instituting new maternal health policies to addressing the quality of health services for pregnant women and their newborns, Guatemala is taking a number of steps to try to reduce

deaths and disability related to pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum complications. In 2000, 651 women died from these causes and many more were injured. In other words, two women died
from pregnancy-related causes every day in this Central American nation of 12 million people, where the total fertility rate is estimated at roughly five children per woman.¹

Estimates from the latest Baseline Maternal Mortality study show that 153 women die from maternity-related complications for every 100,000 live births. The region with the most dire situation is sub-Saharan Africa, where one in every 13 women risks dying of pregnancy-related causes during her lifetime, compared with 1 in more than 4,000 in industrialized countries (see Table 1). More than a social and health problem, a mother's death is a family tragedy.

Table 1
Women’s Lifetime Risk of Death From Pregnancy, 1995

Region	Lifetime Risk of Death
Sub-Saharan Africa	1 in 13
South Asia	1 in 54
Middle East and North Africa	1 in 55
Latin America and the Caribbean	1 in 157
East Asia/Pacific	1 in 283
Central East Europe/Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic States	1 in 797
Industrialized countries	1 in 4,085

Source: World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Maternal Mortality in 1995: Estimates developed by WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA (2001).

The Situation for Guatemalan Women Today

"Maternal mortality is an indication of the extreme harm some women suffer during their reproductive lives, the low availability and quality of health services, poor social conditions, malnutrition, and the consequences of women's marginalized status,"² according to the 1995 Demographic and Health Survey for Guatemala. These women generally die at home and have little access to skilled health care.³ Maternal mortality affects women from all economic and social strata, but a disproportionate number of those affected live in poverty, have little education, and live in rural areas.⁴ In Guatemala, the majority of deaths are among indigenous women with little education, women who work at home, and women who have two or more children.

Indigenous women have the most precarious living conditions, the highest fertility rates, and the smallest percentage of births attended by doctors or nurses (see Table 2). The maternal mortality ratio for this group is three times higher (211 per 100,000 live births) than for the nonindigenous group (70 per 100,000 live births), according to the Baseline Maternal Mortality study for 2000. Nationally, the departments where maternal mortality is above the national average are Alta Verapaz and Petén (north region), Sololá and Totonicapán (southwest), Huehuetenango and El Quiché (northwest), and Izabal (northeast). (...)

By Nancí Franco de Méndez (June 2003)
http://www.prb.org/Template.cfm?Section=PRB&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=9226

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9 - South Africa : Violence against women

Mary's Story (Printed in Reclaiming Women's Spaces, 2000, Nisaa Institute for Women's Development, Edited by Yoon Jung Park, Joanne Fedler and Zubeda Dangor)

My name is Mary. I (first) came to Bethany in 1993. I left my husband because of his drinking and abusive behavior towards me. I had suffered physical abuse many times but the mental abuse was even worse; he had convinced me that I was useless and that his promiscuous behavior was all my fault. I eventually left him because I feared for my life; I had landed up in hospital after an attack on me when he lost control.

(While at Bethany) I received many hours of counselling during which we talked about my experiences, how I coped with them, what they had done emotionally and how they were affecting my present relationships especially with my children. I began to realise that I thought very badly about myself and I often felt very depressed. I could not find work and I could not imagine how I would be able to manage to get on my feet. The fact that I could not provide for my children was a big burden for me.

As a Christian I experienced the added guilt that comes when you leave your partner to whom you have promised lifelong commitment and fidelity. Living with other women and children (at a shelter) was also not easy and eventually I decided that returning to my husband would be the easier option. By then I had left him for three months and I felt I owed it to myself and my children to give it one more try. During my stay at Bethany I had the opportunity to discuss many options and I was never forced into any decisions. This decision to return to my husband was totally my own and at the time, I felt happy, believing that I had done the right thing.

In the beginning of 1995 I approached a social worker at Bethany because my marriage had deteriorated after only a few months of peace. I did not feel judged or scorned (by the shelter staff) because I had gone back to my husband previously; (instead) I felt strong and determined to bring an end to this abusive relationship. I knew in my heart that I had done everything to make this relationship work. At times when life seemed too hard for me, my reason would win over my feelings. This is one of the things I learnt when staying at Bethany - it isn't easy to go out on your own and leave behind the security of a home but it is possible with the Lord's help and the support of others.

A miracle happened when I found work. It was only a part-time job but it gave me a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel. Before this, I had gone to the Legal Aid Bureau and filed for a divorce. My husband (now ex-husband) was a good earner and I was awarded reasonable maintenance for the children when the divorce came through. He, however, refused to pay it. I still haven't found full-time work and I am still fighting for maintenance. I can get very depressed at times but I have been able to cope with it better because I am more aware of myself and how my emotions work.

I don't know if I'll ever marry again but I feel a better person through the healing that I've experienced and the skills I've learned that will help me in my relationship in the future. I also feel that I've broken the negative cycle for my children. People say we are not a complete family because there is no father but we are a happy family.

http://womensnet.org.za/VAW/

***

10 - "Islamisation and its Impact on Democractic Governance and Women's Rights in Islam: A Feminist Perspective"

(...) One major area of concern was the gross discrimination against women. There is a misogynistic bent in so many Islamic laws that form a part of the Islamic juristic heritage. The problem is the religious authorities in contemporary times are not willing to exercise their powers of ijtihad to reform these laws to deal with the changing realities of today's world where the demand for equality and justice can no longer be ignored. For example, what sparked off the outcry over the hudud law of Terengganu was the provision that if a woman reports she has been raped and cannot prove it, she will be charged for qazaf, making false accusation, a crime under the hudud law. If found guilty, the woman will be lashed 80 times. It will not be difficult for the woman to be found guilty because in order to prove rape under the hudud law, you need to produce four pious Muslim male eyewitnesses who actually saw the act of penetration! In reality, this is of course impossible.

Other provisions in the hudud law also discriminate against women. Women cannot be witnesses which means half the population of Malaysia will be disqualified as witnesses. Neither can non-Muslims be witnesses, which means, in effect, almost three-quarters of the population of Malaysia would be disqualified. A single woman who is pregnant is assumed to have committed zina (illicit sex). In other jurisdictions, this has led to rape victims being charged for zina. For many Malaysians, for many Muslims today, to introduce such provisions in the law in the 21st century is unacceptable.

The second issue is the nature of punishment. Again this issue must be seen in its proper socio-historical context. The hudud law provides for chopping of hands, crucifixion, stoning to death, lashings. These were punishments deemed acceptable in the first centuries of Islam and even in medieval Europe. Within the context of the modern world today, such punishments are no longer acceptable. In many societies, and by international human rights standards, they constitute torture or cruel, degrading and inhumane treatment which no human being should be subjected to.

Moreover, stoning to death an adulterer is not even a punishment prescribed by the Qur'an and yet the proponents of this law chose to keep this pre-Islamic practice as the codified hudud punishment in the 21st century. Even if these punishments are in the Qur'an, shouldn't we look into the socio-historical context of the time when these punishments were deemed ordinary and acceptable by the society of 7th century Arabia? Could the course of justice, of deterrence be better served through other forms of punishment in the 21st century? In the end the objective of the teachings of Islam, the objective of Shariah law, is to ensure that justice is done. In the context of the 21st century can the cause of the religion, of law and justice be served in different ways?

The third issue is freedom of religion. Under the hudud law a person who leaves Islam will be sentenced to death. What is its implication to multi-racial Malaysia where non-Muslims have to convert to Islam in order to marry a Malay-Muslim? Marriages break down. The divorce rate among Muslims is far higher than the divorce rate among non-Muslims. What will happen to a Chinese woman who wants to go back to her original religion, to her family and community support system upon the breakdown of her marriage to a Muslim man? Is she going to be sentenced to death? How does this punishment serve the best interest of her children, her family, her community and society at large? How does it serve the cause of Islam? This woman's right to life cannot be swept aside in the name of preserving the sanctity of religion, defined in an oppressive manner.

The fourth problem area is the tendency to codify the most conservative opinion in Islam into law. For example, there are basically three traditional juristic opinions on the punishment for apostasy. First is the orthodox opinion that death penalty should be imposed on those who leave Islam. Second is an opinion that prescribes the death penalty only if apostasy is accompanied by rebellion against the community and the legitimate leadership-in other words, treason. The third view holds that even though apostasy is a great sin it is not a capital offence in Islam. Therefore a personal change of faith merits no punishment. Yet in its attempt to introduce the hudud law in the 21st century, the Islamic party in power in Terengganu chose the most extremist juristic opinion to codify into law. It is a well-known fact that the Qur'an is explicit in its recognition of freedom of religion and there exists as well within the Islamic juristic heritage a position that supports freedom of religion. This is further enhanced also by the official position of Al Azhar University under Sheikh Tantawi who believes that there should be no punishment for a personal change of faith.

This tendency to codify the most conservative opinion is especially so in the area of women's rights. For example, under the hudud law, the provision that women cannot be witnesses is only a juristic opinion with no explicit support in the Qur'an or the traditions of the Prophet, for that matter. Pregnancy as evidence of zina, again is a minority opinion of one school, the Maliki School of Law. The majority opinion of the three other schools in Sunni law: Hanbali, Shafi'i and Hanafi, do not admit circumstantial evidence for a hudud offence, and do not admit pregnancy as evidence of zina. Yet, in legislating, the Islamic party, PAS, chose a minority opinion, even when the minority opinion does not belong to the Shafi'i school, which is the dominant school in Malaysia.

The challenge and the reality we are facing today is the seeming unwillingness or inability of the ulama that dominate the religious authority and many Islamist activists of today to see Islamic laws from a historical perspective as rules that were socially constructed to deal with the socio- economic and political context of the times. Given a different world, a different time, a different context, these laws have to change to ensure that Islam's eternal principle of justice is served. More than ever, there is a need for Muslims to differentiate between what is divine and what is human -- the source of the law is divine, but the human effort in understanding God's message, the human effort in codifying God's message into positive law is not infallible and divine. These laws can be changed, they can be criticized, they can be challenged, and they can be refined and re-defined. (...)

http://www.islam-democracy.org/4th_Annual_Conference-Anwar_address..asp

***

11 - Europe risks loosing the constitutional project during ratification if the IGC continues to ignore citizens' concerns

Europe risks loosing the constitutional project during ratification if the IGC continues to ignore citizens’ concerns (25 November 2003)

The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) is entering the final stages of negotiating the new EU Constitution at the Conclave of Naples this week. The Laeken mandate clearly stipulated that bringing the EU closer to its citizens was one of the main goals for this Constitutional Project. Yet NGOs and civil society are becoming increasingly concerned about how governments are conducting the IGC. At the recent European Social Forum in Paris tens of thousand of young citizens voiced their hostility towards the Constitution.

After the relative transparency of the Convention, the IGC is reverting back to the same old days of trading national interest instead of promoting citizens’ rights. Civil dialogue is now worse than pre-Laeken, and the Italian Presidency refuses to meet with civil society and yet has managed to have meetings with the Catholic Church about the Constitution twice.

“At this rate, Heads of State and Governments risk loosing the whole constitutional project during ratification. Citizens and their elected Parliamentarians will not buy a Constitution that erodes the Convention draft, that is negotiated in secret and without listening to civil society or to the joint positions of MEPs and MPs represented in the Convention”, said Giampiero Alhadeff (SOLIDAR), Chair of the Civil Society Contact Group that brings together the four large NGO sector platforms (environment - Green 8, social - Social Platform, development - CONCORD, human rights - HR NGO network) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

“The Convention only just managed not to lose what we had previously achieved in terms of environmental policy. If the IGC now re-introduces Euratom into the Constitution, referenda and ratification processes that involve national Parliaments will most certainly be lost”, added John Hontelez (EEB), representative of the Green 8 in the Civil Society Contact Group.

And Mary McPhail (EWL), representative of the Social Platform, gives a clear warning: “The Convention was already abysmally unrepresentative in terms of diversity and the equal participation of women, but at least it was transparent. Now a Constitution is negotiated behind closed doors by an almost entirely male IGC, whose Presidency refuses to talk to any civil society organisation. It is time for them to get back to discussing how to achieve equality between women and men, fight poverty and discrimination, ensure the protection of the environment, the observance of human rights, and solidarity with people around the world. If they fail in that task, the citizens of Europe will have every reason to say no to this constitution.”

For more information on the joint demands of the largest civil society platform, please contact the office of the EU Civil Society Contact Group, Dr. Nicolas Beger, 0032-2-5111711, coordinator@act4europe.org <mailto:coordinator@act4europe.org>, www.act4europe.org <http://www.act4europe.org>

***

12 - International / Worldwide

* Violences contre les femmes

Tableau 1. 29 enquêtes sur les violences physiques par un partenaire intime au cours des 12 derniers mois ou de la relation ou de la vie ayant des échantillons probabilistes; pourcentages calculés sur les femmes en union (sauf pour la Bolivie, les États-Unis et les Pays-Bas).

Pays et année

Taille échantillon

12 derniers mois

Vie ou relation

Âge

Afr. Sud 98

5077

6

13

15-49

Angleterre-G 96

6000

4,2

19

15-49

Australie 96

6300

3

8¹

NR

Bangladesh 93

1225

19

47

15-49

Barbade 90

264

30²

20-45

Bolivie 98

289

17

20 +

Cambodge 96

1374

16

NR

Canada 93

12300

3²

29²

18 +

Chili 97

1000

26¹

22-55

Colombie 95

6097

19¹

15-49

Corée sud 89

707

38/12^2;3

20 +

Egypte 95

7121

16

34

15-49

Etats-Unis 96

8000

1,3

22

18 +

France 2000

6970

3,4

20-60

Inde 99

9938

14

40/24

15-49

Israël arabe 97

1826

32

19-67

Mexique 96

1064

17

15 +

Moldavie 97

4790

7

14

15-44

Nicaragua 98

8507

12/8

28/21

15-49

Nigéria 93

1000

31

NR

Norvège 89

111

18

15-44

Ouganda 95

1660

41¹

20-45

Paraguay 95

5940

10

15-49

Pays-Bas 86

989

21/11

20-60

Philippines 93

8481

10

15-44

Porto Rico 95

5755

13

15-49

Suisse 94-96

1500

6²

21²

20-60

Turquie 98

599

58

14-75

Zimbabwe 96

966

17

18 +

Violences au cours de la relation actuelle ; ² Violences physiques et sexuelles; ³toutesviolences / violences sévères. Source : Heise, Lori, Mary Ellsberg et Megan Gottemoell^1 :er. 1999. “Ending violence against women”, Population Reports, série L, 27(4), déc.

http://droitsreproductifs.free..fr

*

* The World's Abortion Law

The World’s Abortion Laws

September 2003

Currently, more than 61% of the world’s people live in countries where induced abortion is permitted either for a wide range of reasons or without restriction as to reason. In contrast, 26% of all people reside in countries where abortion is generally prohibited.

The table below illustrates the varying degrees to which countries worldwide permit access to abortion. Countries in Category I have the most restrictive laws. Those in each subsequent category recognize the grounds specified in the preceding category as well as additional grounds. Depending on such factors as public opinion, the views of government officials and providers, and individual circumstances, laws in each category may be interpreted more broadly or restrictively than indicated by their classifications below.
Prohibited Altogether or Permitted Only to Save the Woman's Life
The most restrictive laws are those that either permit abortion only to save a woman’s life or ban the procedure entirely. Many countries in this category (appearing in bold on p.2) explicitly permit abortion when a pregnancy threatens a woman’s life. In other countries, laws that make no explicit exception are often interpreted to permit abortion under life-threatening circumstances on the grounds of "necessity." Such an exception may also be recognized in national norms of medical ethics.

Physical Health Grounds
Laws that authorize abortion to protect the pregnant woman’s life and physical health form Category II. These laws sometimes require that the threatened injury to health be either serious or permanent. While laws in this category do not explicitly permit abortion to protect mental health, many are phrased broadly enough – referring simply to "health" or "therapeutic" indications – to be interpreted to allow abortion on mental health grounds.

Mental Health Grounds
Laws in Category III expressly permit abortion to protect the woman’s mental health, as well as her life and physical health. The interpretation of "mental health" varies around the world. It can encompass, for example, psychological distress suffered by a woman who is raped or severe strain caused by social or economic circumstances.

Socioeconomic Grounds
Laws in Category IV, which allow abortion on socioeconomic grounds, permit consideration of such factors as a woman’s economic resources, her age, her marital status, and the number of her children. Such laws are generally interpreted liberally.

Without Restriction as to Reason
Finally, the least restrictive abortion laws are those that allow abortion without restriction as to reason. Most countries with such laws, however, impose a limit on the period during which women can readily access the procedure.

A number of countries explicitly recognize three other grounds for abortion: when pregnancy results from rape; when pregnancy results from incest; and when there is a high probability of fetal impairment. Countries that recognize these grounds may fall within any of the categories described above. In addition, countries in any category may restrict access to abortion by requiring a woman to obtain parental or spousal authorization. These additional grounds and restrictions are identified according to the notes set forth on page two.

http://www.reproductiverights.org/pub_fac_abortion_laws.html

*

* Reproductive Health Programs Need to Involve Men

This awareness grew out of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, which stressed the importance of harmonious, male-female partnerships to improving women's and men's health. Margaret E. Greene of George Washington University's Center for Global Health notes that, since the ICPD, many in the international health arena have been taking a fresh look at reproductive health programs.

(...) Traditional family planning services were provided through maternal and child health programs and focused on achieving population targets, which included increasing contraceptive use, reducing the average number of children women have, and lowering population growth rates. For its part, the Cairo conference emphasized a multifaceted approach to improving reproductive health. However, there are big gaps between actual programs involving men and the approach laid out in Cairo, and each type of program differs in its objectives for involving men. The programs fall into one of three categories:

One category includes "men and family planning" programs, which have the same structure and objectives as the traditional family planning programs that focused on reducing population growth rates. These programs focus on men as contraceptive users and as decisionmakers who can allow or encourage women to use contraceptives.

A second type of program stresses "male equity." These programs focus on men's rights and reproductive health needs with little attention to the social inequities that have prevented men and women from operating on a level playing field. This approach reflects a false sense of symmetry. If "equity" in this instance is taken to mean that we spend the same amount on men as on women, we are avoiding gender differences in power, decisionmaking, autonomy, and other areas.

By contrast, "gender equity" programs reflect the Cairo conference's sharp focus on the promotion of fairness and justice in the division of benefits and responsibilities as both a means and an end in health and development efforts. The idea is that population targets and objectives must be separated from the provision of health services and that substantial male involvement is needed to promote more equitable relationships and to improve men's and women's physical, mental, and social well-being.

(...) From a gender equity perspective, there are several pitfalls in involving men in reproductive health:

Programs can reinforce inequities between men and women. An example of this is an information, education, and communication program in Zimbabwe that underscored men's dominant role as contraceptive decisionmakers.

Programs can simply redirect funds to services for men. Simply shifting the focus to men in this way was not the intent of the Cairo recommendations.

Programs evaluated on the same basis as before, most likely by the contraceptive prevalence rate, have difficulty taking the power imbalances between women and men into account because evaluation drives program structure and emphasis.

Programs can increase violence against women. Promoting contraceptive technologies may in some settings suggest the sexual independence of women and arouse men's fears that women will seek other relationships; in Navrongo, Ghana, for example, this challenged male authority and led to an increase in violence against women.

A final pitfall is that involving men as health workers can entrench managerial hierarchies as men are placed in or promoted into positions of authority over long-time female employees.

(...) In an enormous range of settings, programs have identified culturally specific strategies for addressing gender-related constraints to improving reproductive health. These exceptional programs share a number of basic ingredients:

They look at gender socialization and ways of supporting equitable, supportive relationships between men and women. Instituto Promundo of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, provides a good example in its work with boys and young men.

They cultivate peer support for positive behaviors, as in the case of Peer Advocates for Health, of Chicago.

They pay attention to the broad, societal context in dealing with reproductive health issues. Men Can Stop Rape of Washington, D.C., has been a pioneer in this effort.

They mobilize communities to counter harmful practices and to recognize how their understanding of gender roles contributes to the spread of HIV. A good example is the Stepping Stones manual and workshops, which have been used since 1995 to reduce the incidence of HIV and to promote gender equity in countries including Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.

They also alert men to ways they can support women's health, as in the Suami SIAGA (Alert Husband) campaign in Indonesia.

They educate young people to appreciate and protect the human rights of others. One example is the Conscientizing Nigerian Male Adolescents program.

Margaret E. Greene of George Washington University's Center for Global Health Looks at Male Involvement (November 2003)
Section=PRB&template=/Content/ContentGroups/Articles/03/Reproductive_Health_Programs_Need_to_Involve_Men.htm

*

* Women health

Insufficient maternal care during pregnancy and delivery is largely responsible for the appalling annual toll of 515,000 maternal deaths and the estimated 8 million infant deaths (over half of them foetal deaths) that occur either just before or during delivery or in the first week of life. During the pregnancy, regular contact with a doctor, nurse or midwife allows health personnel to manage the pregnancy; immunize the mother-to-be against tetanus to protect her and her infant; promote good nutrition, hygiene and rest; and detect potential complications making it advisable to give birth in a health facility equipped to handle high-risk deliveries and aftercare. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of four antenatal visits. Labour and delivery, too, should be supervised by doctors, midwives or nurses with the midwifery skills to handle normal deliveries safely and recognize the onset of complications beyond their capacity to handle, referring the mother for emergency care.

Women are most in need of skilled care during delivery and the immediate postpartum period, when roughly three quarters of all maternal deaths occur. Traditional birth attendants, whether trained or untrained, can neither predict nor cope with serious complications. The single most critical intervention for safe motherhood is thus to ensure that a competent health worker with midwifery skills is present at every birth, and transport is available to a referral facility for obstetric care in case of emergency.

Maternal care rates tend to be low, and maternal mortality rates high, in countries where women have low status, and also in areas with poor access to routine health services in general. Vast disparities persist in maternal health coverage between the industrialized and developing countries; rich and poor; urban and rural; educated and uneducated. All women should have access to basic maternity care, through a continuum of services offering quality antenatal care, clean and safe delivery, and postpartum care for mother and infant, with a functioning referral system linking the whole.

http://www.childinfo.org/eddb/maternal/index.htm

Impact on children's survival of births 'too young, too old, too close or too many'

Many studies have documented the strong relationship between a mother's pattern of fertility and the survival chances of her children. Infants and young children have a higher risk of dying if they are born to very young mothers or much older mothers, if they are born shortly after a previous birth, or if their mothers already have many children. Significant differences in fertility are usually found between women in urban and rural areas, and female education is universally associated with lower and delayed fertility. These differences reflect fertility preferences as well as differential access to and use of family planning.

Fertility among girls aged 15-19 is of special concern for a number of reasons. Births to teenagers are more likely to be unintended and premature, and adolescent childbirth is associated with greater risks of dying in pregnancy and complications during delivery. Having a child during the teenage years also limits girls' opportunities for better education, jobs and income, and increases the likelihood of divorce and separation. As a consequence of these and other factors, babies born to teenagers run a higher risk of low birthweight, serious long-term disability, and dying during infancy. Moreover, in many countries the children born to adolescent mothers are more likely to be undernourished than the children of older mothers. (...)

More than 700 million women - two thirds of the world's women of reproductive age who are married or in union - are using a method of contraception. The developing regions show wide variation in contraceptive use, ranging from 23% of married women in Sub-Saharan Africa to 84% in East Asia and the Pacific; the figure for the industrialized countries is 78% (Table 1). Female sterilization, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the oral pill account for about two thirds of contraceptive use worldwide. Female sterilization predominates in the less developed regions, while the pill is the most popular method in the more developed regions (United Nations, 1999).

The Total Fertility Rate - the total of births each woman would have during her lifetime if she bore children at current fertility rates - stands at 2.7 births per woman worldwide. Total fertility in the developing world averages 3 births per woman, nearly double the figure of 1.6 births in industrialized countries, which is well below the level of 2.1 births for population replacement. The total fertility rate is highest in Sub-Saharan Africa - 5.9 lifetime births in Western and Central Africa and 5.5 births in Eastern and Southern Africa. (...)

Turning to total fertility, the worldwide rate is estimated to have fallen from 3.2 births per woman in 1990 to 2.7 births in 2000 (Table 4). Among the regions, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to have the highest total fertility, at 5.7 births; nevertheless, the rate declined during the 1990s by just over half a birth per woman. The Middle East and North Africa registered the greatest shift over the decade, from 5 births in 1990 to 3.7 births in 2000.

http://www.childinfo.org/eddb/fertility/index.htm

The complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries. It is estimated that around 515,000 women die each year from maternal causes. And for every woman who dies, approximately 30 more suffer injuries, infection and disabilities in pregnancy or childbirth. This means that at least 15 million women a year incur this type of damage. The cumulative total of those affected has been estimated at 300 million, or more than a quarter of adult women in the developing world. (...)

http://www.childinfo.org/eddb/mat_mortal/index.htm

*

* Aging is a Woman's Issue

On the brink of a new millennium, women face an issue that presents them with a continuing but, in some respects, new challenge--creatively managing the aging process. Aging is a woman's issue because our situation is unique to our time. More of us than ever before will be entering what will be the longest stage of our lives: life after 50. When our mothers were born, around the turn of the century, women could expect to live only to the age of 48. Today, if we live as long as age 65, we can expect to live on to be 85. In fact, more and more of us will live to be over one hundred. As we look toward longer and longer lives, it is helpful to understand both the upside and the downside of aging today and how we can make positive changes which will increase our chance of maintaining independence and staying in control of our lives.
     One of the upsides is that we now live much longer. However, 75% of the elderly poor in the United States are women and the poverty rate of women is highest among those over age 65. Women live an average of five years longer than men; therefore, they will likely live at least some part of this time of life single and, most probably, end their lives living alone. This has important consequences for women. Unless they plan ahead, they stand the chance of living in poverty after the death of their spouse or partner. An increasing number of women are single because of divorce or because they never married or partnered. If single, they are five times more likely to live in poverty than married or partnered women, and older women of color have the highest poverty rates of all. Many women have worked in jobs that did not provide a retirement income; therefore, without Social Security and Medicare, the degree of poverty for these women would be much worse. We must be vigilant in protecting these programs for those who need them now and in the future.
     There are many other reasons why aging is a woman's issue: of the seven million caregivers in the U. S. approximately 75% are women. Caregiving has been an expected duty. Today, older women are sometimes caring for their spouse, partner, friends and siblings at the same times they may be caring for their grandchildren. Many times this leads to depression and chronic illness for the caregiver. The younger caregiving woman may well be working, raising her children, as well as giving care. This may well lead to loss of salary and, even more important, lower retirement income and assets. Caregivers must speak out and ask for help. You might want to plan ahead to finance help in caregiving and to learn how to seek assistance when we can't afford it. Now is the time to ask ourselves: Who will be our caregivers when we need care?
     Because we may very well be alone in our later year when we need care, planning ahead is important for all women. Most of our daughters, who in previous times would have been our caregivers, are now employed full time, raising their families or even living far from us. They may not, even if they wish to help, be available to care for us. Although sons may help us financially, not many are able to help with hands-on-care. For these reasons, we must find alternatives to family caregiving. I will discuss this issue in depth in another article.
      Lastly, health is near the top of the list of our concerns as we age. It is now known that illness affects women differently than men. Yet as late as 1989, only 14% of the National Institute of Health's budget was spent on women's health research and little money was spent on educating women about their health. Even now, most women believe that the number one fatal disease for women is breast cancer. In fact, heart attacks account for most health-related fatalities. This is partially due to not recognizing the symptoms of a heart attack and physicians not treating women's heart problems as aggressively as men's. If your doctor has not discussed the signs of a heart attack with you, it might be prudent to speak to him/her about them.
     It is not well-known that after menopause, many women develop osteoporosis. By age 70, more than 50% of women will develop this condition, increasing their risk of hip fractures and disability. Early bone density testing, increased knowledge about this disease, and new drugs to rebuild bones along with exercise and good nutrition can change these statistics and keep us well.
     I have shared these facts on aging with you because if we start early in the aging process to make changes in our lives, we can change these statistics. We are fortunate to have many additional years of life. To a large degree, with the proper knowledge, we can write our own future; we can map our own journey into elderhood.
      Aging is not a single event, but many events that happen to us over a long period of time. Women beyond mid-life face critical challenges ahead. Planning gives us some understanding about what we can and cannot control. Reasonable planning is enriching and empowering but obsessive planning is not. If we chart our futures and learn what help is available when it's needed, hopefully we'll meet the challenges ahead, maintain our independence and enjoy the rest of our lives.

by Betty Soldz

***

13 - Conference - Meeting

* France

*** Bilan de l'Assemblée Européenne des femmes

Nous, femmes réunies ce 12 novembre en ouverture du forum social, affirmons qu'une autre Europe est possible.

_ Une Europe de la paix démilitarisée et qui refuse la guerre comme solution au conflits internationaux

_ Une Europe des droits humains , économiques et sociaux

_ Une Europe qui développe l'ensemble des services publics, notamment les services aux personnes assumés majoritairement par les femmes

_ Une Europe où les femmes font entendre leur voix et participent à égalité à la prise de décision

_ Une Europe de la libre circulation des personnes qui reconnaît une citoyenneté pleine et entière à toute personne vivant sur le territoire.

_ Une Europe où les femmes disposent librement de leur corps - avortement et contraception libres et remboursés.

_ Une Europe qui respecte l'orientation sexuelle

_ Pour une Europe laique qui s'oppose à la montée des intégrismes religieux et qui assure l'application et les progrès des droits fondamentaux et humains des femmes

_ Une Europe qui garantit le droit à un emploi et un salaire décent avec l’arrêt des politiques qui accompagnent le temps partiel

Pour réaliser cette Europe nous proposons de mener des campagnes sur les thèmes définis par les six ateliers.

FEMMES MIGRANTES, ACTRICES POUR UNE AUTRE EUROPE.

1. Visibilité et valorisation des actions des femmes migrantes dans les pays d'accueil

2. Information et sensibilisation à la diversité culturelle en terme de citoyenneté dès le plus jeune âge.

3. Libre circulation de toutes et tous

4. Application de la loi du pays de résidence en matière de législation du travail.

5. Reconnaissance de la qualification des femmes migrantes.

TRAVAIL, PRECARITE, PAUVRETE.

1. Egalité réelle des droits au travail, luttes contre toutes les discriminations professionnelles.

2. Augmentation des minimas sociaux, attribution des prestations sociales aux individus et pas selon la situation familiale.

3. Développement des modes de garde collectifs.

FEMMES ET GUERRES.

1. Modification de l'article 1 de la Constitution Européenne pour une Europe contre la guerre, démilitarisée et dénucléarisée.

2. Marrainage des prisonnières et détenues palestiniennes.

3. Participation à la caravane de la paix, qui partira de l'Europe vers la Palestine et l'Irak.

4. Construire en Turquie une table internationale pour septembre 2004 pour soutenir les femmes turques militantes pour la paix.

5. Faire du 8 mars prochain une journée forte de mobilisation contre la guerre

6. Surtout imposer une campagne specifique pour que l'Europe impose la paix en Tchétchénie.

DROIT DE CHOISIR, DROITS SEXUELS ET REPRODUCTIFS.

1. Affirmer fortement et clairement le droit fondamental pour les femmes à disposer de leur corps et l'accès libre et remboursé à l'avortement, à la contraception dans tous les pays de l'Europe

*** Les mobilisations altermondialistes (3-5 décembre 2003)

Colloque international : "Les mobilisations altermondialistes"?/bigger>?/bigger>?/bigger>?/color>?param Geneva> ?/smaller>?param 9999,CCCC,9999>?bigger>?bigger>?bigger>(3-5 décembre 2003)

Colloque international organisé par le GERMM avec le soutien du CNRS, du CEVIPOF, du CREDEP, du CRPS, du CURAPP et de la Fondation de France.
Responsables scientifiques : Eric Agrikoliansky, Olivier Fillieule, Nonna Mayer.
Lieu : ?/bigger>?/bigger>Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, 56 rue Jacob 75006 Paris France.BR>

P align=justify>*

* 1er décembre : Journée mondiale de lutte contre le sida

Avec 8 000 morts par jour dans le monde et 6 millions de malades ayant besoin d'un traitement pour survivre, le sida est une urgence majeure. Or, si 95% des 42 millions de personnes vivant avec le VIH/sida vivent dans les pays pauvres, seuls 1 % d'entre eux bénéficient d'antirétroviraux (ARV).

C'est ce constat tragique que rappelle, cette année encore, le 1er décembre, journée mondiale de lutte contre le sida. Des médicaments encore trop chers et des ressources, en personnel médical et en matériel, très insuffisantes "expliqueraient" ce scandale. Certes, des avancées ont été enregistrées : comme l'intention de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé de parvenir à 3 millions de malades sous traitement d'ici 2005 ; ou des initiatives privées, comme l'accord conclu entre la Fondation Clinton et quatre fabricants de médicaments génériques, diminuant de 30% à 50% le prix des trithérapies. Des entreprises privées - constatant les dégâts économiques occasionnés par le sida - ont même proposé des traitements à leurs employés. Mais beaucoup reste encore à faire...

Depuis quelques années, nous avons décidé de soigner des malades du sida. Aujourd'hui, nous avons plus de 10 000 patients sous trithérapie dans 18 pays. Une goutte d'eau ? Certes, vu l'ampleur de l'épidémie, mais un lourd investissement pour une organisation humanitaire, dans des contextes où il a fallu adapter ces traitements trop sophistiqués : 10 000 patients, cela représente presque la moitié des malades sous antirétroviraux en France. Chaque mois, dans chacun de ces pays, des centaines de malades rejoignent les rangs de ceux qui sont déjà sous traitement.

Jusqu'où serons-nous capables de "pousser les murs" ? C'est la question anxieuse qui se pose à nos équipes aujourd'hui... au Cambodge, au Kenya, en Thaïlande, au Malawi, en Ouganda, Guatemala, etc.

http://www.msf.fr/site/actu.nsf/actus/sida241103?OpenDocument&loc=au

* Invitation to an Asian Consultation on Vienna Plus 10

Dear friends,

Greetings from Bangkok and Geneva. We are writing to invite you to an Asian Consultation on Vienna plus 10, which will take place at UN Conference Center (UNCC) in the UN Economic Social Council in Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Bangkok, Thailand from Dec 15 to 16, 2003.

The Consultation is organized jointly by Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) based in Bangkok and NGOs in consultative relationship with the UN (CONGO) Working Group on Asia based in Geneva in partnership with many organizations interested in the human rights, particularly Vienna Declaration and Plan of Action (VDPA) adopted in 1993. About 100 participants are expected to participate in the Consultation mainly from human rights defenders of civil society organizations as well as UN bodies, governments, and National Human Rights Institutions in Asia. (...)

In case you have any questions or comment, please do not hesitate to contact us or Mr. Rashid Kang, hrd@forumasia.org, program coordinator at the secretariat of Forum Asia in Bangkok.

From : Angelica Far <afar@bic.org>

***

14 - Request - Requête

* India : Request for Networking with Organisations and Institutions engaged in para legal work

IIPLS- Indian Institute of Para Legal Studies is a non-profit organisation established to meet the specific need for trained, value driven Para Legal Workers, in pursuit of achieving the full range of human rights justice to vulnerable groups in India. One of the major activities of IIPLS is designing and conducting para legal trainings for social workers and activists. We are just one year old and interested to know about para legal work being done in different parts of the world. IIPLS would like to build linkages with and associate with the organisations, groups, academic institutions and individuals engaged in para legal activities.

Please send us email at <iipls@axcess.com> or <lalitgauri@rediffmail.com>.
Contact Person: Gauri Bhopatkar - Training Officer

From : hr-education@hrea.org

*

* Hungary : Association of Intellectual Disability Medicine

Dear colleagues,

The questionnaire about training for doctors is from the European Association of Intellectual Disability Medicine.

We would be grateful if you could forward it to any doctors (not just psychiatrists!) you know who work with people with intellectual disabilities.
With many thanks,

Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC) / mdac@mdac.info / www.mdac.info

From : hr-education@hrea.org

***

15 - New Web Site

New Web Resource on Fundamentalisms : http://www.whrnet.org/fundamentalisms/

***

Michèle Dayras
SOS SEXISME

The Situation for Guatemalan Women Today

Margaret E. Greene of George Washington University's Center for Global Health Looks at Male Involvement (November 2003) Section=PRB&template=/Content/ContentGroups/Articles/03/Reproductive_Health_Programs_Need_to_Involve_Men.htm

** Women health

by Betty Soldz

Margaret E. Greene of George Washington University's Center for Global Health Looks at Male Involvement (November 2003)
Section=PRB&template=/Content/ContentGroups/Articles/03/Reproductive_Health_Programs_Need_to_Involve_Men.htm

*

* Women health