“Sexuality and Human Rights in Muslim Societies in South – Southeast Asia” meeting was held on September 24-26, 2004 in Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia. Co-organized by Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR)-New Ways of Turkey and Women’s Health Foundation of Indonesia, the meeting was the first to focus on pivotal human rights related to sexual and bodily rights, sexual politics, power and gender in the region. Patricipants of the meeting issued a press statement calling upon their governments and the entire Muslim world to take all possible legal, social and political measures to eradicate human rights violations related to sexual rights and bodily integrity.
We, as prominent NGOs and scholars from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines and Turkey have come together in Jakarta to explore issues concerning "Sexuality and Human Rights in Muslim Societies".
We are all committed to the realization of human rights and gender equality in our societies. We salute and support the efforts that have been taken by civil society groups in Indonesia to promote women's human rights.
In a majority of Muslim societies, sexuality, especially women's bodies and sexuality are increasingly becoming arenas of intense political and social conflict. Conservative and religious right political forces are fiercely trying to reinforce traditional mechanisms of control over women's sexuality and create new ones. Wide-spread practices such as sexual violence, forced marriages, honor crimes, female genital mutilation, marital rape, unsafe abortion and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity constitute blatant human rights violations.
Social justice and the dignity of women and men are enshrined in the Quran. Sexual oppression cannot be justified by Islam, but results from a combination of political, social and economic inequalities. We strongly protest the misuse of religion to legitimize any human rights violation.
This meeting, a first of its kind in the region, constitutes another step in our determined efforts on the national and international levels to combat all human rights violations related to sexual, bodily and reproductive rights in Muslim societies.
We call upon all states and the entire Muslim world to take all possible legal, social and political measures to eradicate human rights violations related to sexual rights and bodily integrity.
Signatories,
Amal Abd-el Hadi, New Women's Foundation, EGYPT
Anita Rahman, Women's Health Foundation, INDONESIA
Asghar Ali Engineer, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, INDIA
Dede Oetomo, GAYa NUSANTARA, INDONESIA
Dina Siddiqi, Independent Scholar, BANGLADESH
Enayat ur Rahman, Population Association of Pakistan, PAKISTAN
Faysal El Kak, Lebanese Family Planning Association & American University of Beirut, LEBANON
Farha Ciciek, Rahima Foundation, INDONESIA
Isabelita Solamo Antonio, Pilipina Legal Resources Center, PHILIPPINES
Karin Ronge, Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways, TURKEY
Liz Amado, Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways, TURKEY
Margot Badran, Independent Scholar, EGYPT
Mujde Bilgutay, Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways, TURKEY
Nazia Syed, UNPD Pakistan, PAKISTAN
Ninuk Widyantoro, Women's Health Foundation, INDONESIA
Pinar Ilkkaracan, Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways, TURKEY
Sabah Khan, Aawaaz-e Niswaan & OLAVA (Organized Lesbian Alliance for Visibility), INDIA
Syirin Junisya, Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women- ARROW, MALAYSIA
Tahir Khilji, Vision, PAKISTAN
Tan Beng Hui, IWRAW Asia Pacific, MALAYSIA
Zaitun Kasim, Sisters in Islam, MALAYSIA
Zinat Ara, Action Aid Bangladesh, BANGLADESH
