US Election Day: What will foreign policy look like for the next four years?

For the last year, it seems we have been caught in a limbo of reacting, reviewing, and reminding people what the demands of the revolution were, what the definition of democracy is, and what inclusion of women means for our region. We have faced up to challenges and identified new strategies—new coalitions and collaborations—to build up civil society, and strengthen our attack against women’s exclusion, repression, and abuse. And to promote equal human rights for all.

In the region, we have held post-revolution elections. From Morocco to Egypt to Tunisia, we have seen conservatives take power, but have yet to see how this will impact visions for new democracies, how new constitutions will promote fairness, equality, and security. In the meantime, we are working together, convening seminars and consultations, sharing perspectives and priorities with the media, and developing advocacy and lobbying campaigns to ensure that new governments and constitutions are reflective of the demands voiced in the uprisings, the needs that had gone unmet in previous structures and regimes.

At the same time, we are reaching out to our global community, making sure that they understand the meaning of the revolutions and uprisings, that they invest in local solutions and listen to our recommendations and voices. While asking for their support, we also continue asking for their active engagement of the region, monitoring how the global environment is influenced by the region and vice versa, what similarities we share, what lessons we can learn from each other.

Where we have hope for the potential of change in the region, we see the same potential in other parts of the world. And now, today, there is a major moment ahead of us that will determine for another member of the global community, the direction of this change. Today, the people of the United States vote in the 57th presidential election and decide whether President Barack Obama will return or be replaced by his primary opponent, Mitt Romney.

For us in the region, it is very important to watch how this plays out. The debates already suggested to us, by way of the rhetoric employed, how the region will be discussed and by extension, how it will be engaged by each platform.

The region seems to come up in two ways: in order to provide examples for/against what Obama or Romney has done/will do to protect the American people; or in order to prove who is the most supportive of Israel. Since the time I spent in the US as a student to the present day, when I visit there as an activist and lobbyist, nothing has changed. I always heard that American foreign policy is non-existent for Africa or the Middle East, and this seems to remain true. There is no foreign policy except Israel. There was no real discussion of Syria or Libya or Egypt, aside from finger-pointing on Romney’s side and defense of what happened in the past by Obama.

While there were mentions of diplomacy from President Obama, it seems Romney’s foreign policy is largely focused on war. The idea seems to be intimidation and force. I did not hear about the idea of using peace, without any other strategy, however, it seems that war, on its own, without any clear vision as to what it will accomplish, is a perfectly sound and viable idea.

And since there cannot be war without a target, Romney did his best to reinforce who the enemy of his war will be. During the final debate, Romney employed the term “jihadists” numerous times, while Obama continued to use the term “extremist.” To Romney, America’s war seems to be defined by a religion. He has shown the same ignorance and marginalization we have seen in our region by pointing blame at Islam instead of at a specific behavior, at the violence and values that are offensive across the board, across the world, across all affiliations and sects and groupings. He has failed to acknowledge all the violence we have mutually encountered, the threats we’ve all endured and loss we’ve all had to come up from again and again.

Today will determine what American leadership will look like over the next four years. We will hope that whether it is Romney or Obama, or whether we see a Republican or Democratic house or senate, the Middle East and North Africa will be considered a vital part of the discussion. We hope that Israel will not be the only country on the table, and that the conflicts in Syria and Libya and other nations will not be used as an excuse for war, but an opportunity to invest and rebuild.

This is an opportunity to change the rhetoric and finally define a foreign policy that is not only comprehensive, but that suggests dialogue and disarmament before suggesting more bombings, more devastation and war. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that compassion and fairness are not just images used for political gain but true values we can stand behind and count upon. That we can build and rebuild with.

Tunisians defend rape victim, support women’s rights

Hundreds of Tunisians protested in support of a woman who was allegedly raped by two policemen last month and now stands accused of “outraging public decency.” The crowd gathered outside Tunis’ main tribunal on Oct. 2 where the alleged raped victim was summoned by a judge for the second time in less than a week.

They denounced Tunisia’s worsening rights record, slamming the Islamist-led government for not doing enough to protect women. The 27-year-old woman and her boyfriend were apprehended by three policemen on Sept. 3, apparently found in an indecent posture, according to judicial sources — a report contested by the woman’s lawyer. But instead of arresting or fining them, the policemen allegedly demanded money from the couple and went on to rape the woman in the back of her car while her boyfriend watched, helpless and handcuffed.

The incident inspired outrage among rights defenders in Tunisia. Violence against women has been on the rise in recent months, as well as attacks on places and symbols perceived to be secular or influenced by the West, including the US embassy, art galleries and movie theaters. Civil-society advocates say the government coalition, largely dominated by the Islamist moderate party Ennahda, is turning a blind eye to these violations perpetrated by radical Islamists or Salafists.

Read more on AL Monitor:
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2012/al-monitor/tunisia-rape-indecency-charges.html#ixzz28HDibpj5

Saudi starts expulsion of 1,100 Nigerian women pilgrims for traveling without male guardians

A report posted today on the Washington Post shared that Saudi Arabia began expelling 1,100 Nigerian women who were on a religious pilgrimage because they had traveled without male guardians. This marks the first time such a large group has been turned away. The law deems it illegal for adult women up to age 45 to travel without an immediate male relative and this decision turned women away from the hajj pilgrimage–a sacred journey to Mecca made by devout followers of Islam. Many reportedly save their entire lives to be able to afford the journey.

The government ministry that oversees the Hajj pilgrimage said the 1,100 women had violated a longstanding law by travelling without an immediate male relative, adding that females of all nationalities under the age of 45 must have a male guardian during the Hajj pilgrimage.

“This is a rule that is generally applied to women who have applied for a visa to enter the kingdom,” the Hajj ministry said in a statement.

In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to travel without a male guardian, such as a father, brother, uncle or husband, or at the very least permission from such a relative. In the past, authorities had allowed women over 45 to perform the annual pilgrimage without the guardians as long as they were in groups with male tour operators and pilgrimage officials.

The annual pilgrimage, which this year comes at the end of October, is a religious duty for Muslims who are supposed to make the trip once in their lives. Many arrive weeks in advance.

Nigeria’s pilgrimage commission says a bilateral agreement exempts its female nationals from the rule, and the country is sending a delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss the expulsions. They also say some women have been turned back because they appeared to not have sufficient proof of being married despite being accompanied by their husbands.

The women, who arrived in the city of Jiddah in three groups, were held after landing at the international airport starting Monday. Saudi authorities said they would be allowed to return if they came back with guardians, but did not signal any flexibility or recognize the Nigerian claim of an exemption to the guardianship rules.

“The rules of Hajj have been in place for many years and nothing has emerged that requires us not to abide by them,” said Hatem bin Hassan Qadi, deputy Hajj minister. He added that he hoped pilgrimage commissions around the world abide by the requirements of the trip before pilgrims’ departure.

(Original article published by the Washington Post on September 28, 2012.)

To read the full article, please visit the Washington Post.

Egypt’s Year of Revolution

A year ago, I wrote a blog called “An Unknown Egypt.” At the beginning of the revolution, no one had any idea what to expect, and while there was great hope for change, there was also great uncertainty about how and if it would come about.

The revolution was deemed successful on February 11, 2011, when Mubarak stepped down and the military took temporary control. Elections were promised and planned, and steps to begin rebuilding, from the convening of a committee on the constitution to a referendum on electoral laws, were implemented. In many aspects, the people felt their voices had been heard and their futures were guaranteed to be better in the months and years ahead.

What I heard and saw was the opposite: women’s voices, which led the revolutions across the region, including in Egypt, were largely silenced after the revolutions. An International Women’s Day march in Tahrir one month after Egypt was “liberated” revealed that the same men who were happy to stand alongside women in protest, to accept their assistance when wounded, their food when hungry, and their leadership when organizing demonstrations, refused to support women in their parallel quest for advancement, equality, and safety. Women were reportedly harassed—physically and verbally–as a result of their peaceful assembly. Following the revolution, the committee that was appointed to discuss and develop a new constitution completely excluded female representation. Reports of sexual violence and harassment against women were shared by national and international media, including accusations regarding “virginity tests” conducted by the military on innocent women, an act more degrading and indecent than the impurities these women were wrongfully accused of and for which many were punished.

In November, the first of three phases of parliamentary elections were held. At their conclusion in January, only 8 women—4 of  whom are from Islamist parties—were chosen out of 498 representatives, meaning women make up less than two percent of those elected. Furthermore, in line with the results seen in Tunis and Morocco, Islamist parties won the majority of seats, with the Muslim Brotherhood leading the elections at 47 percent. In total, Islamist parties won just over 70 percent of parliamentary seats, ensuring that they will have a pivotal role in the drafting of the new constitution. In the weeks leading up to the elections, comments made by representatives from these parties shared alarming perspectives on women’s inclusion, spreading concern that not only will women be excluded as leaders, but they stand to lose progress won under the previous regime.

The revolution promised so much to so many different groups of people. Images shared from the streets were of equality, dignity, support, and freedom. Together, men, women, and children of all classes and religious backgrounds came together against a common issue and were victorious. They stood together, chanted in unison, and knelt by each other’s sides in prayer every day and night until Mubarak stepped down. A year later, the same questions remain: who will make it through this year and how? The Egyptian people have asked for the most basic of needs to be met: for education, security, and freedom, for jobs that support their families, and laws that protect them from harm. While these needs remain unmet, we have seen other expectations satisfied. The Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis gained the majority of the votes and claimed a power that they’ve long been waiting to hold. They will be a major part of determining the next phase of Egypt, and in this way, their revolutions are progressing as planned.

However, it is not all darkness. The revolution ultimately provides proof of the power and will of the people. More than ever before, women’s organizations and activists are seeking linkage and organizing campaigns to enshrine women’s rights, peace, and security into the new Egypt. New constituencies are joining the movement, including youth, who were at the helm of the regional uprisings and now are involved in high-level meetings and discussions, offering strategic recommendations and analysis of on-the-ground issues. Meanwhile, there has been greater emphasis on the need to include our opponents in open dialogue to find areas of common ground upon which we can build partnership and agreement.

Today in Tahrir, it was this conviction and will that was on display. The Egyptian people—young and old, rich and poor, educated and not, in designer clothing and in ordinary garb—were together again, hugging and kissing as they recognized their neighbors and friends from nights of camping out in protest a year ago. From a single family, an entire generation was on display, from grandmothers, to mothers, to their daughters and sons. Together in peaceful marches and demonstrations, Egyptians chanted, using the same words that they used at the very beginning of their revolution: anyone who thought we would leave, we are here. We are coming back to Tahrir to demand dignity and freedom. We are the youth of 25 of December.

Egyptians are among the most unique people in the world because they love their country and there is nothing that they wouldn’t do for it. People do not want to flee, but they want to make it here and have realized their part.  And every time they see their revolution has been derailed, they will return to Tahrir and voice their demands again. Again and again, until they are not only heard, but listened to.

In Tahrir Square tonight, I was standing next to a friend from Bahrain, both of us outsiders looking in. We both thought of our own countries and of the people before us, moved by their conviction and their energy, by their resilience and relentlessness. We thought of how lucky Egyptians are to have the opportunity to chant and to hope for the future.

Some much remains unknown and unrealized in Egypt’s revolution, but one thing is for certain, Egypt’s most powerful resource is not oil or gold, but the pride, dignity, and commitment of its people. They have incredible, unshakeable hope for the future. They are fearless and powerful joined together. They believe in freedom and are optimistic, but they also share their anger over how they’ve been wronged. They seek change, because they love Egypt and are willing to fight to bring peace, freedom, and prosperity to their everyday lives.

The national treasure of Egypt is Egyptians. They will make sure that the revolution doesn’t end here. It has just begun.

Voices for a free and peaceful Libya

First and foremost, I must express my support and solidarity with the people of Libya. After months of violence and uncertainty, Gaddafi’s death has delivered the long-sought signal that his regime’s reign has ended, and with it, the many abuses that have been protested and mourned for decades.

Just last week, with this moment in sight, we began to answer the burgeoning question of what the post-Gaddafi landscape will look like and where women’s rights will fit in. From the perspective of the women’s movement, this question has long been on my mind and one we addressed two weeks ago at the launch of the Libyan Women’s Platform for Peace in Cairo. It was a historic moment for many reasons, not the least of which was the diversity and commanding presence of the women involved. The logistics were not easy to coordinate, and at times, the chances that Karama would be able to bring 40 Libyan women into Cairo seemed slim. In the end, we watched as they arrived in any way we could get them here: by bus, by plane, or some combination thereof.

As we greeted them, I was moved, inspired, and touched by their strength and dignity, and their determination and devotion to stability and peace in Libya. One would’ve never known they were coming from the midst of a war if not already aware of this fact. These women have proven their ability to transfer optimism and hope to the situation, and their belief in the power to transform a homeland that once seemed impossible to change or reform beyond the ill-directed, often abusive status quo. They reminded me of the women of Somalia, who in the midst of civil war, famine, and crisis have always demonstrated dignity and grace.

During the meeting, I witnessed the power and strength of these women as leaders and visionaries as I listened to the voices of the Libyan women. These women have already begun building coalitions. They know the concerns and priorities in the post-Gaddafi landscape, and are experts in their own cause. They have identified the solutions that will be most effective in addressing core concerns, and in ensuring that women are a key part of the next chapter in Libya’s history. The Platform for Peace is a first step in coordinating these ideas and commitments, in linking Libyan women from all walks of life, from different parts of Libya and different backgrounds, and building a lasting movement that will ensure that the efforts they’ve put forth for years leading to the first day of the revolution, and the courageous sacrifices they’ve made since, are meaningful and significant in forging a new landscape for Libyans and for women in defining a more open, free, and peaceful Libya.

I have worked in many countries, with many women. The Libyans are among the most unique women I have ever met or worked with in my life. Their fierce bravery, and commitment, their persistence and insistence in ensuring that everyone is included and represented demonstrate democracy at its best in a country that has never known democracy. This leads me to believe that after over four decades of being deprived of human rights and justice, the Libyans have been carrying these ideals and values in their hearts. These concepts have been ingrained in their culture from the beginning.

After the meeting, we continued meeting informally with the women in Cairo. Throughout the weekend, I was humbled by the way the Libyan women carried themselves knowing the difficult experiences they’d endured and overcome. Some had left loved ones behind and had no information whether they were lost or dead, some had been imprisoned for years or had family members who were jailed. Out time together culminated with optimistic, jubilantly sung songs of Libyan pride. Despite everything they are up against, they remain resilient and undeterred by the challenges that have befallen them and their communities, spurred on by their hope for the future of Libya. Today, I can only imagine the news on Gaddafi has propelled them even more to realize the plans they have set forth for a free and equal nation in which they have a voice that is not only valued but also protected.

Women’s right to choose: Abortions to help circumvent honor violence

Excerpt from Women News Network article “Egypt: Secret Abortions help women circumvent honor violence” follows below:

The 2010 Egyptian Parliament, approved an article of a draft law on the issue where it legalizes sterilization and abortions by a specialized gynecologist for married women who face “difficult living conditions.” The new article permits such procedures in the case of fetal malformations or a risk of malformation due to the mother’s age or health history.

The draft law was met with heavy opposition, especially from religious leaders.
“This law is in-Islamic because it is considered an intervention in God’s will,” Souad Saleh, professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at al-Azhar University, told Al Arabiya news in March 2010. “This should not be done unless it is absolutely urgent.”

Egypt’s Dar Al Iftaa -the institution that states religious opinions and is respected and followed throughout the region- however, has supported medical abortions in the first trimester for decades, stating clearly on the Q&A section of its website that in case of medical necessity, “abortion is allowed to keep the mother’s life.“

“If the medical specialists determine that the pregnancy does pose risks to the mother – then in this case there is no harm in terminating the pregnancy after consulting a Muslim physician,” the website states.

“This is a question of a woman’s ability to choose how she wants to live her life and Islam gives that right according to most scholars’ interpretations. So, it is very disappointing that we see Islamic leaders come out against abortion,” said Hibaaq Osman, head of al-Karama Organization for Women’s Rights in Cairo.
With a 2011/2012 government that is in transition, women’s groups inside Egypt are asking that rights for women be clearly included into Egypt’s permanent constitution.

“It is the right of a woman to not have someone else, mainly men, tell her how to live and do things in her life. Fundamental to women’s rights, and this is the case in the situation of abortion in Egypt and around the Middle East, is the freedom to choose how one wants to live. Women deserve this and this is why when parliament looked at abortion it was refreshing to get a more equitable approach beginning to take form,” Osman added.

For the full article, please visit Women News Network online.

After Norway: Women’s Voices for the Way Forward

Today Women without Borders released an article on its site featuring the voices and perspectives of its Sisters Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) board on the recent, tragic events in Norway. As a member of the board, Karama Chair Hibaaq Osman shared the following statement against hatred and extremism:

This tragedy has touched me in a very personal way. I have children the same age and I send them to camps and just to think that these kids were shot at close range is despicable. The Islamophobia in Europe and the US has been of the utmost concern to us, politically and otherwise, and this tragedy should be blamed on all the political parties, media, bloggers and radio programs that are encouraging these right wing groups and campaigning on this issue. The hatred is now focused on the Muslims but soon it could be on everyone who looks different and thinks different. We should fight together against terrorism, racism and extremism by remembering and taking to heart Pastor Martin Niemöller’s courageous words:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

To read the complete article, please visit the Women without Borders site.