3 Reasons Women must be involved in Peace-building

Infographic: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/facts-and-figures

Representation: Women make up 50% or more of all state populations. So, from a purely quantifiable moral standpoint it is only right that they also represent 50% of decision-making bodies particularly in peace-building organisations. If women are ‘at the table’ during peace talks they are more likely to be represented equally in new governmental institutions including parliaments. Even having women at peace talks lifts up their status in society and empowers. This means the legacy of the conflict can be greater gender equality in parliament that will hopefully translate into gender equality in day-to-day life of women and girls in post-conflict societies. Unfortunately this translation is easier said than done and it is often not enough to have some representation of women in peace-processes, at least 30% is necessary for women to have their voices heard.

Experiences and Needs: Women often have extremely different experiences of conflict and therefore it is crucial that these experiences are enmeshed in peace-building legacy. For example, women who have been victims of sexual violence in conflict will need particular medical, social, psychological and even legal aid often not required by male victims of violence. Given the stigma surrounding rape and sexual assault in many civil war ridden states, re-integrating victims of sexual violence faces specific challenges because a woman may be shamed or even extradited into poverty by members of their community. Victims of sexual trauma may have even more extreme situations to deal with particularly if they have been forcefully impregnated and given birth to a child. This will increase their difficulty recovering and re-integrating because they have a constant living reminder of their trauma: a child they are responsible for. Women who understand these traumas must be involved in peace-building processes so that they can insist upon decent after-care for both women who have been victims of sexual violence, and children born of these assaults. It is also important that women and men have the space to tell their stories and experiences of conflict so that a linear narrative of the truth exists that cannot be politically hijacked or reignite tensions.

Gender Justice & Transformative Opportunities: Civil war is evidently atrocious and detrimental for society. However, afterwards there often opens up a space for change in society particularly for the rights of women and girls. In the process of rebuilding a society changes can be made to unequal gender relations including integrating women into the labour market, getting girls into education, reducing economic inequality and re-writing laws which render women inferior to their male counterparts. The rights of women and girls can be enshrined in constitutional reform and again this aids a transformation of society towards greater equality.

For a more specific example of how women’s involvement in peace processes see this Huff Post article about women’s involvement in the Syria peace talks.

EU Referendum: Women Stronger In

http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21673810-vote-will-be-close-britain-begins-its-campaign-stay-europeand-leave-it

In the UK, the decision to stay or leave the European Union will continue to dominate the headlines until the referendum on the 23 June 2016. The debate itself will invariably continue to be dominated by men. Men like David Cameron who wants us to stay in a reformed Europe, men in the business community who understand the economic catastrophe of leaving and men like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage who in their love of the spotlight and misguided nostalgia for the empire want to isolate Britain from the economic, political and social innovation and progress we gain from the EU. I’m in favour of staying in. Can you tell?

My position aside, women are making strides to reclaim the debate about the EU: there is strong opposition to leaving the EU from many high profile women including the Women Stronger In campaign. From a glance at the women’s rights legislation the EU safeguards, it is obvious to see why. Women and men, throughout European history, have worked tirelessly to implement legislation across Europe that protects women in their daily lives. Some of the most significant examples include:

•       Equal pay for equal work: the EU has the policy of equal pay enshrined in EU law and EU law realises the problem of workplace harassment for women.
•       Maternity leave: without the EU women would not have the same rights to take time off both before and after the birth of their children. This would result in them having to quit their careers completely if they wanted to have children. Just in case women didn’t already face such a monumental choice between career and family.
•    Domestic violence protection: restraining orders taken out by victims of domestic violence now apply throughout Europe, protecting victims if they move around the continent.

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Beyond this European legislation, the EU as a political instrument allows us to sit at the table and work as one to confront international violations of women’s rights including child marriage, female genital mutilation and sexual violence in conflict. For example, the work of the European Women’s Lobby makes laudable progress in tackling gender inequality throughout Europe, we should be proud to sit alongside these women.

The economic consequences of leaving the EU would almost definitely affect the lives of women and girls disproportionately. If we think the government is currently burdening women with austerity, a break from Europe would result in an economic upheaval which no doubt would be increasingly burdened by society’s most vulnerable. Of course there are problems with the EU’s structure and ability to change things, but abandoning ship is not the answer, particularly for women. If we lose all these hard earned rights it seems unlikely that they will be replaced by the likes of Nigel Farage who has publically denounced working mothers in the past and who’s political history is riddled with prehistoric views on the status of women. The EU is, at it’s core a transnational feminist project; joining women, disseminating good practice, enshrining equality in law and creating the space for international feminist solidarity. Without it, I fear even more for the rights of women in the UK and those excluded from the privileges we receive.

She Inspires Me

Unless you live under a rather large social media rock you will likely know that today is International Women’s Day. A day to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and today, but also a day to reflect on our progress in the strive for equality. I feel as though I spend a lot of time on this blog moaning about one thing or another and although there is still much to moan about I thought that a more positive way to mark IWD2016 would be to share some of the women that constantly inspire me in my everyday life at the moment. So without further ado:

Huda Sha’rawi

I’m currently writing a piece about how women in Egypt have used their dress to voice their political agency throughout history and this woman and her comrades dominates my reading material at the moment! Not only did she tremendously influence her husband to lobby European powers for independence in 1919 she also was one of the first women to cast off her veil following independence as a declaration of a new Egypt for women. Her memoirs – The Harem Years – are a fascinating account of what it was to be an elite women in Cairo during the early twentieth century and she also founded Egypt’s first women’s organisation – The Egyptian Feminist Union – in 1923 which to this day works to eliminate gender based violence in Egypt. I love learning about the women history forgot, the HERstory project is great place to learn more about this and their work continues to inspire me also.

Adele

Not exactly a Suffragette I know but for me personally Adele is an amazing role model for women and girls everywhere. She stands against everything that is wrong with the music industry and proves that talent alone can succeed. And talented she most definitely is. I love the way she has kept her family out of the spotlight and not bowed to industry pressure to be stereotypically ‘sexy.’ Her confidence, ambition and integrity inspires me.

Sylvia Plath

I am currently reading The Bell Jar yet again and realising just how amazing it was for Plath to write this book when she did. It tackles so many issues of contemporary society and particularly the idea that a woman needs a man by her side. It would be wrong not to mention Harper Lee also, who passed recently, as her work inspired me greatly at such a young. Scout taught me to be ambitious and always speak my mind. In a slightly less sincere way the recent passing of Louise Rennison, a British fiction author, saddened me. Her books taught me that girls could be funny and crude and that there was nothing wrong with that!

Jenny Beaven

At last week’s Oscar’s Jenny Beaven won the Oscar for costume design. As she approached the stage it became apparent that no one was applauding her. What was distinct about her was her ‘lack’ of ball gown, heels, fake tan, fake hair etc. She was completely herself and refused to beautify herself in order to celebrate her success. What an inspiration to women and girls.

Claire Underwood

Alright, I’m not sure this one strictly counts but upon the release of Season 4 of House of Cards my undying love for Claire Underwood’s character has been revived. Although cold and ruthless at times she is incredibly ambitious and determined not to let her husband bring her down. In the words of Beyonce ‘don’t think I’m just his little wife.’ I love that House of Cards director Beau Williamson is using his platform to send out such a positive, dare I say feminist, message to women. For more on my borderline obsession with Claire see this post. 

Mona Eltahawy

Again, this is someone who inspires me at the moment because I am reading and listening to a lot of her work for the project I am writing. For those who don’t’ know Mona’s story, she was sexually assaulted by the Egyptian military following the protests against the Morsi government in a post Arab-Spring Egypt. Although that most definitely does not define her: she has since dedicated her career to exposing women’s rights issues across the MENA region including FGM, virginity tests, forced marriage and domestic violence. Her book Headscarves and Hymens is insightful, brave and provocative and I love the way she handles the cultural relativism argument:

“I insist on the right to critique my culture and my faith in ways that I would reject from an outsider” Headscarves and Hymens p. 29 

Zainab Salbi

In the same way that Malala Yousef continues to inspire me, the advocacy and activism of women like Zainab Salbi inspires me everyday. Salbi established Women for Women International in 1993 where she began helping 30 women, now in 2016 the organisation helps approximately 420,000 women survivors of conflict worldwide. This is real work that creates change in post-conflict societies for women and girls and improves the lives of some of the most vulnerable.

My friends and family

The wonderful women I surround myself with on a daily basis inspire me always. My friends, some of whom are facing extreme adversity in their lives at the moment, continue to make me roar with laughter on a daily basis. My mum, who owns her own business advising clients on European spending and runs a household and is funny and kind and conscientious. She has taught me so much and will always inspire me. My sister, who upon recently deciding she is a socialist recently is not afraid to stand up to her male colleagues at college and was recently described as a ‘stella intellect.’ My grandma, who recently told me an inspiring anecdote about how when she was my age she learnt to rally drive to prove she could ‘beat the boys.’ 

There are so many more women from all walks of life I could include here. This post could be pages and pages long but for now these are just a few women who, off the top of my head this random Tuesday morning, inspire me every single day. They inspire me to dream big, think about other and always remember what’s important in life. They also inspire me to keep fighting and do whatever I can to keep fighting the fight against global sexism from the big things to the small things. Happy International Women's Day - there is so much more to do but let's not forget the amazing women who have already done so much. 

On Voting for Clinton 'just because she's a woman'

So after Super Tuesday, the likelihood of Hillary Clinton getting the democratic nomination is pretty much conclusive. Its time to believe in the possibility of a women running the United States of America. This is a prospect that makes me extremely excited and yes, if I was American, I would be voting for Hillary Clinton 'just because she's a woman.' As much as I admire Sanders' politics and campaign and am happy he has succeeded in pushing Clinton to the left. And as much as I have my qualms with Clinton's funding and the US presidency starting to sound like a monarchy (Bush, Clinton, Bush, Barack, Clinton sounds a little too authoritarian for my liking) the more I see of her in the media the more I realise just how amazing it would be to have a women as the leader of one of the world's most influential states. For me, its a form of affirmative action on a meta-scale. Obviously, Hillary's feminist policies would be amazing and hopefully make congress more gender-equal but beyond this, a women as president is a symbol for equality and progress for women the world over. 

Gendering the "Calais Jungle" Eviction

Photo: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/calais-jungle-eviction-how-gynaecology-without-borders-working-protect-vulnerable-pregnant-1546247

Today French riot police will return to Calais with their bulldozers and their tear gas to continue demolishing the Southern half of the refugee camp known as ‘the Calais jungle.’ They do so under the guise of an ‘humanitarian operation’ aimed at relocating refugees to shipping containers in the north of the site or other camps in France but many refugees are fearful to leave Calais as this renders their dreams of crossing the channel much less likely. If someone could tell me what is humanitarian about throwing tear gas at some of the world’s most vulnerable I would be sincerely grateful…

I understand the situation in Calais exemplifies the complete mess that is the European refugee crisis more generally but I cannot see that this is the solution. Beyond this, there are gendered ramifications of camps like ‘the jungle’ worldwide and some specific to Calais which are underrepresented in the current news. According to the latest Help Refugee census and contrary to French government figures there are approximately 5497 people living in the area known as the jungle. This includes 205 women and 651 children, 423 of which are unaccompanied. These figures reveal a lot about the gender dynamics of the crisis. Male refugees clearly substantially outweigh their female counterparts and this is a demonstration of two gendered tropes present around the world: Firstly, the ‘breadwinner’ model puts sizeable pressure on men to bring a financial income to their family and thus some, unable to find enough work locally, leave their homes to work in Europe. Secondly, it is crucial to remember that many of these refugees are fleeing conflict in their home countries (conflict that has be exacerbated by western powers no less) and in conflict scenarios there is additional pressure on men to fight. It is assumed that all men embody a militarised masculinity that can be mobilised at any time. In reality, this is a myth and the number of men fleeing conflict pre or post-soldiering shows this. For those who have fought, PTSD is also a concern along with other mental health conditions that men might be less likely to ask for help with. The eviction process will make these problems worse given its violent and destructive means. Equally, men might be less likely to receive asylum based on the fact they are men because there is a lot of media hysteria that presents ‘Arab men’ as uncivilised and sexually aggressive. This is racism and discrimination that confronts vulnerable men in very real ways.

The comparatively tiny population of women in the jungle are no better off unfortunately. To begin with, there was a cordoned off area for women and children but these beds filled up long ago and women have since been forced to live in the wider camp. There have been reports, unfortunately often from the right-wing media in France and the UK, of sexual harassment in the jungle. I do not condone this being hijacked and used as ‘anti-migrant propaganda’ but at the same I think it is crucial that this problem is not ignored. (The Cologne sexual assaults on New Years Eve provide a good example of this political struggle.) Women in such vulnerable positions are evidently more at risk of sexual harassment and assault and there have also been rumours of women being force to turn to prostitution to keep themselves alive and protected. On the other hand, some NGOs report that accompanied women are being forced to stay inside by their husbands because they also fear sexual assault. There is also significant concern about the lack of women’s health resources including sanitary towels, contraception and gynaecological support making the risk of sexually transmitted diseases very high. There are reports of women having miscarriages or giving birth in enormously difficult conditions. Gynaecologists without borders is doing some amazing work here in order to protect pregnant women in the jungle but they are challenged by a lack of resources and mistrust from many women.

Speaking of pregnancy the ‘womenandchildren’ trope is omnipresent in media reports of the Calais jungle and in the case of its destruction, images of ‘womenandchildren’ being gassed fuels disgust towards the French government. As mentioned above, there are 651 children in the refugee camp, 423 of which do not have known parents and seem to be unaccompanied in the jungle. As is often the case, women might have to take the burden of caring for their own and possibly others children because of the expectation that they are nurturing mothers. This may see them going without food in order to feed their children or missing out on asylum because they have a child in tow and are thus less likely to work upon arriving (although this might also have the opposite effect as they are seen as more vulnerable.)

The little salvation these refugees have taken in the last few months may be destroyed this week. Particularly, for outnumbered women these community environments are crucial to their support networks. Despite the French government’s announcement that community buildings will not be destroyed a story from a group of women in the camp tells a different tale: just this month The Calais Sessions recorded an all-female gospel choir from a makeshift church in the jungle. Days later their church and ergo this community support was destroyed by the eviction police. All of the above gendered problems are exacerbated by the current violence and unrest in the camp and as other camps like this begin to swell throughout Europe inn Lesbos and the Balkans it is crucial that these conversations are gendered. Gendered discrimination is rife and as more and more women arrive in the camps, NGOs need to be equipped to deal with the additional issues they bring. The politics of the refugee crisis are complex and difficult to face but I find it hard to believe that violent eviction is the solution.