Aid is Power. Who Do You Want to Empower?
Information on the “Action of Giving” by MADRE.org
In the immediate aftermath of a catastrophe like the earthquake in Haiti, you’re focused on one question:
How can I help? It’s the right question, but the answer isn’t always what it seems. Many people assume that donating to a large relief agency is the surest way to help meet the overwhelming need. People trust a name-brand; and in fact, these organizations do have a critical role to play, especially where government doesn’t or can’t assume full responsibility for disaster relief.
The problem is that most big relief operations are designed to swoop into a crisis, deliver services and leave. And when they do leave, people are no more knowledgeable, self-reliant or resilient than they were before. Your first priority in a crisis is to help save lives. In Haiti, and other places where people face frequent disasters, it’s critical to help save lives in a way that builds community capacity to respond to the next disaster and ultimately, move toward real development.
Here’s how you can help.
♦ Support organizations that reinforce-rather than replicate-the activities of existing community groups. Too often, big international agencies temporarily set up shop and inadvertently undermine local organizations by attracting their best staff, driving up rents and ultimately weakening the very organizations that communities need for long-term recovery.
♦ Support organizations that understand the role that women play in disasters. Women are commonly portrayed as passive victims. In reality, they are critical first-responders. Relief efforts should also recognize that women are the primary care-givers of those who are most at-risk in a disaster and supply women with resources to meet the needs of children, the sick, the disabled and others in their care.
♦ Support organizations that involve people who are impacted by the crisis in relief efforts. The “victims” may not have the resources to address the disaster, but they know first-hand what they need to recover and rebuild. Relief operations designed to include local people to play leadership roles, set priorities and make decisions are the ones that leave skills and resources in the hands of community members.
♦ Support organizations that talk about root causes of vulnerability in a crisis. Haiti’s earthquake is a natural disaster, but there’s nothing natural about families living in shacks without disaster plans or government services. Understanding what makes people vulnerable is the first step in building resiliency.
♦ Support organizations with a history of work in the country. Having local roots, speaking the language and being culturally sensitive go a long way towards getting things done in a crisis.
♦ Support organizations that will stay in the country after the news teams and big agencies leave. Long-term projects keep people thinking about the future, helping to ensure that aid is delivered in a way that builds lasting solutions.
♦ Support organizations that are funded largely by people like you. Government-supported agencies are often beholden to government policy, not accountable to their members or, more importantly, to the communities where they work. Haiti needs relief efforts that are going to strengthen Haiti itself, not efforts that pride themselves on funneling most of their money back to US corporations.
♦ Support small organizations. It may seem that a large-scale crisis requires a large-scale response. But many big aid operations are bureaucratic, slow and inefficient. Often, the best response to tremendous, urgent need is to replicate successful small-scale models of aid delivery rather than try to get a giant operation moving quickly.
♦ Support organizations with a human rights perspective. These groups recognize that the provision of water, housing, sanitation and healthcare after disaster is the fulfillment of every person’s basic rights. Organizations that view Haitians as rights-holders, not victims, will be more effective at supporting Haitians as they strive to rebuild a society based on human rights for all.
♦ Support organizations that you want to see strengthened. When you donate, you’re boosting the capacity of the organization you’ve given to, even if that’s not your motivation for giving. Remember, aid is power. So the next time you give, ask yourself: who do you want to empower?
By Yifat Susskind, MADRE Policy and Communications Director.
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SEE THE FOLLOWING WNN SUPPORTED ACTIONS –
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CALL(s) TO ACTION –
ACTION #1 May 27, 2010 (deadline June 10)
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ACTION: Make the United Nations more effective in realizing women’s rights
Join the Action. Sign the petition before the June 19 deadline.
“If we wash with a bucket of water and start from our feet, the water is wasted washing only our feet. But if we pour the water over our heads, we can wash our whole body.” Nepali human rights defender, explaining how a new strong international agency for women could benefit women locally. Saathi Roundtable, Nepal, 2007.
The United Nations is a galvanizing force in setting new international standards and commitments to protect and promote women’s human rights especially those at risk of violence, or facing poverty. But the UN’s capacity to support national implementation of these international agreements is woefully underfunded and inadequate. This has limited the potential for women around the world to fully enjoy their rights in practice.
The four small UN agencies exclusively dedicated to women’s issues lack the necessary status, funding and country presence to enable the wider UN system and national authorities to fully implement their obligations. Other, larger UN agencies, sometimes can make a difference, but advancing women’s human rights and gender equality is usually a small part of their mandate. And none of these agencies are adequately supporting the important work of women’s human rights defenders.
Link HERE for more information and to sign the petition.
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ACTION #2 March 25, 2010
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ACTION: Immediate and Unconditional Release of Aung San Suu Kyi
Join the Action to demand Myanmar (Burma) government immediately release Peace Prize Nobel Laureate Suu Kyi from her house arrest incarceration
On May 14, 2009, Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, and two of her assistants were taken from her home to Insein Prison following an incident in which an American man allegedly swam across a lake to her house and stayed there for two days. Suu Kyi was subsequently put on trial for breaching the terms of her house arrest, and was sentenced to an additional 18 months under house arrest on August 11, 2009. These charges and punishment are politically motivated and fail to meet international and national legal standards. The only issue here is her immediate and unconditional release.
Read more and join Amnesty International’s letter writing campaign »
Download the action in PDF | RTF | MS Word formats.
Call NOW on Than Shwe, the head of the military junta, to immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Myanmar.
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ACTION #3 January 19, 2010
(U.S.) National Nurses United
ACTION: HAITI
Send Nurses to Haiti – Solidarity to Help Heal Haiti
National Nurses United has launched a relief effort to send registered nurses to Haiti. Over 10,000 nurses have already answered the call. There’s just one problem: the cost of sending them. Every dollar you donate will go to providing the resources nurses need to care for the survivors of this tragedy.
PLEASE TELL EVERY NURSE YOU KNOW…
- RNs VOLUNTEER HERE >
- DONATE money to Help Send A Nurse >
- DOWNLOAD this informative flyer >
- SHARE this RNRN brochure (PDF) >
- IN-KIND Donations are also needed.
- RNRN HOTLINE: (800) 578-8225
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ACTION #4 Saturday 12 September, 2009
WLUML – Women Living Under Muslim Laws – ACTION
Pakistan: Urgent need to repeal Blasphemy Laws
INFORMATION 26/08/2009: Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) International Solidarity Network calls for the government of Pakistan to repeal its laws on blasphemy. The urgent need for law reform has been highlighted by the recent deadly attacks on a Christian community in Punjab, Pakistan, whose members were accused of desecrating the Qur’an. Members of a banned Islamist group, Sipah-i-Sahaba, took the law into their own hands and it is reported that policemen present did not try to control the mob and protect the citizens.
This violence was precipitated by an event at a wedding in the Korian village on 24 July 2009, when a few Muslims accused three Christians of tearing paper with Quranic verses. Muslim and Christian community leaders stepped in to resolve this conflict and requested that the accused apologize. However, on 30 July, the mosques of Korian and nearby villages began spreading the allegation of Christians desecrating the Quran, inciting attack on Christians. That evening, a mob of about 3,000 people descended on Korian, and demanded that those accused of desecrating the Quran be handed over to them. Out of a fear for their own safety the Christians ran away while the mob looted property and burned Christians’ houses. As the rumour of this blasphemy proliferated, the hostility towards Christians escalated in the district.
On the morning of 1st August, the local Ulema (Muslim legal scholars) led a procession against the alleged desecration and approached the Christian colony. In the afternoon, the mob, led by some armed and masked men, attacked the colony and set fire to 68 houses. Six Christians, including four women and one child, were burnt alive, Mr. Hameed Masih, one of the accused, was shot, the residents’ belongings (cash, gold jewelry, T.V., air conditioning unit, computer, etc.) were taken and two churches were ransacked. The policemen present did not try to control the mob.
HOTLINE ASIA has issued an urgent appeal to end this continuous violence against the religious minorities that has followed these events.
Local human rights organizations are joining with religious minorities in order to pressure the government into eliminating the discriminatory Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan. The leadership of the Catholic and Protestant Churches are drafting an appeal to the authorities requesting that the Blasphemy Laws be repealed, since these laws infringe upon the community’s right to freedom of religion. The National Commission for Justice and Peace has launched a petition to repeal the Blasphemy Laws, which will continue until mid-September 2009, and aims to collect over 300,000 signatures. Below is the text of this petition issued on August 25, 2009:
NCJP initiates Signature Campaign for the repeal of Blasphemy laws
The national commission for justice and peace, a human rights body of the Catholic church has started collecting signatures for the repeal of sections 295 B, C and 298 A, B and C of Pakistan (blasphemy laws). Making a reference to violent attack on religious minorities in Kasur, Gojra and other places, the campaign Appeal seeks an immediate repeal of blasphemy laws. Earlier in 2000 NCJP launched a signature campaign for the restoration of joint electorate in Pakistan and collected around 200000 signatures. We are expecting more than that, this time.
In a joint statement by Archbishop, Lawrence John Saldanha and Peter Jacob, the Chairperson and the Executive Secretary said that successive governments have failed to take a serious notice of the misuse of the law; the procedural amendments to registration of cases have failed too. Therefore the repeal is the only solution to these flowed and presumptuous laws. They urged the parliament to repeal blasphemy laws since they are source of promoting religious intolerance and disharmony among the citizens.
The recent incident in Gojra is an example of abuse of the Blasphemy Laws and its far-reaching consequences; it has been abused to justify violence on the others. NCJP call upon the fellow citizens to understand effects of these sections on the society. The incidents over past 20 years have shown that a large number of Muslims have also become victims of these laws and suffered, therefore the situation demands a serious and long term remedy.
According to data collected by NCJP, from 1986 to August 2009, at least 964 persons were alleged under this law. 479 of these were Muslims, 119 Christians, 340 Ahmadis, 14 Hindus and 10 were unknown. About 32 persons have been extra judicially murdered by the angry mob or an individual, the statement added.
Archbishop Lawrence John Saldanha
Chairperson
Peter Jacob
Executive Secretary
To add your name to the SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN FOR THE TOTAL REPEAL OF BLASPHEMY LAW, email: info@baazghashat.org
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Please write to authorities in Pakistan demanding that they repeal its Blasphemy Laws. These laws have become instruments of creating hatred and abuse of religion and law, justifying violence against others, as well as spreading disharmony and intolerance.
Sample letter
Subject: Urgent call to Pakistan to repeal its Blasphemy Laws
Dear Sir/Madam,
We join local human rights organizations, international women’s groups and religious minorities in calling for Pakistan to urgently repeal its Blasphemy Laws which have not only curtailed citizens’ freedom of expression, but have also been misused by violent religious extremists to commit grave acts of violence against others and to spread religious intolerance. In several cases the law has been used to settle personal scores and rivalries.
The urgent need for law reform has been highlighted by the recent deadly attacks on a Christian community in Punjab, Pakistan. At a wedding in Korian village near Gojra in Punjab province, on 24 July 2009, it was reported that a group of Muslims accused three Christians of tearing up paper on which Quranic verses were written. It is reported that on the following day, at a meeting held by Muslim and Christian elders called one of the accused was invited to offer an apology over the incident, and the issue of desecration was resolved with his apology. Then on 30 July, the clerics of mosques in Korian and nearby villages began spreading allegations of Christians desecrating the Quran, inciting an attack on Christians. That evening, a mob of hundreds descended on Korian and demanded that those accused of desecrating the Quran be handed over to them. Out of a fear for their own safety the Christians ran away while the mob looted property and burned Christians’ houses.
On the evening of 31 July 2009, Muslim clerics announced from the mosques a strike in response to the alleged desecration of the Quran by Christians, and asked Muslims to assemble at Malkanwala Chowk in Gojra. On the morning of 1st August, the local Muslim clerics led a procession to the Christian colony in Gojra. In the afternoon, the mob, led by some armed and masked men (reportedly belonging to a banned fundamentalist organization, Sipah-i-Sahaba), attacked the colony and set fire to 68 houses. Six Christians, including four women and one child, were burnt alive, Mr. Hameed Masih, was shot, while the residents’ belongings were stolen and two churches were ransacked.
It has been reported by the Hotline Asia project that policemen present on the scene did not try to control the violent mob. Indeed, in many recorded cases of violence against religious minorities in Pakistan, police and local authorities have failed to act effectively despite prior warning of communal tensions. Rather it is the victim of false allegations of blasphemy, often on the word of just one witness, that faces punishment. According to data collected by the National Commission for Justice and Peace, 960 individuals have been charged with blasphemy in Pakistan since 1986.
In 2002 Women’s Action Forum (Lahore) demanded the government of Pakistan to repeal the Blasphemy Laws after Rukhsana Bunyad, a local social activist and district councillor, was charged under these laws for having allegedly made remarks against the Holy Quran.
The Blasphemy Laws, especially Sections 295-B and 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, have been used and misused, in the words of Hina Jilani, a lawyer with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan to spread fear and terror… It’s a tool to be used against anyone you are in conflict with.” Those who have worked to overturn false charges of blasphemy have themselves become the target of violence. A former Lahore High Court judge, Justice Arif Hussain Bhatti, was murdered by a religious extremist, reportedly because he acquitted a blasphemy case. A number of lawyers and journalists have also been harassed for defending people accused of blasphemy and campaigning against the Blasphemy Laws. The Blasphemy Laws are not only a convenient provision for the religious extremists to eliminate their enemies and intimidate civilians, but also for criminals to legitimise their violence.
In the short period between May 2005 and February 2006 at least 7 churches, a college of the Christian community, a place of worship of Ahmadis, a Temple of Hindus and 3 hospitals of the Christian community were destroyed in various provinces and cities; a Hindu couple, accused of blasphemy, lost their property; 10 persons belonging to religious minorities were killed, 27 individuals were booked under blasphemy laws; and hundreds were harassed and injured by fanatics in different incidents. Furthermore, Ahmadis, (a sect of Islam banned in Pakistan where its members are seen as apostates), are forbidden from praying in mosques or reading from the Quran and they must vote under a separate electoral system. The attack on Christians of Gojra happened within a month of attacks on Christians in Kasur district where about one hundred houses were damaged. During the last year there has been highest increase of threats against religious minorities in Pakistan and Minority Rights Group International, a London-based watchdog organization, ranks Pakistan as the world’s sixth- most dangerous country for minorities.
We respectfully ask you to further investigate and address two points: firstly the violent persecution of this Christian community in the Punjab in July 2009, and the prosecution of the perpetrators of the violent crimes committed against its members, and secondly to join us in calling for the urgent repeal of Blasphemy Laws on the grounds that they excuse violence and repression and lead to impunity.
Yours Sincerely,
{your name / organization}
ADDRESSES
Please send letters to:
Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President House, Islamabad, PAKISTAN.
Fax: +92-51-9207458 Email address: ppp@comsats.net.pk or publicmail@president.gov.pk
Send copies to:
1. Mr. Yousaf Raza Gillani,
Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Prime Minister Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN.
Fax: + 92-51-9204632, 9221596 or Fax: +92-51-9206907
2. Mr. Shehbaz Sharif,
Chief Minister of Punjab,
Chief Minister Secretariat,
90 – Shahrah-e- Quaid-e-Azam,Lahore, PAKISTAN.
3. Mr. Syed Masood Kausar,
Federal Minister for Law and Justice,
Pak – Secretariat, Islamabad, PAKISTAN.
4. Diplomatic representatives of Pakistan in your countries: http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/pakistan
Also send a copy to the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
Asma Jahangir
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland
Fax: 00 41 22 917 9006
E-mail: urgent-action@ohchr.org
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EQUALITY NOW: CAll FOR ACTION
EQUALITY NOW CALLS ON ILLUSION SOFTWARE AND AMAZON JAPAN TO WITHDRAW THE SALE OF RAPELAY GAME
Japan Must Ban Rape-simulation Games Such as RAPELAY
Most Recent UPDATE:
Equality Now responds to reactions to its Women’s Action on rape simulator games.
CASE STUDY - Japan: Rape simulator games and the normalization of sexual violence
“Women are stupid creatures who don’t know how to do anything other than cook us dinner. This just proves their stupidity; they need to realize that the word ‘equality’ was a word created by men for men, and was never meant to be used by, referred to, or given to women.” -(Online game blogger responding to Equality Now’s Women’s Action against rape simulator games in Japan)
“By the way I played RapeLay (doing the 13 year old was best).” – (Email to Equality Now)
“The only way to defeat women’s rights and make things to the advantage of Men again is to brutally, publically, murder women’s rights activists en masse. Don’t you want young females of child bearing age as your wives (females gain the ability to have children at age 12, 13, or 14 commonly)? Yes you do. Don’t you want her to obey you? Yes you do. Don’t you want her to be nice to you? Yes you do (whatever “nice” means… probably quiet suffices). The only way you have a shot at getting any of that is if all feminists and those who support them are dead or ineffectual (dead really helps here as well).” – (U.S. online gamer railing against Equality Now’s Women’s Action).
BACKGROUND
In May 2009 Equality Now launched a Women’s Action on rape simulator games produced and sold in Japan. The Action highlighted the game RapeLay which was produced by Illusion Software and sold on Amazon Japan. RapeLay shows a schoolgirl around 12 years old travelling on a commuter train. A man who has been following her gropes and sexually molests her. Eventually the train stops and she runs frightened into a public toilet, followed by her assailant who handcuffs and rapes her. The assailant takes her prisoner and repeatedly rapes her in various locations. Her mother and teenaged sister suffer the same fate. This family is targeted for rape as punishment because the older sister had previously reported to the police the attempted sexual assault of another woman by the rapist. The aim of the RapeLay game is for the player repeatedly to rape the mother and her daughters until they begin to “enjoy” the experience.
Japan ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1985 and was last examined by the CEDAW Committee, which reviews government compliance with CEDAW, on 24 July 2009. The CEDAW Committee expressed concern at the “normalization of sexual violence in [Japan] as reflected by the prevalence of pornographic video games and cartoons featuring rape, gang rape, stalking and sexual molestation of women and girls.” The Committee also stated that it was concerned about the stereotypical depictions of women in the media and that, “the over-sexualized depiction of women strengthens the existing stereotypes of women as sex objects and continues to generate girls’ low self-esteem.” In its concluding observations the CEDAW Committee strongly urged the Japanese government to “ban the sale of video games or cartoons involving rape and sexual violence against women which normalize and promote sexual violence against women and girls.” The new Japanese government, elected in August 2009, has the opportunity and responsibility actively to address the concerns expressed by the CEDAW Committee by banning all media which promote violence against women and girls.
Since Equality Now issued its original Action, Japan’s Ethics Organization of Computer Software (EOCS), the industry’s self regulatory body whose job it is to rate computer software, has reportedly banned its members from producing games containing certain forms of violence against women. EOCS is a voluntary organization with a large but not universal membership. It is not yet clear what aspects of violence against women its rules will address and to what extent they will be applied. However, online gaming magazines suggest that due to the international attention, game makers in Japan are merely changing titles and pictures on game covers to make them appear innocuous and/or preventing anyone from outside Japan from accessing their websites, but are not addressing the actual content of these games. The Japanese government must take decisive steps to ban outright games that promote violence against women and girls and to address the objectification of women and promotion of violence against women in various media including in pornography.
Amazon Japan and Illusion Software have now withdrawn RapeLay from sale, however both continue to sell similar extreme pornography games in the form of cartoons known as hentai which include women and girls being raped, gang raped, stalked, molested, sexually assaulted and groped. In a furious backlash against moves to restrict the normalization of sexual violence against women and girls, Equality Now has been targeted through online blogs and emails with hundreds of abusive and sometimes threatening communications, including seemingly credible videos of real girls actually being gang raped. The videos were passed on to the Japanese police who initially refused to investigate, stating that, based on the officers’ analysis of the shape of the girls’ pubic hair, the girls were over eighteen, therefore the tapes were not considered child pornography. Only after Equality Now impressed upon the police that actual (and not enacted) gang rape videos are in fact sold on the open market in Japan, did they finally agree to re-examine the tapes, but it remains unclear what, if any, action has been taken including to trace the sender of the videos. The failure by the police even to contemplate that a serious crime might have taken place remains a deep concern.
The hostile responses provoked by Equality Now’s advocacy against extreme pornography, including the examples above, underscore the urgent need to address all instances of discrimination against women and girls, including the promotion of sexual violence. Article 5 (a) of CEDAW, which obligates States Parties to “modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women” is just one of many clear international standards adopted by the international community. In the same way that it would be unacceptable to promote violence against religious or ethnic groups, so it is unacceptable to promote violence and discrimination against women.
In addition to Japan’s obligations under CEDAW, Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution guarantees equality under the law and states that there shall be no “discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.” Computer games such as RapeLay and real rape “pornography” videos condone and promote gender stereotypes and gender-based discriminatory attitudes. As the CEDAW Committee has noted, these, in turn, contribute to gender-based violence.
Recommended Actions
Please write to the Japanese government officials below, calling on them to comply with Japan’s obligations under CEDAW, including the recent strong exhortation of the CEDAW Committee to ban games and cartoons that normalize and promote sexual violence against women and girls. In your letter to the Minister of Justice ask her also to inquire about the requested investigation into the apparent gang rape video sent by Equality Now to the Tokyo police department, and ask that her office investigates this and other actual rape videos to ensure that all those involved are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Please also continue to write to Illusion Software asking it to withdraw immediately from sale all games which involve rape, stalking or other forms of sexual violence or which otherwise denigrate women. Suggest that corporations have a responsibility to consider, as good business practice, any negative impact their activities may have on society and the public interest. Please write a similar letter to Amazon Japan.
Mr. Tadashi Yoshimura
Managing Director
Illusion Software
1-10-1 Nishikanagawa Kanagawa-ku
Yokohama-city, Kanagawa 221-0822, Japan
Tel: (+81) (0)4-5322-1551
Email: illusion@illusion.jp
Sample letter to Illusion Software
Mr. Jasper Cheung
President of Amazon Japan K.K
2-15-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-000-2, Japan
Email: via website
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama
2-3-1 Nagata-Cho, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-0014, Japan
Tel: (+81)(0)3-3581-0101
Fax: (+81)(0)3-3581-3883
Email: via website
Ms. Mizuho Fukushima
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Declining Birthrate and Gender Equality
Room 708, 4-gokan,
Chuogodo Chosya, 3-1-1 Kasumigaseki,
Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8970, Japan
Tel: (+81)(0)3-5253-2111
E-mail: via website
Sample letter to government officials
Ms. Keiko Chiba
Minster of Justice
1-1-1 Kasumigaseki,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8977, Japan
Tel: (+81)(0)3-3580-4111
Fax: (+81)(0)3-3592-7393
Email: via website
Sample letter to the Minister of Justice
Please keep Equality Now updated on your efforts and send copies of any replies you Equality Now P.O. Box 20646, Columbus Circle Station, New York NY 10023, USA
Equality Now Africa Regional Office, P.O. Box 2018, 00202, Nairobi, KENYA
Equality Now P.O. Box 48822, London WC2N 6ZW, UNITED KINGDOM
info@equalitynow.org
For more information please visit www.equalitynow.org
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