Women's rights activists stress need to separate religion from state
2007-12-04
A recent Tunis seminar on gender inequality drew representatives of development associations and NGOs from across the Maghreb region.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis –04/12/07
![[Jamel Arfaoui] Forum participants shared perspectives and personal experiences.](/cocoon/awi/images/2007/12/04/071204feature1photo.jpg) [Jamel Arfaoui] Forum participants shared perspectives and personal experiences. |
Human rights activists from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania attending a Tunisian seminar last week stressed the need to separate religion from state as "an essential approach to realizing gender equality." The "Maghreb Women's March towards Realizing Equality" seminar on November 24th and 25th addressed the marginalisation of the Maghreb woman and the gender gap in each country.
According to a 2007 report issued by the World Economic Forum presented to forum attendees, Maghreb countries rank at the bottom in terms of gender gaps. Out of 128 countries included in the report, Morocco ranks 120th, Algeria 108th and Tunisia 102nd.
The Global Gender Gap Report is based on a new and innovative research methodology that was used for the first time last year. It measures gender inequality for areas such as economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, political empowerment and health and survival.
In addition to hearing how their countries fared in the report, forum participants shared perspectives and personal experiences.
Activist Malika Remaoun from Algeria complained about the concessions given to Islamists at the expense of women. "There must be a provision in the Constitution on the need to separate between religion and the state as a real starting point for realizing gender equality", she told Magharebia. Tunisian Balkis Mechri agreed, saying "the battle to realize equality is not only legal, but social as well."
Ourida Chouaki of Algeria, however, warned that secularism in Maghreb societies is mistakenly being perceived as a call to apostasy.
In recent years, labour and criminal law reforms have ended discriminatory chapters against Moroccan women, activist Najet Razi acknowledged. Razi pointed out that family law still gives men the right to polygamy, compels the return of women to the matrimonial home and governs child custody. In addition, women's representation in the decision-making process, parliament, political parties and government is still below the desired level.
Rejectionists, she maintained, "are using religion as a means to swallow up women's rights".
She added, "Certainly, all this comes in the framework of political compromises in order to appease the Islamist parties at the expense of women. However, we think that the battle is ongoing, now that we have become a force in civil society and have allies in the progressive parties."
The Tunis seminar was held in advance of the Maghreb Social Forum in Mauritania next month. Gender inequality will be one of the issues discussed January 10th at the Nouakchott event.
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ميساء Posted 2007-12-05
I love this woman.
بوكرش محمد الجزائري Posted 2007-12-20
All those liberal women who want to do away with the culture of their families, and who want to engage in all types of prostitution, have been gathered in this suspicious, sick, perverted association that wants to facilitate infection and disgrace with the help of semi men who are the sons of adultery and betrayal with science fiction imaginary ideology. They know quite well that Muslims, whether men or women, obey only the Holy Koran and the sunna. Those women have been exposed and it is not possible for them to be accepted as normal housewives. Therefore, their aim is to try to spread the disease. This will be the normalization of rudeness, prostitution, debauchery and adultery in the name of gender equality which is not followed even in the United States, which is the only dominant superpower now. They are doing this in the name of rights of humans, who are being trod up by that superpower. There are people who encourage these calls and control this manipulation, starting from beauty contests, forums of activists in this women prostitution; those who trade in women and girls, from Russia to China and similar poor countries, such as Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq and Philippines. The list is very long, and it includes America which is oppressed by brokers and mafia. In spite of its technological power, it is the poorest and most ignorant nation about education and manners, not to mention the spread of poverty and the lack of rights except those that are taken by force and bloodshed. This is known about America in its internal and external policies. Its history in racial discrimination is well known. Finally, which example do those prostitutes try to follow except that in their trade? Islam has nothing to do with you and your organizations, especially those Algerian prostitutes who are everywhere now in Tunisia, and tomorrow they will be in Nouakchott. The battle of adultery and debauchery continues …
Arielle H. Posted 2008-05-29
THANK YOU so much for reporting on this...and for these brave women who are speaking up. They are facing being lied about and hated for promoting women's rights. They are heros for women all over the world!!!
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