Consultation Papers
Living our Faiths in Community:
Towards Gender Justice and Genuine Partnership of Women and
Men
May 14-19, 2004
Wongsanit
Ashram, Thailand
Jointly organized by:
Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY), Christian Conference of Asia (CCA),and Church Development Service (EED), Germany,
| Concept Paper |
Final Report
1) Background to the Consultation
2) Objectives of the
Consultation
3)
Expected Outcomes
4) Program Content
5) Impact of the
Consultation
| Final Statement |
| Closing Liturgy |
Consultation papers
Interfaith
Consultation on Gender Justice,
Hope S. Antone (Word
version)
A
Quiet Movement of Buddhist Women in Cambodia,
Peou Vanna, ANLWC, Project Manager
(Word
version)
Gender
Discrimination in India, Manoj Kumar Singh (Word
version)
Gender
Justice Bias in Madura: The Case of the Lost Hope Toward a Local
Value, Ma'arif Jamuin2 (Word
version)
Gender
Justice -A Theological and Cultural Perspective, Naeem
Shakir (Word version)
How
I feel to be a Javanese Moslem Woman in the Indonesian Context,
dewi candraningrum (Word
version)
On
Gender Justice: A Christian Perspective, Liza B. Lamis
(Word version)
Unjust
Gender Issues in a Moslem Family in Surakarta,Totok Budi
Santoso (Word version)
Photos
Concept Paper
Background
During
the Consultation on Inter-religious Cooperation in Asia on 5-10 April
2003 held in Prapat, Indonesia, issues of gender justice figured prominently.
Hence, the group of 37 participants, 10 women and 27 men, representing
the four major religions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam,
adopted as one of its recommendations:
Examine
the patriarchal theologies, structures and practices of our religions
and cultures in order to empower women by developing alternative educational
resources for the promotion of equal partnership between women and men.
This statement
is very revealing of the group’s awareness that religions reinforce
patriarchal ways, beliefs, structures and practices and of the need to
empower women to build awareness and transform inequalities in religious
traditions into gender fair systems and customs.
There have been some attempts by various regional ecumenical women’s
organizations at inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. However, the
tendency of these dialogues was more to explain the positive side of the
respective religions, to convince each other of the worth of one’s
religion. There was little, if at all, critique of the religions’
negative aspects that are at the core of the unjust relationships between
women and men in society. In the attempt to project a good image of the
different religions, these inter-religious cooperation programmes overlooked
religious teachings and traditions that reinforced gender inequality.
The women
and men who met in Prapat were brave to confront together how religious
traditions, structures and practices in Asia have contributed to the subjugation,
impoverishment and disempowerment of women. The recognition of this reality,
although it caused many tears, was a powerful and liberating experience
for all of us.
In Asia,
there is a growing movement for women’s empowerment in which women
themselves are re-reading and re-interpreting their sacred texts to uncover
the hidden stories of women in a world shaped by male interests. There
are also men who are involved in or sympathetic to this movement. They
recognize that religion, as an important social institution, should promote
peace and harmony based on justice among men and women in society. Women
and men have crucial roles to play towards development of humanity and
fulfilling the Mission, beliefs and traditions of religions. Women and
men from the different religions can learn from each other and work together
to address their common problems.
It is an
urgent task therefore for representatives from religious traditions, both
men and women, to address the issue of gender justice and genuine partnership
in their efforts towards inter-religious cooperation so that men and women
can live a truly shared humanity that has genuine respect for each of
God’s creation.
Objectives of the Consultation
- to share each other's pain
- To facilitate
gender sensitivity among the participants and enable them to
recognize
the importance of gender justice and genuine partnership for the work
of peace-building in Asia;
- To empower
participants to lift up the liberating themes of their religions and
critically examine the patriarchal theologies, structures and practices
of their
religions, cultures and traditions that are disempowering to
any groups in their
communities – e.g. women, youth and children.
- To explore
ways of developing alternative educational resources that promote
equal
partnership between women and men.
Programme
Contents
Women’s
Caucus
A women’s caucus/forum will be held to build each other’s
confidence, listen to women stories of being members of the major religions
and re-affirm their commitment towards peace building in inter-religious
context in Asia.
Gender
Sensitivity Exercises
The community building processes during the Consultation will involve
gender sensitivity exercises for all the participants, both men and women.
Storytelling:
Images of Man and Woman in Different Religious Traditions
The participants will be encouraged to tell their stories about the images
of men and women in their own religious traditions and stories of pains
of men and women caused by religious norms or expectations, and of processes
of healing from experiences of gender injustice. This will also be an
opportunity to tell stories of living together with people of other faiths,
sharing of power, spirituality and peace. The participants may use creative
methods to present their stories.
Case
Studies/Panel Presentations on Scripture Studies
Representatives from the four religions will present a study and analysis
of their own sacred texts related to gender, different interpretations
in the light of historical development, and the scope for peace building
efforts in terms of promoting gender justice and genuine partnership among
men and women of their own faiths.
Exposure
visits
There will be visits to organisations/communities that will inspire and
motivate the participants to continue building a culture of peace and
strengthening partnerships among men and women through inter-religious
cooperation.
Theme
Perspectives and Synthesis
A presentation on the theme, integrating the stories, analyses, critique
and discussions of participants will be given. This will also provide
for a synthesis and forward-looking principles and strategies that will
help to strengthen the promotion of gender justice in inter-religious
context. The Presenter, after noting the concepts and ideas of the participants
in the Consultation, may pose challenges to the participants in terms
of pursuing the work of peace building in Asia given the dominant patriarchal
systems, structures and cultures within the society and the religious
traditions.
Workgroup
discussions
There will be workshops and small discussions groups on the emerging issues
and topics in the Consultation to enable participants to share more meaningfully
and learn from each other.
Morning
Reflections
In the spirit of interfaith dialogue and partnership, participants will
reflect together at the start of each day. These reflection sessions will
be participatory, inspirational and spiritually nurturing.
Action
Planning
The participants will work together and discuss ways on strengthening
inter-religious dialogue and cooperation in Asia through a gender-just
partnership among women and men.
Cultural
Sharing
The participants will highlight the community and religious cultural traditions
that promote gender justice and genuine partnership among men and women.
Processes and Methodologies
ICP
Continuing Committee
The ICP Continuing Committee, representing the 4 major religions, will
facilitate and organize the Programme through the Christian Conference
of Asia and the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs as Staff/Organizers.
Consultation
Process
The Consultation will provide for listening, sharing and healing processes
for the participants. Reflections, analyses and critique of religious
traditions in relation to gender justice will be done in an open, participatory
and interactive manner. There will be time for plenary deliberations and
small group discussions to clarify concepts, study and learn together
in a friendly and peaceful environment. The participants will be encouraged
to exercise to a wider extent their skills in listening to one another,
involving respect and empathy.
Case studies
and exposure visits will also be planned for more concrete and practical
sharing of actions and work done in the area of inter-religious dialogue
and partnership in terms of gender justice.
Resource
Persons
There will be Presenters, selected representatives from the four major
religions, to enrich the discussions and broaden the perspectives of the
Consultation. The Presenters’ papers/ presentation materials should
be submitted at least one month prior to the Consultation.
Steering
Committee/Writing Group
The ICP Continuing Committee and selected participants will form the Steering
Committee. This Committee will be responsible for organizing and overseeing
the Consultation Process. This Committee will also select a writing group
that will be tasked to integrate the discussions in the Consultation into
one document/statement.
Expected Outcomes
- Gender
sensitivity and adequate understanding of the need to deal with gender
justice in the context of inter-religious dialogue and cooperation among
the
participants
- Identification
of religious themes related to gender justice and genuine
partnership
between men and women and critical analyses of religious customs
and
principles that hinder empowerment of women and genuine partnership
between men and women
- Participants
are equipped in critically examining the patriarchal theologies,
structures
and practices of their religions, cultures and traditions;
- Recommendations
made on promoting gender justice within religious institutions
and society
and seeking alternative educational resources that promote equal
partnership
between women and men
- Commitment
to continue work towards building a culture of peace in Asia
Dates
and Venue
14-19 May 2004, 6 days including arrival and departure
Thailand
Participants
Twenty participants, including the Resource Persons and the ICP Continuing
Committee, will take part in the Consultation. Women theologians will
be invited to participate and also to present their perspectives. Participants
are expected to demonstrate openness to, if not active participation in
feminism or the movement for women’s empowerment, or advocacy of
gender justice. They should be in a position to share, contribute and
apply their learning.
Participation
will be selected based on:
- 50-60% should be grassroots persons with inter-religious cooperation
experience
- 50% should be below the age of 30 years of age
- 60% women; 40% men;
- Male participants should be gender-sensitive
- Equal participation from the four religions- Buddhism, Christianity,
Hinduism and Islam.
The final
selection of participants from nominated persons for participation from
the different religions based on participation criteria and from different
geographical regions of Asia will be made by the Continuing Committee.
Final Report
1) Background to the Consultation WE Buddhist
Friends’ Prayers
During the
Consultation on Inter-religious Cooperation in Asia on 5-10 April 2003
held in Prapat, Indonesia, issues of gender justice figured prominently.
Hence the participants of this consultation adopted as one of its
recommendations.
Examine
the patriarchal theologies, structures and practices of our religions
and
cultures in order to empower women by developing alternative educational
resources for the promotion of equal partnership between women and men.
This statement
is very revealing of the group’s awareness that religions reinforce
patriarchal ways, beliefs, structures and practices and of the need to
empower women to build awareness and transform inequalities in religious
traditions into gender fair systems and customs.
There have been some attempts by various regional ecumenical women’s
organizations at inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. However, the
tendency of these dialogues was more to explain the positive side of the
respective religions and to convince each other of the worth of one’s
religion. There was little critique, if any at all, of the religions’
negative aspects that are at the core of the unjust relationships between
women and men in society. In the attempt to project a good image of the
different religions, these inter-religious cooperation programmes overlooked
religious teachings and traditions that reinforced gender inequality.
The women
and men who met in Prapat were brave to confront together how religious
traditions, structures and practices in Asia have contributed to the subjugation,
impoverishment and disempowerment of women. The recognition of this reality,
although it caused many tears, was a powerful and liberating experience
for all of us.
In Asia,
there is a growing movement for women’s empowerment in which women
themselves are re-reading and re-interpreting their sacred texts to uncover
the hidden stories of women in a world shaped by male interests. There
are also men who are involved in, or sympathetic to, this movement. They
recognize that religion, as an important social institution, should promote
peace and harmony based on justice among men and women in society. Women
and men have crucial roles to play towards development of humanity and
fulfilling the true essence of religions. Women and men from the different
religions can learn from each other and work together to address their
common problems.
It is an
urgent task therefore for representatives from religious traditions, both
men and women, to address the issue of gender justice and genuine partnership
in their efforts towards inter-religious cooperation so that men and women
can live a truly shared humanity that has genuine respect for each of
God’s creation.
2) Objectives of the Consultation
- To share
each other’s pain and stories of empowerment, healing and
wholeness;
- To facilitate
gender sensitivity among the participants and enable them to
recognize
the importance of gender justice and genuine partnership for the work
of peace-building in Asia;
- To empower
participants to lift up the liberating themes of their religions and
critically examine the patriarchal theologies, structures and practices
of their
religions, cultures and traditions that are disempowering to
any groups in their
communities – e.g. women, youth and children.
- To explore
ways of developing alternative educational resources that promote
equal
partnership between women and men.
3) Expected
Outcomes
- Gender
sensitivity and adequate understanding of the need to deal with gender
justice in the context of inter-religious dialogue and cooperation among
the
participants
- Identification
of religious themes related to gender justice and genuine
partnership
between men and women and critical analyses of religious customs
and
principles that hinder empowerment of women and genuine partnership
between men and women
- Participants
are equipped in critically examining the patriarchal theologies,
structures
and practices of their religions, cultures and traditions;
- Recommendations
made on promoting gender justice within religious institutions
and society
and seeking alternative educational resources that promote equal
partnership
between women and men
- Commitment to
continue work towards building a culture of peace in Asia
4) Participants
A total
of 23 women and 7 men participated in the consultation. They came from
Philippines (4), India (1), Pakistan (1), Thailand/Burma (1), Cambodia
(1), Thailand (9), Laos (2), Burma (2), Malaysia (1), Indonesia (4), India/Nagaland
(3), and USA (1). There were 11 Buddhists, 13 Christians, 2 Hindus and
4 Muslims.
5) The Progamme Contents
1) Morning
Reflections
Each morning, members of one faith group led in a short time of prayer
and
reflection based on their own traditions. This helped build understanding
and respect and also helped the participants focus more clearly on the
issue of gender justice and the responsibility of our religious communities
in
addressing this issue.
2) Gender
Sensitivity Exercises
Community building processes during the consultation involved gender
sensitivity
exercises for both men and women. These exercises were
designed to help
people recognize some of the gender issues that exist
and begin thinking
creatively about how to address these issues.
3) Sharing of
personal stories
In small groups, participants shared their own experiences of working
for
gender justice to help the consultation recognize the resources among
the
participants for empowerment, healing and wholeness.
4) National
Story Telling
Each country was asked to present a case study expressing how images
of
men and women are articulated by religious institutions and leaders. The
case studies also presented personal stories of the pain men and women
experience caused by religious norms or expectations, and of processes
of
healing. Experiences of living together with people of other faiths,
sharing
of power, spirituality and peace were also an important part of
these case
studies.
5)
Presentations by Religious Groups
A panel consisting of one representative from each faith presented a study
and analysis of their own sacred texts, teachings and practices related
to
gender, different interpretations in the light of historical development
and
the scope for peace building efforts in terms of promoting gender
justice
and genuine partnership among men and women of their own faiths.
6) Small Group
Discussions
At different times throughout the consultation, the group divided into
smaller groups for more in-depth discussions on the issues being raised.
These smaller groups allowed greater participation and sharing of all
participants of the consultation and also provided time for brainstorming
and strategizing. The reports of these small groups to the plenary helped
form the final statement and recommendations of the consultation. (See
attached statement for details)
7) Exposure
Visit
An exposure trip was arranged to a center run by a Buddhist monk that
provides counseling and help to gays and lesbians. This visit helped
provoke
much deeper discussions on how religion can be used to alienate
certain
people based on gender.
6) Impact of the Consultation
While
the actual impact of the consultation on the lives and work of the participants
can only truly be evaluated in the future, the enthusiastic participation
of all attendees suggests that the issues, hopes and strategies raised
has had a positive effect. The discussions raised the issue of gender
inequality in the four major religious traditions which suggests a process
of self-critique. Participants recognized that there is gender inequality
and that much too often this inequality is fostered and promoted by the
way the religious faith is taught and practiced. The consciousness thus
raised will hopefully motivate the participants to continue working in
these issues and initiate actions that can bring about positive transformation
and healing. The recommendations that grew out of the consultation process,
as listed in the attached Statement, show the seriousness with which participants
related to the issues and the importance they placed on seeking solutions.
Furthermore,
the consultation has re-affirmed common human/religious values shared
across religions that lead us toward better understanding of one another,
greater tolerance of the “other”, healing and reconciliation.
The identified
actions have given a clear guide for the continuation of this interfaith
dialogue on gender equality. Follow-up actions based on these recommendations
can help the continuation of community building among different faiths
and between the different genders.
Final Statement
Hindu, Muslim,
Buddhist and Christian women and men coming from India, Pakistan, Laos,
Burma, Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia
living our
faiths in community and celebrating the richness and diversity of our
cultures and traditions here at Wongsanit Ashram, Thailand on 14-19 May
2004,
having honestly
reflected and humbly consulted each other on Gender Justice and Genuine
partnership of Men and Women,
and acknowledging
our common victimization and complicity to patriarchy in varied manifestations
in our Asian context,
pronounce
the following:
Towards
attaining our envisioned Asian community where
- women
and men are treated equally as full human beings
- men
and women are equal partners in decision making in all spheres of human
life
- in the economic, social, political, religious and domestic
- the
marginalized and the oppressed are liberated and empowered;
We recognize patriarchy embedded in our cultures
and religions as the root cause of the issues that we confront now and
manifests itself in:
- Prohibition
of women from access to power and decision making in social life
and
structures
- Relegation
of women in the domestic sphere that undermines women’s full
realization
of their potentials
- Misinterpretation
of sacred texts and traditions to perpetuate the
marginalization and
violation of women
- Justification
of traditions and practices which are oppressive to women to
maintain
the interests of the powerful and the rich represented by elite men
in communities
- Ignorance,
which has kept Asians in the dark of oppression and hindered
them from
realizing their full human potentials
- Globalization
and its evil effects that has kept majority of Asians in the depth
of
poverty and exploitation.
In this
context, we positively acknowledge the liberating themes and efforts that
emerge around Asia:
- Building
of inclusive communities that
1) promotes
interrelatedness, mindfulness and loving kindness among all
created
beings
2)
supports women’s participation in all areas of life and genuine
partnership
with the men
3)
encourages the voiceless to speak towards genuine dialogue
4)
critiques the practices and traditions that negates the dignity
of human
beings
- Women’s
attempts at reading and interpreting sacred texts in context and
recover
its liberating, empowering and transforming themes
We believe
that we can take actions to address the issues we have named. Therefore,
towards a genuine partnership of women and men, we commit ourselves to
do the following:
On
Violence Against Women
Awareness
building on the issue
Outreach and service to victims
- Legal
and para-legal assistance
- Economic
support and empowerment
- Shelter
for victims
Advocacy
and mobilization
- Organize
public pressure and support
- Document
cases
- Research
and publication, documentation to expose issues
- Generate
support from religious authority figures (e.g. Islamic scholars)
- Organize
women’s groups and support groups
On
Gender Participation
Advocate
the equal participation of women in policy and decision-making bodies
- Equal
participation of men and women in the revision and implementation of
legislation towards equal representation (include HR experts, NGOs,
rep from
all religions of communities)
- Awareness
programs (Campaigns, workshops, seminars, literature, media,
consultation,
dialog, training)
- Re-reading
and re-interpreting all sacred texts by men and women
On Gender
Discrimination in religious education
- Publication
of inter-religious materials
- Inter-faith
critique of education materials to identify to identify gender
discrimination
and to do re-reading of texts
- Interfaith
development of curriculum for religious education that promotes
culture
of peace
- Inter-faith
efforts of doing justice and sharing in interfaith consultation
- Networking
of inter-religious educators
- Dialogue
between cultures and religions
On Globalization
and consumerism
- Publications
(for awareness building)
- Contemplative
mind retreat (to reclaim women spirit)
- Promote
and educate value-based product and fair market in religious
establishments
and communities
- Trainings
on feminist religious perspective
- Seminar
on “sustainable economy and fair market analysis”
We ended
the Consultation in prayer and hope that in our return to our respective
communities, we are able to start transforming our selves and our faith
communities towards attaining our envisioned Asian community.
May divine
wisdom fill us and enlightenment guide our path. So be it.
19 May
2004
Closing
Liturgy
Creed:
We believe in life, not death;
We believe in goodness not evil;
We believe in hope, not despair;
We believe in the power of God’s Spirit given to us,
women and men, to build a just society.
We believe it is better to give one’s life for another than to take
another’s life for our benefit.
We believe it is better to struggle in danger than to die in despair.
We believe it is better to be punished for the truth than to die in the
darkness of lies and injustice.
We believe in our own goodness and our ability to share that goodness
with others for their advancement.
We believe in the Reign of God; Now a reign of love, justice and truth,
and the fruits of this which is peace.
We believe that we can sacrifice ourselves for the good of others to build
up this reign of God now.
We believe that God understands our fears and weaknesses.
We also believe that God challenges us to rise above these fears and weaknesses
in order to struggle in hope for a re-created society.
Offering:
Philippines: To
engage in a serious and ongoing study on the teachings of the
Church
with respect to the dignity of women.
Indonesia: To
design and implement programs to enable parents and teachers
to improve
the socialization process towards equality between men
and women,
value formation and appreciation of ecology for children.
Myanmar: To
undertake seriously and comprehensively sessions preparing
couples
for marriage and ongoing formation for the married in order
to help
them understand and respect each other’s sexuality.
Thailand: To
encourage women in Asia to be more active in formulating and
implementing
strategies to solve issues concerning women,
especially those merged
in poverty and victims of violence.
USA: To
initiate awareness campaigns on women’s dignity and vocation
for
different sectors of society with the use of media technology.
Laos: To
encourage the formation of women’s groups in the neighbourhood
for sharing experiences and building solidarity.
Pakistan: To
have a common definition and understanding of feminism from a
Christian,
Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist perspective that will guide our
work for women.
India: That
more religious leaders should listen to women and be
responsive to
their problems.
Malaysia: To
express sensitivity through the use of inclusive language.
All: To
encourage the development of a spirituality from the women’s
perspective.
All: We
are deeply grateful to the organizing team for all the
arrangements
made to ensure our comfort and facilitate the smooth
running of the
meeting.
(Blessings from our Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian
friends)
Blessings
All: May God go with each one of us
May God hold us in love
May God reveal to us God’s presence in our hearts
May God unite us to work for the transformation of our world
May our God who holds us in being, who reveals Love to us, and who dwells
in our hearts bless us for the journey ahead.
Circle dance:
Singing of the peace song and lighting of a candle which is passed to
everyone.