[NextGenderation]
below a message from a dear friend who is part of a
feminist group in
Tehran, and the group at this moment is in need of
visible
international
solidarity in order for some protection for the
actions they want to
do,
as a safety measure (after the very violent 8th of
march protests this
year). please read the mail, and respond if you can.
what they need is: feminist and women's groups in
middle-east to sign
(and i know there are some of you part of, or
connected to, such groups
on this list (Turkey, Israel, Lebanon...) please help
to make the
connections!), feminist and women's group in europe
and north-america
to
sign, and a list of "famous" signatures (e.g. Gayatri
Spivak just
signed, would be great to get Arundhati Roy, etc.). if
you can help on
any of these fronts, please do!
i would also like to propose to sahar that our network
signs, if that
is
okay with you. (if no-one objects in the following
days, i'll propose
so).
thanks, take care,
sarah
-------------------------------------------------------
Dear ones,
Last year on 12th June we had a demonstration in
Terhan protesting
the discrimination against women in the Iranian
constitution. It was
organized by several women groups from Tehran and
other cities and
turned out to be a turning point in Iranian women's
movement. [...]
Anyway,last year we received a lot of international
support,we
gathered many famous
signatures(academics,activists,noble prize
winners!...) that gave us a safety margin and really
helped in
minimizing the violence against activists.This year
women are gathering
again on the anniversary of 22 khordad(12 June ) but
things look worse
now under the new government. The past 8 March
demonstration was very
violent. The recent student protests have ended in the
disappearance
of
some students... my friends need the international
support for feeling
safer. just a few days time. They are announcing the
demonstration now
in order to avoid giving much time to the police and
security to crack
down on people before the action. we are asking the
support signatures
of feminist organizations and individuals.In case of
individuals,well
known activists,academics,...will help. The Western!
ones will be
considered good support and safety measures but I am
more concerned
with
the organizations in the region and their solidarity.
So,on this list I
am very much looking forward to the support of our
Turkish friends and
if other people in muslim countries.... could you
kindly ask the
women's organizations you are related with,to sign our
petition?
(again,
the European ones will help too) this should be
quick.you can email me
back with the full name of the organizations or
indiviuals or
email: info@???
by clicking on
http://herlandmag.com/news/06,06,07,12,33,14/ you
can
see the call for action and the organizations who have
already signed.
I paste it here and also attach it together with the
demonstration
logo.
In solidarity,
sahar. (sahar_sadjadi77@???)
--------------------------------------------------------------
We, the undersigned, would like to express our
support for Iranian
women in their continued struggle to gain equal rights
under the civil
and penal codes of the Islamic republic of Iran.
Specifically, we
support Iranian women in their peaceful protest
scheduled for June 12,
2006 demanding an end to all forms of legal
discriminations including:
Banning of polygamy;
Equal right to divorce;
Equal child custody rights for mothers and
fathers;
Equal rights in marriage (like women's right to
choose her own
employment, travel freely, etc);
Increase in the legal age of children to 18 years
of age;
Equal value placed on women's testimony in court;
and
Elimination of temporary work contracts which
disproportionately
and
negatively impact women.
******
the translation of the call for demonstartion:
22nd of Khordad: Iranian Women's Protest Against
Sexist Laws
For the past 100 years, since the constitutional
period, Iranian
women have worked toward achieving their human rights
and equal status
under the legal system. Despite these efforts,
women's most basic
rights have been ignored within the Iranian civil and
penal codes.
Needless to say lack of legal guarantees and equality
under the law has
imposed severe obstacles and consequences on the lives
of Iranian
women.
Last year, on the 22nd of Khordad (12th of June,
2005) Iranian women
voiced their unanimous objection to all discriminatory
laws which
violated their human rights. Our voices and demands,
however, have
been
left unanswered. This year, in follow-up to their
demands, Iranian
women will come together in protest on June 12 th,
2006 to once again
ask for their rights. Our demands include:
1- Banning of polygamy;
2- Equal right to divorce;
3- Equal child custody rights for mothers and
fathers;
4 - Equal rights in marriage (like women's right to
choose her own
employment, travel freely, etc);
5 - Increase in the legal age of children to 18
years of age
(currently girls are viewed as adults at 9 years of
age and boys at 15
years of
age, making them eligible to be tried as adults);
6- Equal value placed on women's testimony in
court; and
7 - Elimination of temporary work contracts which
disproportionately
and negatively impact women.
We ask all individuals who object to the legal
violations of women's
rights to join this gathering on Monday, 22nd of
Khordad, 5 6 pm,
Haft-e-Tir Square.
We ask you to support our efforts by signing on to
our petition
asking for changes in the legal code. We especially
welcome support
from women's rights activists, human rights activists,
academics and
their respective organizations.
__________________________________________________
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