“One Day, One Struggle” to Promote Human Rights across Muslim
Societies

Advocates in eleven countries gather for milestone in history of
sexual and reproductive rights movement

On November 9, 2009, a diverse group of nongovernmental organizations
will stage bold actions in 11 countries to promote human rights. As
part of the historic international campaign “One Day One Struggle”
organized by the Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim
Societies (CSBR), over 20 organizations will hold simultaneous public
demonstrations and events to assert that sexual and reproductive
rights are universal human rights based on the inherent freedom,
dignity and equality of all human beings.

“One Day One Struggle” is designed to raise awareness of how human
rights—including sexual and reproductive rights—have been under attack
in Muslim societies. Rising conservatism, fueled by militarism,
increasing inequalities, the politicization of religion and
Islamophobia have strengthened patriarchal and extremist religious
ideologies. For instance, last week, a woman in Turkey was asked to
get written consent from her rapist in order to have an abortion,
which is against all existing legal regulations. In the Sudan, a
recent bill annulled the prohibition of female genital mutilation, new
legislation in Indonesia’s Aceh now allows for stoning to death as
punishment for adultery, while the bodily and sexual rights of
Palestinian women continue to be violated in the shadow of the
apartheid wall.

During the 1-Day Campaign that promises to be a milestone event in the
history of the sexual and reproductive rights movement, hundreds will
gather in university campuses in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lebanon and
the Sudan, at press conferences in Cyprus, Egypt and Malaysia, in
conference and concert halls in Tunisia and Pakistan and on the
streets of Turkey and Palestine, to underline the fact that sexuality
is not a private issue but a site of political struggle.

* * * * *

CSBR is a globally renowned solidarity network of progressive NGOs and
premier academic institutions in the Middle East, North Africa, South
and Southeast Asia, working to promote sexual and bodily rights as
human rights in Muslim societies.

For more information, please contact Women for Women’s Human Rights
(WWHR) - New Ways at: - Tel: +90 212 251 00 29

To find out more about the Campaign in:

BANGLADESH:

- Centre for Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS James P Grant
School of Public Health, BRAC University: sabina@bracu.ac.bd;

- Boys of Bangladesh (BoB):

CYPRUS:

- Feminist Workshop (FEMA):

EGYPT:

- Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), New Woman
Foundation (NWF):

INDONESIA:

- GAYa NUSANTRA:

- Puan Amal Hayati Foundation (PUAN):

LEBANON:

- Meem:

- Helem:

MALAYSIA:

- Women’s Aid Organization (WAO), All Women's Action Society
(AWAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Empower:

PAKISTAN:

- Vision:

- Organization for the Protection and Propagation of the Rights
of Sexual Minorities (OPPRSM):

PALESTINE:

- Gender Studies Project at MADA Al-Carmel, Arab Center for
Applied Social Research:

- Muntada, The Arab Forum for Sexuality, Education and Health:

- Women Against Violence (WAV): aida_touma_slima@hotmail.com;

SUDAN:

- Ahfad University for Women:

TUNISIA:

- Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (ATFD):
ahlembelhadj@gmail.com;

TURKEY:

- Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways:

Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - New Ways
Inonu Cad. Saadet Apt. 29/6 Gumussuyu
Istanbul 34437 Turkiye
Tel:+90 212 251 00 29
Fax: +90 212 251 00 65

Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR) – New Ways is an autonomous
women’s non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Turkey. Founded
in 1993, WWHR works on the local, national and international levels to
promote women’s human rights and enable women to participate in social
change processes as free and equal citizens.