{"id":11236,"date":"2021-03-31T13:09:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-31T11:09:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/?p=11236"},"modified":"2021-03-31T13:41:44","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T11:41:44","slug":"197th-dialogue-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-a-glossary-from-a-to-z-in-the-wake-of-decades-of-struggle-against-anti-women-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openasia.org\/en\/2021\/03\/197th-dialogue-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-a-glossary-from-a-to-z-in-the-wake-of-decades-of-struggle-against-anti-women-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"197th Dialogue : \u201cSexual and Gender-Based Violence: A Glossary from A to Z\u201d: in the wake of decades of struggle against anti-women violence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

197<\/span>th<\/span> Dialogue<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: A Glossary from A to Z<\/span>\u201d<\/span>: in the wake of decades of struggle against anti-women violence<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A report on the conference launching <\/span>Words Matter Campaign<\/span>: 61 words, 61 days to combat sexual and gender-based violence, marking International Women\u2019s Rights Day 2021<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

OPEN <\/span>ASIA|Armanshahr<\/span>, 40Braids and the Observatory of Women for Justice in Transition (#ObservatoryWJT), in collaboration with Alternative links, supported by the International Federation for <\/span>Human Rights (FIDH), organised the <\/span>conference launching <\/span>\u2018Words Matter Campaign: 61 words, 61 days to combat sexual and gender-based violence\u2019 on 7 March 2021, with experts from Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the Kurdistan Region.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Guissou Jahangiri<\/span><\/strong>, FIDH vice president and executive director of OPEN <\/span>ASIA|Armanshahr<\/span>, moderator of the online conference, opened it with remarks about the rising rate of violence against women and gender inequalities during COVID-19 pandemic. She pointed out that 35 countries, including the US, Brazil, Egypt and Hungary, opposed the right to abortion last winter <\/span>in Geneva <\/span>on the pretext of saving human life and the well-being of women. <\/span><\/p>\n

She went on: <\/span>\u201cWe are worried about the rise of populist conservatives, who occasionally speak the language of fascists, are in alliance with extremist religious forces on all continents, and are backed by patriarchal structures in many countries. They are targeting human rights and women\u2019s rights in particular. Military occupation, war and crisis ratchet up sexual and gender-based violence including rape that claim victims of rape among women as well as men, gang rape, sexual slavery, genital mutilation and other atrocities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Khalil Rostamkhani<\/span><\/strong>, writer, researcher, human rights defender and translator of \u201cSexual and Gender-Based Violence: A Glossary from A to Z\u201d into Persian, <\/span>was the next speaker <\/span>who <\/span>said the Campaign <\/span>wa<\/span>s based on the glossary and <\/span>would<\/span> begin on <\/span>8<\/span> March<\/span> by Armanshahr Foundation<\/span>. He then said: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>words precede and develop into sexual and physical violence. Genocides were preceded with lingual violence.\u201d He then pointed out a number of sexualised words men use.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under<\/span>lining the significance of the glossary of 61 words, he said, \u201cto combat lingual violence, which is the prelude to sexual and gender-based violence, suppression and even massacre, we must first know the precise meaning<\/span>s<\/span> of these important words and their various dimensions<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d <\/span>He then<\/span> <\/span>pointed out to<\/span> several of the words<\/span> in the glossary<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr.<\/span> <\/span>Azadeh<\/span> Kian<\/span><\/strong>, Professor of <\/span>S<\/span>ociology at the University of Paris and director of the Centre for teaching, documents and research in women\u2019s studies (<\/span>CEDREF<\/span>)<\/span>,<\/span> asserted: different types of violence on different domestic, national and international levels enhance one another. They are the outcome of unequal <\/span>relations of power and social inequalities between the various genders, classes, races and nationalities. She then spoke about sexual slavery, forced prostitution and raping of women in particular in wars: rape is used as a weapon of war and makes women\u2019s bodies into a battle area, because wo<\/span>men are considered <\/span>symbols<\/span> of ethnic, national and religious identities. Therefore, raping women is considered the same as<\/span> aggression <\/span>on<\/span> those entities. Men are also ra<\/span>p<\/span>ed in <\/span>war<\/span>, but this kind of rape is not publicized as much as rape of women, because men do not <\/span>bear<\/span> children <\/span>of<\/span> a land or a nation. It is not true that <\/span>wo<\/span>men are intrinsically peaceful and men warmongers. Both groups are capable of committing violence against others, for example women in Rwanda and <\/span>women who<\/span> joined ISIS.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ms.<\/span> Kian <\/span>went on<\/span>: when a French man commits violence in France, <\/span>he<\/span> is said to suffer from mental disorder. But, when a foreigner and in particular a person of colour commits such violence, their violence is blamed on the cultural and religious issues attributed to their ethnic, religious or racial group. It has been said that violence does not occur against women in a country<\/span> where there is not war. That\u2019s not true. In France, with progressive laws, on average 140 women are killed by their husbands per year; more than 50,000 rapes are committed every year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mubarak Sharif<\/span><\/strong>, sociologist and analyst of social and political affairs from Tajikistan and a founder of<\/span> OPEN ASIA in that country, spoke about the first national study on violence against women in post-Soviet Tajikistan in late 1990s. More than 2000 women wi<\/span>th different <\/span>ethnic, lingual and economic backgrounds took part in the study. The study resulted in legislation of protective laws and the law on prohibition of violence against women. This was a new development in post-Soviet countries.<\/span> <\/span>One of the significant outcomes of the study was the arrival of certain terms into the public language, including words concerning violence and violence against women, self-immolation, rape in marriage, forced marriage, underage marriage and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Words concerning rights of women and children are improperly used in Tajikistan, because people speak Tajiki Persian and Russian, but the Persian script changed to Latin and then Cyrillic. As a result, people gradually became illiterate. <\/span>Rural<\/span> people, in particular women, are incapable of explaining the issues in courts or other places.<\/span> <\/span>This glossary<\/span> is a proper tool<\/span> <\/span>for activists of civil society, women\u2019s rights, lawyers and victims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adeleh<\/span> <\/span>Mohseni<\/span><\/strong>, a jurist and women\u2019s rights activists in Afghanistan,<\/span> said: <\/span>the numerous Arabic terms and <\/span>idioms<\/span> in Afghanistan\u2019s laws are a real problem for the general public.<\/span> The Islamic origin of the laws mean that very few Persian words are used for dealing with defendants and in courts. Topics of sexual and gender-based violence are <\/span>new<\/span> in our language. In the past, fathers and husbands felt to be righteous in <\/span>every case<\/span> of violence and even killing of women and children, because they were <\/span>owners<\/span> of the blood. Even families of<\/span> victims occasionally felt ashamed, because they thought that their daughter had committed a sin. Today, however, violence against women or honour killings are not <\/span>private issues. Another majo<\/span>r issue is rape of women in <\/span>war, kidnapping and smuggling <\/span>women<\/span> in particular <\/span>to <\/span>the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judge <\/span>Marzia<\/span> <\/span>Babah<\/span> <\/span>Karkhil<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a<\/span> former president of <\/span>civil<\/span> court and public court in Afghanistan, said: the <\/span>compiling and trans<\/span>lation of the glossary on sexual and gender-based violence is a great step in the fight against violence. Pointing out the gender inequalities in civil and penal laws of Afghanistan, <\/span>s<\/span>he <\/span>went on<\/span>:<\/span> the laws are so discriminatory and <\/span>un<\/span>just that I occasionally thought we have two sets of laws. Official violence always existed in the laws. New <\/span>words<\/span> and concepts such as gender, domestic violence, abuse and others have entered the language from English. But, in addition to translating these words, we need to know the exact interpretation of the words.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Shazada<\/span> <\/span>Samarqandi<\/span><\/strong>,<\/span> a<\/span> journalist and novelist from Uzbekistan, said: the problem of women in Uzbekistan, in particular the Tajik <\/span>Persian-<\/span>speaking women is that the language was Russian in Soviet times and it is Uzbek now. Women who are brave enough to go to court do not have access to the appropriate language to tell their problems. Even Tajiks are unable to read the texts<\/span> produced<\/span> in Ira<\/span>n<\/span> and Afghanistan. She said that it was useful for women to learn from the experience and achievements of other women in Iran and Afghanistan. 8 March was a day to combat inequality and seek equal rights<\/span> for Russians in Soviet times<\/span>. But, for non-Russians in central Asia, the concept had been kept away from the people and it was celebrated as the <\/span>M<\/span>other<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s day.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Avin<\/span> <\/span>Mostafazadeh<\/span><\/strong>, a Kurdish women\u2019s rights activist resident of the Kurdistan Region, spoke about violence against women in Kurdistan <\/span>on<\/span> both sides of the Iran-Iraq border. She stressed that being a member of religious and ethnic minorities is a significant factor. Rate of violence against women, including honour killings, self-immolation and suicide, is twice in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in comparison with Kurdistan in Iran, even though the local government is democratic and there are progressive laws. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tariq <\/span>Saeedi<\/span><\/strong>, a professor of Herat University and a women\u2019s rights activist, spoke abou<\/span>t words, their <\/span>meanings and their inter-lingual correlation. On the glossary of sexual and gender-based violence, he said: <\/span>one<\/span> of its good features is that it provides interpretations and does not suffice to synonyms and antonyms. A number of words entered our vocabulary after 2001.<\/span> However, these words had not been produced domestically and there might have been a backlash against them. Some people do not feel comfortable with such terms as women\u2019s rights and human rights. <\/span>Under<\/span> such circumstances, one positive aspect of this glossary is also the providing of their relationships to other words and concepts. This establishes a connection with the reality of women\u2019s conditions and makes it possible to use them within the patriarchal culture in Afghanistan. One of other significant point is that it helps with domestication of the words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Parastou<\/span> <\/span>Forouhar<\/span><\/strong>, artist, writer and human rights activist, was t<\/span>he last speaker who focused on quest for justice and censorship against women. Concerning the significance of words and language, she said: as a consequence of migration, which forced me to live and think in two languages, I have been more <\/span>living<\/span> between two types of communication. As a result, <\/span>one pays <\/span>more attention to precision in <\/span>language and the conceptual, social and historical connotation of the words. The words compiled in this glossary constitute a very valuable work, because we will <\/span>have<\/span> problems in our endeavours, so long as<\/span> concepts are not domesticated and expressed <\/span>precisely. For example, in the field I\u2019m active in, which is mainly concerned with judicial<\/span> pursuit of political murders in Iran, seeking justice is a modern concept. It is mainly concerned with some kind of social enlightenment and avoidance from violence. This <\/span>glossary <\/span>is a valuable work, in which great attention has been paid to words.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Concerning censorship against women in Iran, she said: the basic problem <\/span>we are<\/span> facing is the back<\/span>wardness<\/span> of the laws. Regardless of how much <\/span>they<\/span> endeavour, Iranians <\/span>wo<\/span>men have been unable to overcome the structural oppression and the discriminatory laws, which restrict women in the society. Even though, the societal understanding is by far ahead of the social and political laws and structures. In order to enhance <\/span>women\u2019s<\/span> endeavours, it is important to be armed with proper words. It will <\/span>bring<\/span> a positive impact if we can advance these words within a framework of universal human rights.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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