Women's Views on News |
| That was Women’s Sport Week, that was Posted: 16 Jun 2015 05:29 AM PDT
I spent the week of 1-7 June – Women’s Sport Week – in a sporting frenzy. My Twitter feed was humming and email aglow. I was surrounded by inspiring stories of women in sport participating, administrating, officiating or just watching other women do their thing. I tried to do my bit and wrote five articles for Women's Views on News and blogged about it on my website. But now I can't get away from the nagging thought that all of the fantastic stuff flying around was just preaching to the converted. Everyone I saw tweeting and writing about Women's Sport Week – #WSW2015 – was already involved in women's sport. All well and good – part of the exercise was to promote women's sport, and who better to do this than those on the inside? I spoke to Women in Sport, and they informed me that they did not set any targets for the week, but just wanted to "create the case for continuation of Women's Sport Weeks in future years". So I would like to see more testimonials from those outside the women's sports bubble as to how (or if) it affected them. I did a straw poll at my gym (for women only and therefore an ideal place, I thought) and not one person had heard of it – not even the instructors. I asked my husband what he had seen and he listed items on the BBC website and the Guardian, and me! Of course, he is in the "bubble" too so this isn't too much of surprise. I asked a couple of male friends and they had no idea about it either, but at least one said he had learnt about it from my articles and so had checked it out elsewhere, which was heartening. So am I right to be sceptical? Yes and no. Every person who contributed to, read about or watched items about women's Sport Week will remember it. They will remember the effort that went into getting the word out there. And hopefully they will be inspired to contribute more. Or attend an event. Or write about it. Or join a club. But it is the ones who were not interested before and still aren't that we should be looking to reach. I want to hear from a woman who has watched a game at the Women's World Cup for the first time; I want to know what she thought of it. But it's not just women. I want to hear from a man who has watched a game for the first time. I want to know what he thought about it. For it is only by reaching those outside the bubble that women's sport will eventually make strides towards equality with men's. And then of course "equality" brings the debate around to the thorny issues of media coverage and sponsorship. I have talked on this platform several times before about the frustrating cycle: no coverage means no audience means no sponsorship means no coverage, etc. Broadcasters and print media talk a good game. In fact they are talking about it more than ever before. And in many ways women's sport is the hot sporting topic of the day. Undoubtedly they are full of good intentions, but how far do they actually make good on the talk? Unfortunately, as far as I can see, not very far. Broadcasters BBC, Sky and BT are making progress with some excellent results, but the print media is lagging way way behind. This may be indicative of the wider demise of print media, or it may not; it may be that they're just not interested. I'm not precious about who writes about it – men or women – but at an event I attended recently at the BBC, it was generally agreed that there are fewer opportunities for women in the print media, particularly in sport, now than there were in the 1990s. All that is for another article… but as for Women's Sport Week, my views are still ambivalent. From a personal point of view I loved it, and I was inspired by all the articles, tweets and blogs I saw. But then I'm pretty inspired by women's sport anyway. As for the wider populace, the jury is out. Perhaps its effects will only be seen long term. What I do know is that I will be sticking around to see what happens and look forward to being a part of it.  |
| Cut Sharia law, restore Legal Aid: letter Posted: 16 Jun 2015 05:23 AM PDT
One Law for All is campaigning for the dismantling the parallel legal system, and recently sent an open letter to the UK's new Conservative government. Here is the full text of the letter: ‘Women's rights and secular organisations urge the new government to take concerted measures to stop the development of parallel legal systems and to facilitate full and proper access to justice for all citizens and to one secular law for all. For decades, successive governments have appeased undemocratic religious power brokers in minority communities who have sought to gain power through multicultural and now multi-faith social policies. These policies have led to the homogenisation of minority communities including the 'Muslim community' and have recognised and legitimated 'non-violent' Islamists as 'community representatives', outsourcing legal justice to what are in effect kangaroo courts that deliver highly discriminatory and second-rate forms of 'justice.' Over the years, we have witnessed with increasing alarm the influence of 'Sharia courts' over the lives of citizens of Muslim heritage. Any government inquiry into 'Sharia courts' must also examine the impact of the draconian cuts in legal aid that have adversely affected access to justice for the most vulnerable. Many abused women from minority backgrounds, for instance, are increasingly forced to either represent themselves in court in what are often complex family legal proceedings or go to 'Sharia courts' that operate entirely outside the rule of law. The loss of legal aid contributes to a context that is conducive to the consolidation of privatised and unaccountable forms of justice and 'Sharia courts' are amongst the main beneficiaries. Though the 'Sharia courts' have been touted as people's right to religion, they are in fact, effective tools of the far-Right Islamist movement whose main aim is to restrict and deny rights, particularly those of women and children. 'Sharia' laws are highly contested and challenged in many countries, including in Muslim-majority countries across the globe – from Iran to Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Pakistan. Those of us in Britain who oppose 'Sharia courts' and all other religious forms of arbitration over family matters, are part of the same movement that challenge the religious-Right and defend the principle of one law for all underpinned by the notions of universalism, human rights, secularism and equality. Opposing 'Sharia courts' is not racism or 'Islamophobic'; it is a defence of the rights of all citizens, irrespective of their beliefs and background to be governed by democratic means under the principle of one law for all. What amounts to racism is the idea that minorities can be denied rights enjoyed by others through the endorsement of religious based 'justice' systems which operate according to divine law that is by its very nature immune from state scrutiny. We have seen recent victories against the accommodation of 'Sharia' codes within law and policy in the UK. Using equalities and human rights legislation, we have successfully challenged both the Universities UK for issuing guidance that condones gender segregation in universities and the Law Society for endorsing discriminatory 'Sharia' codes in the area of inheritance. As well as challenging draconian state measures that criminalise whole communities and aid and abet xenophobia, anti-Muslim bigotry and racism, it is vital that we also push back the Islamist narrative and challenge 'Sharia courts' since they clearly represent yet another assault on our civil liberties. We also urge the government to withdraw from its intention to repeal the Human Rights Act 1998. Such a move will represent a break from what was the most important social contract to have emerged between European States and citizens, following the Second World War. The agreement to sign up to a simple set of standards that uphold human decency and universal values led to the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to standards that protect and uphold the rights of all people in the face of state and non-state abuses of power. Now more than ever, we need the Human Rights Act to challenge the arbitrary and unaccountable power of 'Sharia courts.' We, the undersigned, therefore, call on the new government to: 1. Reinstate legal aid in all areas of civil and criminal law to ensure equal access to justice for all; 2. Recognise that 'Sharia' and other religious courts deliver arbitrary and unaccountable forms of 'justice' that discriminate against women and children in particular. Citizenship and human rights are non-negotiable; 3. Abolish the use of 'Sharia courts' and all other religious arbitration forums, including the Beth Din, in family matters since they undermine the principle of equality, non discrimination and universal human rights that must be enjoyed by all citizens; 4. Reject calls for state regulation of 'Sharia' and other religious courts and tribunals. This will only legitimate parallel legal systems in the governance of family matters; 5. Re-affirm the principle of the separation of religion and the law. The law is a key component of securing justice for citizens and one law for all; and 6. Desist from repealing the Human Rights Act 1998. This move will strip all vulnerable people of their right to protection and justice.’ Diana Nammi, founder and executive director of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (IKWRO); Deeyah Khan, filmmaker and founder/CEO of Fuuse; Kate Smurthwaite, comedian and activist; Southall Black Sisters and Women in Black Belgrade are among the nearly 200 signatories calling for the dismantling of parallel legal systems in the UK. Please support them: write to your MP and send them this letter too.  |
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