The Time has come!
A show of force by the secular women’s rights movement
Rome conference
Azar Majedi

On Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1 Casa Internazionale Delle Donne (the International House of Women) in Rome was host to a great conference, entitled “Feminists for a Secular Europe”, organised by European Feminist Initiative. The theme of the conference was to build a secular Feminist Europe which respects human equal rights and dignity and freedom. More than 100 activists from France, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Iran took part in this historical event.
The participants were all activists or representatives of different organisations working for women’s rights, human rights and secularism and campaigning to make the world a more humane and better place to live. They had come to Rome to build a new movement together. They were all focused and determined. They had an important goal and an inspiring vision. They all were eager to push this new campaign forward. Two days of heated debates, passionate discussions and comradeship brought enormous energy into the movement. A strong feeling of solidarity was present at all times.

From testimonies of discriminations, religious inroads into society and threat of religious reaction against individual and civil freedom, free thinking and women’s rights, to eloquent arguments for secularism were presented at the conference. A great deal of first hand information was offered on how the religious institutions have gained power in different countries and are threatening the important values which have been achieved through decades of struggle by progressive movements. “It is our freedom and basic economic, social and political rights at stake.” This was the message of the conference. Wanting to do something against this trend and to change the tide toward a free and humane Europe was the main passion of all.

I was there as the representative of Organisation for Women’s Liberation-Iran. It was a great feeling to be among these brave and active women and men. (Unfortunately only a couple of men were present. Hope to see more in the next conference.) I talked about the rise of religious movements in the past decades and about how Islamic movement has first come into existence out of USA’s efforts against the Soviet Union in the cold war era. The movement which was nurtured by the USA grew to become the monster known as political Islam and came into open war with its illegitimate father. The Irony is that this terrorist movement is still being strengthened and reinforced by policies and actions of state terrorism led by the United States. I mentioned how the veil is today a political statement rather than a religious practice. I urged the participants to show solidarity with the women’s movement fighting against political Islam and gender apartheid and not to shy away out of the fear of being be labeled a racist or Islamophobist. This is the propaganda war waged by the Islamists, using multiculturalism and cultural relativism to push their reactionary cause forward. These calls were received with great enthusiasm and approval. It was a great feeling to see the warmth and passion with which my speech and my proposals were received.
The conference was ended by a proposal for a secular Europe prepared by the organizers.  The proposed manifesto was a well formulated and progressive document to be handed over to the European council. It proposed demands concerning women’s rights, scrapping any reference in the civil and family law to religions. Separation of religion from the state and judiciary, prohibition of religious studies in public schools, establishment of secular education, and sex education in public schools, legalization of abortion and providing free abortion and contraceptive, stopping state funds to religious institutions, etc. The manifesto was debated thoroughly. Proposals were submitted by participants and was agreed to prepare a second draft, taking into consideration the proposals of the conference.
OWL submitted two resolutions to the conference: one to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran for attacking women on a daily basis for not observing the veil and arresting women’s rights activists, and to express solidarity with women’s liberation movement in Iran. The other resolution demanded that refugee status being granted to any woman fleeing misogynist threat or violence. These resolutions were unanimously passed amongst applauds. The conference also unanimously passed a resolution put forward by me and seconded by Maria Hagberg, from Network against Honour Crimes. The resolution condemned gender apartheid as a discriminatory system against half of humanity and demanded that it will be internationally renounced just the same way racial apartheid in South Africa was.

At the end every one left the conference with great deal of energy, a sense of joy for a fruitful conference, and with confidence that the first steps to build a strong, determined and compassionate  secular feminist movement are taken. A warm applaud is due for the organizers who worked hard to make this event possible. Indeed, this conference was a great historical movement.
June 5, 2008
Pictures by Gerda Photo