The below referenced items was published in one of my groups. It is an open forum and we have members of several different religious tradition in it including Jews, Hindus, Christians and others from across the world. Anyone can become a member by sending an email to WorldMusilmCongress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com All are welcome. My policy is to publish all opinions relating to the topics from extreme right to left, so we can understand all points of view. When I don’t agree with an opinion here and there, I do express my disagreement on an equal basis with the others.
A few individuals blame the west for the ills of the society, as one puts it “the westernism ideology or “economic imperialism”. I have time and again expressed that “evil” does not have a monopoly of any one, east or west, Muslims, Christians or any one. His opinion is his own as mine is my own. Evil is an inherent part of every society and has always existed and will continue to be a part of every group, be it religions, nationalistic, ethnic or any other formation. If evil was not crated none of the religions were needed. The religions have come into being to minimize the evil, a majority of people get the message a few don’t; The piece “World's Most Dangerous Place for Women Published by Aljazeera English 6/15/11” throws the “holier than thou” attitudes under the bus. Jesus was absolutely right; no one can cast the first stone.
The individual mirrors Pat Robertson, John Hagee, late Jerry Falwell and several others who have blamed Katrina and 9/11 on America for allowing Gays and Lesbian unions, pornography, abortion and other “evils” per them. They even said Arial Sharon’s illness was God’s punishment to him for agreeing to give Gaza back to Palestinians. If these guys have the freedom they will act God and repeat Sodom and Gomorrah to our population that supports GLBT and Abortions.
Even though Pat Robertson has a huge audience, not all of his membership agrees with him, so was with Falwell, although many a presidents listened to these men. Heck, a majority of Christians do not subscribe to their view and hence their views are not Christian views. The individual on our forum no different. He has his own following but that is not the opinion of all Muslims – I for one differ on his take on this issue, however, our group is democratic, we allow all opinions and that is the right thing to do.
Men have stood up against oppression of women in a variety of forms; female feticides, female genital mutilation, trafficking, prostitution, job discrimination and gender biases. I am not only condemning it, but speaking up as well. I am a member of many a women groups as a support and to stand with them.
It is a shame what is happening with women all around the world, and particularly in Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Congo, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. As man I condemn it and share that condemnation with my groups. Many a members of the group, both male and female are actively working to mitigate this menace. Blessed are the peace makers and I urge for us to realize that we cannot single out any group for the bad acts, all of us are responsible to uplift the society, let’s do our share.
Mike Ghouse, speaker, thinker and a writer on Pluralism, Islam, India and social cohesiveness. All his work is indexed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
This letter will also be published at www.TheGhousediary.com and www.worldMuslimCongress.org
Hello everyone! I've sent this to every man listed in our email address book.. All men, Baha'i men in particular, must step up to the plate - LOUDLY - about this issue. We know from the Writings that God has always recognized and wanted equality, and when considered for a moment, recognize that men cannot, repeat CANNOT raise to the peak of their spiritual best until this issue is resolved.
There are spiritual solutions to all of this world's problems - find them, grab them, act on them, teach them, and do not let go.
Lovingly, Mindy & Charles
P.S. Please research the ad, don't ignore it. "If you're not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem".
----- Forwarded Message ----
Subject: Re: MuslimsTogether :: Muslims are happy in the West
The below is an email I sent to an international Muslim Group (meant to send you a BC- but failed to do so). We are continually bombared with negative images of the West for its morals -- some of these men are completely oblivious (or don't give a damn) about the women. Please pray, and take whatever action you can to help women worldwide. Blessings, Marylou
In a message dated 6/18/11 10:12:09 AM, Unity writes:
Subject: Re: MuslimsTogether :: Muslims are happy in the West
The below is an email I sent to an international Muslim Group (meant to send you a BC- but failed to do so). We are continually bombared with negative images of the West for its morals -- some of these men are completely oblivious (or don't give a damn) about the women. Please pray, and take whatever action you can to help women worldwide. Blessings, Marylou
In a message dated 6/18/11 10:12:09 AM, Unity writes:
Has anyone polled women for happiness? I have yet to see even one male address this abuse of women. See below -- I have cut for brevity -- research the entire article on line if you have the stomach for it. The statistics on India are interesting - 40% of prostitutes are children. Attacking the West does not solve the problem. If anyone thinks it diverts our attention, you are mistaken. Marylou
Source: World's Most Dangerous Place for Women
Published by Aljazeera English 6/15/11
Afghanistan has been ranked as the world's most dangerous country for women, with Congo taking a close second position, a Thomson Reuters Foundation expert poll has said.
Violence, dismal healthcare and brutal poverty afflicts women in Afghanistan, while in Congo there are horrific levels of rape, the survey conducted by Trust Law, an arm of Thomson Reuters, said on Wednesday.
Pakistan, India and Somalia ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively in the global survey of perceptions of threats ranging from domestic abuse and economic discrimination to female foeticide, genital mutilation and acid attacks.
"Ongoing conflict, NATO airstrikes and cultural practices combined make Afghanistan a very dangerous place for women," Antonella Notari, head of women change makers, a group that supports women social entrepreneurs around the world, said.
The survey asked 213 gender experts from five continents to rank countries by overall perceptions of danger as well as by six risks. The risks were health threats, sexual violence, non-sexual violence, cultural or religious factors, lack of access to resources and trafficking.
Some experts said the poll showed that subtle dangers such as discrimination that don't grab headlines are sometimes just as significant risks for women as bombs, bullets, stonings and systematic rape in conflict zones.
"I think you have to look at all the dangers to women, all the risks women and girls face," Elisabeth Roesch, who works on gender-based violence for the International Rescue Committee in Washington, said.
"If a woman can't access healthcare because her healthcare isn't prioritized, that can be a very dangerous situation as well."
Afghan women have a one in 11 chance of dying in childbirth, according to UNICEF.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), still reeling from a 1998-2003 war and accompanying humanitarian disaster that killed 5.4m people, came second mainly due to staggering levels of sexual violence in the lawless east.
More than 400,000 women are raped in the country each year, according to a recent study by US researchers. The United Nations has called Congo the rape capital of the world.
"The fact that the government is corrupt and that female rights are very low on the agenda means that there is little or no recourse to justice."
Pakistan ranked third largely on the basis of cultural, tribal and religious practices harmful to women. These include acid attacks, child and forced marriage and punishment or retribution by stoning or other physical abuse.
"Pakistan has some of the highest rates of dowry murder, so-called honour killings and early marriage," Divya Bajpai, reproductive health advisor at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, said.
Some 1,000 women and girls die in honour killings annually, according to Pakistan's Human Rights Commission.
Trafficking of women
India ranked fourth primarily due to female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking.
In 2009, India's then-Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta estimated that 100m people, mostly women and girls, were involved in trafficking in India that year.
"The practice is common but lucrative so it goes untouched by government and police," Cristi Hegranes, founder of the Global Press institute, which trains women in developing countries to be journalists, said.
India's Central Bureau of Investigation estimated that in 2009 about 90 per cent of trafficking took place within the country and that there were some 3m prostitutes, of which about 40 per cent were children.
In addition to sex slavery, other forms of trafficking include forced labour and forced marriage, according to a US state department report on trafficking in 2010. The report also found slow progress in criminal prosecutions of traffickers.
Up to 50m girls are thought to be "missing" over the past century due to female infanticide and foeticide, the UN Population Fund said.
Somalia ranked fifth due to a catalogue of dangers including high maternal mortality, rape and female genital mutilation, along with limited access to education, healthcare and economic resources ...
"The most dangerous thing a woman in Somalia can do is to become pregnant. When a woman becomes pregnant her life is 50-50 because there is no antenatal care at all. There are no hospitals, no healthcare, no nothing.
"Add to that the rape cases that happen on a daily basis, the female genital mutilation that is being done to every single girl in Somalia. Add to that the famine and the drought. Add to that the fighting (which means) you can die any minute, any day."
Poll respondents included aid professionals, academics, health workers, policymakers, journalists and development specialists" (read the rest on line at site above listed) END.
Source: World's Most Dangerous Place for Women
Published by Aljazeera English 6/15/11
Afghanistan has been ranked as the world's most dangerous country for women, with Congo taking a close second position, a Thomson Reuters Foundation expert poll has said.
Violence, dismal healthcare and brutal poverty afflicts women in Afghanistan, while in Congo there are horrific levels of rape, the survey conducted by Trust Law, an arm of Thomson Reuters, said on Wednesday.
Pakistan, India and Somalia ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively in the global survey of perceptions of threats ranging from domestic abuse and economic discrimination to female foeticide, genital mutilation and acid attacks.
"Ongoing conflict, NATO airstrikes and cultural practices combined make Afghanistan a very dangerous place for women," Antonella Notari, head of women change makers, a group that supports women social entrepreneurs around the world, said.
The survey asked 213 gender experts from five continents to rank countries by overall perceptions of danger as well as by six risks. The risks were health threats, sexual violence, non-sexual violence, cultural or religious factors, lack of access to resources and trafficking.
Some experts said the poll showed that subtle dangers such as discrimination that don't grab headlines are sometimes just as significant risks for women as bombs, bullets, stonings and systematic rape in conflict zones.
"I think you have to look at all the dangers to women, all the risks women and girls face," Elisabeth Roesch, who works on gender-based violence for the International Rescue Committee in Washington, said.
"If a woman can't access healthcare because her healthcare isn't prioritized, that can be a very dangerous situation as well."
Afghan women have a one in 11 chance of dying in childbirth, according to UNICEF.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), still reeling from a 1998-2003 war and accompanying humanitarian disaster that killed 5.4m people, came second mainly due to staggering levels of sexual violence in the lawless east.
More than 400,000 women are raped in the country each year, according to a recent study by US researchers. The United Nations has called Congo the rape capital of the world.
"The fact that the government is corrupt and that female rights are very low on the agenda means that there is little or no recourse to justice."
Pakistan ranked third largely on the basis of cultural, tribal and religious practices harmful to women. These include acid attacks, child and forced marriage and punishment or retribution by stoning or other physical abuse.
"Pakistan has some of the highest rates of dowry murder, so-called honour killings and early marriage," Divya Bajpai, reproductive health advisor at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, said.
Some 1,000 women and girls die in honour killings annually, according to Pakistan's Human Rights Commission.
Trafficking of women
India ranked fourth primarily due to female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking.
In 2009, India's then-Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta estimated that 100m people, mostly women and girls, were involved in trafficking in India that year.
"The practice is common but lucrative so it goes untouched by government and police," Cristi Hegranes, founder of the Global Press institute, which trains women in developing countries to be journalists, said.
India's Central Bureau of Investigation estimated that in 2009 about 90 per cent of trafficking took place within the country and that there were some 3m prostitutes, of which about 40 per cent were children.
In addition to sex slavery, other forms of trafficking include forced labour and forced marriage, according to a US state department report on trafficking in 2010. The report also found slow progress in criminal prosecutions of traffickers.
Up to 50m girls are thought to be "missing" over the past century due to female infanticide and foeticide, the UN Population Fund said.
Somalia ranked fifth due to a catalogue of dangers including high maternal mortality, rape and female genital mutilation, along with limited access to education, healthcare and economic resources ...
"The most dangerous thing a woman in Somalia can do is to become pregnant. When a woman becomes pregnant her life is 50-50 because there is no antenatal care at all. There are no hospitals, no healthcare, no nothing.
"Add to that the rape cases that happen on a daily basis, the female genital mutilation that is being done to every single girl in Somalia. Add to that the famine and the drought. Add to that the fighting (which means) you can die any minute, any day."
Poll respondents included aid professionals, academics, health workers, policymakers, journalists and development specialists" (read the rest on line at site above listed) END.
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