Youth from Around the World Unite Against Violent Extremism: Reflections on Project Common Bond

Arshi Saleem Hashmi
SAVE Chapter Leader in Pakistan

By Arshi Saleem Hashmi with input from Nafeesa Rahman & Husna Ihsan


Project Common Bond is an initiative by Tuesday’s Children, a partner organization of SAVE/Sister against Violent Extremism that provides support for individuals affected by the tragic events of 9/11. Launched in 2008, Project Common Bond brings together teenagers from around the world who share a 'common bond'--the loss of a family member due to an act of violence or terrorism.

 

Every year, teens gather for an eight-day healing and peace-building symposium where they engage in dialogue and community-building activities that acknowledge and respect their differences while promoting friendship and understanding.

Arshi Saleem Hashmi, SAVE’s Chapter Leader in Pakistan, attended this year’s event with two outstanding young women from Swat, a region that was taken hostage by Taliban fighters for many years. Nafeesa Rahman and Husna Ihsan lost their uncle to a terrorist attack and were relocated to IDP camps after their families’ were forced to leave their homes. When they returned to their village, everything was destroyed, but the girls were determined to go back to school and take on an active role in the rebuilding of their community.

Photo by Project Common Bond

It was an outstanding initiative on part of Tuesday’s Children to invite 75 young girls and boys from 15 countries to share a common bond of humanity with each other. From Pakistan, Nafeesa Rahman and Husna Ihsan took part in Project Common Bond (PCB) 2012 that was held in Boston from July 12-20. The eight-day conference was a great opportunity to meet young people from around the world and learn to better understand different cultures.

The participants were victims of war, conflict, violence and terrorism; and PCB was an opportunity not only to share their pain and grief with one another, but also moments of joy and healing. They all shared the common goal of working towards building a peaceful and secure world through participation in various activities and training sessions on conflict resolution and peace.

Young participants learned to work together in a number of ways: they conducted needs assessments, proposed ideas for projects, thought of creative ways to fundraise and designed their very own program. Some of the main themes discussed were social awareness, responsiveness, flexibility, empathy, caring, communication, humor and having a sense of purpose for the future, including having healthy expectations, goals, and orientation towards success. The participants also stressed on the crucial importance of young people’s involvement in the development of programs that shape policies affecting their future.

Sharing the common goal of rejecting violence and violent extremism encourages young people to stand united against forces that induce chaos, distrust and hostility to safeguard their vested interest. Most of the violence that occurs around us is due to misunderstanding and lack of trust, but this can change if we take the time to get to know other cultures, and hold on to the common goal of building a more peaceful world for future generations.

Click here for more information on Tuesday’s Children and Project Common Bond.

Women in Islam: A Political Debate - A conversation with Farah Pandith at the DLD Women's Conference

Women without Borders/SAVE's Executive Director Edit Schlaffer recently held a captivating conversation on women, youth and Islam with Special Representative to Muslim Communities for the US Department of State Farah Pandith, at the DLD Women's Conference in Munich:

Update from Tajikistan - SAVE Paving the Way for Mothers' Schools

Workshop participants in a planning session

How many of our readers can locate Tajikistan on a map? It is strategically placed in the heart of Central Asia, and shares a 1400 km border with Afghanistan, a volatile border with Uzbekistan pocked by landmines, and a border with Kyrgyzstan which is not demarcated for stretches on end. Unemployment rates are as high as 80% in some regions, leading over two million Tajiks to search for work in Russia. Many here do not have electricity at home. We met an impressive young Tajik woman whose mother was a math teacher in Tajikistan, but found she could earn more money scrubbing toilets in Russia. She and her husband migrated to Russia to put her eldest daughter through university, which also meant that the eldest daughter suddenly had to raise her two sisters on her own. Last year, five young women killed themselves in a village in Gafurov within the span of one week, due to unhappy forced marriages and desperation resulting from their financial situation. Married women commit suicide to flee violent relationships, although this topic of conversation is taboo, meaning that many women have nowhere to turn to discuss their issues.

The young generation is particularly affected by the lack of employment opportunities, and there are few ways in which to spend their free time. Boredom and lack of perspective seem to increase their vulnerability to radical forces, which offer the youth a sense of brotherhood/sisterhood, financial support, and promises that the afterlife will be better than their present fate.

A view up to the mountains of Tajikistan

Twenty-two female community mobilizers and teachers came together to attend a five-day SAVE Mothers for Change! teamshaping workshop in Khujand, where they gained a strong group identity and announced their commitment to sensitize mothers to their role in combating violent extremism. They reached the joint conclusion to launch “Mothers Schools” in villages in two regions in northern Tajikistan, to provide courses on combating radicalization and to offer classes on a range of other topics of interest, from how to raise children to agricultural techniques. The Mothers Schools will break new ground concerning women’s role in combating violent extremism.

The Panjshanbe Market in Khujand

The women’s dedication and passion for improving their communities was striking; although many of these women never received higher education, their ability to analytically assess their needs and develop potential best practices for implementation holds significant promise for women-driven change in Tajikistan.

In this desperate situation, the youth we are meeting in Dushanbe—young men and women who were educated abroad but have returned to build a new future for their country—provide a ray of hope.

Looking to a future without fear on Indian and Pakistani Independence Days

Last weekend both India and Pakistan celebrated Independence Day on 14 August and 15 August respectively. In the midst of joy it was also reiterated by some that it was a tragedy to divide South Asia, first into Pakistan on 14 August in 1947, and later into Bangladesh as well in 1971.

However more and more people want to move beyond the painful memories of divided families and material loss. Six decades after partition there is a desire now to reverse the relationship between India and Pakistan from mutual suspicion to mutual benefit, particularly amongst the young.

“We are poised to be the fifth most populous country in the world in a few years. With 60 percent of Pakistan’s 187 million-strong population below the age of 24, the youth of Pakistan form a potentially powerful force for change. We must be nation builders. It is our greatest responsibility and burden,” wrote Shehrbano Taseer, the Lahore based journalist on the eve of Independence Day celebrations in Pakistan.

“In 1947, Pakistan may have got its independence from the British Raj but 64 years later, with a moth-eaten country, we are still waiting for a new dawn...Crimes against women must also be stopped. A society cannot progress unless and until women are treated equally,” writes Mehmal Sarfaraz, the youthful editor of Pakistan's Daily Times.

Marvi Sirmed is an Islamabad-based student of international relations and counter terrorism. She has nicknamed herself “a Pakistani with a bindi” (the red dot on the forehead that Hindu women wear) and her thoughts on independence are focused on the future. Sirmed is a firm believer in cultural roots rather than oneness through religion and is convinced that the solution of Pakistan's current problem is to be a secular state whether Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan endorsed it or not.

“Being a secular state is to Pakistan’s best benefit. What Jinnah said or did not say more than half a century ago is hardly relevant to the solution of Pakistan’s current problems,” says Sirmed.

Salman Latif, a Pakistani blogger said that Pakistan's best hope is the youth. He feels that 64 years are sufficient to attempt a discourse over whether or not a nation should have been founded. “It’s about time we moved on and talked of something more constructive. We are the future of this nation and it’s up to us to shape this future,” Salman says.

In Dawn, Pakistan's oldest English language newspaper analyst Adnan Rehmat writes, “We have tried India as an enemy and it has cost us dearly. It’s time to try India as a friend because the cost of being a friend is far, far less than the cost of being an enemy.”

For Indians, improved relations with Pakistan will also mean diverting a little from precious resources away from security matters into programs that will provide the majority population a little more freedom from poverty, illiteracy and gender inequality.

In her Independence Day address Pratibha Devisingh Patil regretted on 15 August that there is a decline in the gender ratio in the 0 to 6 age group. “It has touched a low level of 914 girls as compared to 1000 boys. It reflects the continuing preference for boys in our society and the bias against the girl child. We need to fight social prejudices which have resulted in this situation, and also work to eradicate the practices of dowry, child marriage and female foeticide, which we continue to battle even in the 21st century,” said the president. Clearly the call is to fight social evils and not neighbors.

India's first female president lauded the success of the movement of self help groups in the country, 80 percent of which are all-women groups. They operate at the lower rung of the economic strata and carry out activities on a limited scale. These groups have provided women not only with possibilities of income generating activity, but have given them confidence and a sense of self-esteem.

In his message to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Independence Day, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was filled with hope that dialogue between India and Pakistan will help to take bilateral issues forward. Gilani expressed his desire to see friendly relations restored between the two countries in the interest of peace in the region, socioeconomic progress and prosperity for the people.

Members of civil society held a candlelight vigil at the Wagha border in the Indian city of Amritsar. Led by Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar and film-maker Mahesh Bhatt the vigil was joined by local people who marched in candlelight to the border with Pakistan where prominent Indian and Pakistani artists met each other and staged performances. With so much goodwill amongst the people, can peace be far behind?

After Norway: Women's Voices for the Way Forward

Floral tributes to those who lost their lives in Norway  
© Johanne Dohlie Saltnes

The attacks in Norway are a wake-up call for all of us. Social polarization among Europe`s diverse ethnic and religious communities has the potential to challenge the fundaments of social cohesion which is the fabric that holds open societies together. Stereotypical assumptions about “the other” rather than robust bridgebuilding efforts have set the stage for the ideologies of hate, social polarization and exclusion.

Norwegian flag flies at half mast © Johanne Dohlie Saltnes

Multiculturalism is not a promise and not a threat, but always a work in progress, and its success is based on open communication, participation and fairness from and for all parties involved. Our daily observations will certainly confirm research findings showing that interactions across communities have not been established except for high-level dialogue efforts which have tended to take place between elites, while prejudice, real and projected problems and mutual suspicion in society at large have persisted. Systematic people-to-people contact across community divides at all levels need to be encouraged. The function that women can play in this regard is significant. Their role as educators of the next generation and key players of civil society is often under-estimated or overlooked.

SAVE is currently reaching out particularly to mothers to build their self-confidence and political awareness, and sensitize them to currents of radicalization in their communities in order to position them as key allies in the creation of the social cohesion needed to ensure a stable future for all of us.

Please read the perspectives of SAVE Sisters and leading women from around the globe on how Europe and the wider world can move towards a future where we are able to live together peacefully.

Farah Pandith, Special Representative to Muslim Communities, U.S. State Department
In my role as Special Representative to Muslim Communities, I have traveled all over the world -- to every region -- and I see firsthand the impact lexicon and actions have to communities. How we talk about each other, treat each other, and talk with each other matters. It is important that people of every faith, ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic group treat each other with dignity and respect. Knowledge of “the other” is immensely important. If you can learn about someone who is different, you can form the foundation for a relationship and increased understanding. One way to build respect is to work on projects or issues that are of mutual interest to distinct communities. By working together on challenges like health, childhood education, or the environment, bonds can be formed that are stronger than the differences between people. At the U.S. State Department we are mobilizing President Obama’s call to action for mutual interest and mutual respect. This year, Secretary Clinton launched the 2011 Hours Against Hate campaign (www.facebook.com/2011hoursagainsthate), which asks young people around the world to volunteer their time for someone who doesn’t look like them, live like them, pray like them. Bigotry and hate-language is increasing around the world, while at the same time I see young people across the planet talking about the world they want to live in—a world where old barriers are broken and people can come together to work on common challenges. This campaign is one small step toward creating stronger communities that embrace and celebrate diversity. We all must do our part.


Anita Pratap, Indian journalist living in Oslo
This tragedy is so deep it has wounded Norway's soul. Not even in their wildest nightmares could Norwegians conceive that a disaster of such epic proportions would strike them. A shocked and bereaved nation stands united. They are united not only in their grief, but also in their shared values. This tragedy is a wake up call to remind us that serpents lurk even in Eden. For, if there is a paradise on earth, it is indeed Norway - not only for its spectacular natural landscape but also in epitomizing the best human values of tolerance, peace, egalitariaism, gender rights, transparency, ethics and rule of law. While they could not prevent this tragedy, Norwegians have also shown us how to move forward - with the silent majority strongly reaffirming multiculturalism as well as these cherished universal human values that Norway epitomizes. Muslim immigrants and ethnic Christian Norwegians mourned together - for among the dead were young Muslims who had integrated with the democratic political mainstream. Despite the national outrage against the perpetrator, Norwegian citizenry defended his legal rights. It is by exercising our cherished human values and reaffirming our faith in multiculturalism during times of gravest provocation that we defeat violent extremists who are the real enemies of peace and tolerance.

Sasha Havlicek, CEO/Director, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, London
What we have seen with the tragic events in Norway is how certain narratives that have regained mainstream momentum across Europe can provide a sense of moral justification to those that would do harm. With such painful evidence of how dangerous extremist ideology is in all its guises, we must also tackle the subtler, widespread narratives that serve to part-justify those views. We must stand together across communities to be successful. Women who have been directly affected by extremism are doing just that through SAVE. Whether extremisms lead to violence or just to fuelling suspicion and division, they are a problem that weaken our society and that we have to address together.

Hibaaq Osman, SAVE Board Member, Cairo
This tragedy has touched me in a very personal way. I have children the same age and I send them to camps and just to think that these kids were shot at close range is despicable. The Islamophobia in Europe and the US has been of the utmost concern to us, politically and otherwise, and this tragedy should be blamed on all the political parties, media, bloggers and radio programs that are encouraging these right wing groups and campaigning on this issue. The hatred is now focused on the Muslims but soon it could be on everyone who looks different and thinks different. We should fight together against terrorism, racism and extremism by remembering and taking to heart Pastor Martin Niemöller’s courageous words:

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Fahmia Al-Fotih, SAVE Yemen
We have not recovered yet from the heinous terrorist acts that hit Bombay recently. An now the mass killings in Norway have strongly shaken the world specially as the act happened in a place known for peace and a country that annually presents Noble Prize for peace! The heinous act has also shaken some common concepts and stereotypes related to terrorism and extremism in which Muslims are always the first suspect. That has also reassured the world that terrorism knows no religion, no culture and no specific place. It is a threat for all and which rings the alarm for all of us that we should work collectively and look for serious actions and ways to prevent more massacres.

Carla Goldstein, Director of the Women’s Institute of the Omega Institute, New York
The Norway tragedy could happen anywhere - no place or people are immune from terrorist violence. The ending of extreme violence will not happen solely by traditional law enforcement, military, or retributive responses, so we must take up the extraordinary effort of building a new way of living on the planet together. Globalization connected us through transportation and information superhighways, and now we must build a new kind of superhighway – an empathy superhighway -- based on the understanding that the well-being of every individual is deeply connected to the well-being of all people and all living things. This empathy superhighway will connect us through compassionate and loving relationships, and will provide the networks and mechanisms to reconcile our differences, heal past traumas, and find ways to share the world’s precious resources more equitably and sustainably. The good news is that this work is well underway, and women are taking a leadership role in communities around the globe. Women who have suffered from losing their loved ones through violence, or who themselves have suffered from rape or domestic violence, are joining a global anti-violence movement and saying “enough is enough.” They are risking everything to reach across enemy lines and build a more peaceful world. Throughout history there has been a call to the women of the world to join together to end the bloodshed of war -- and the profound grief from Norway raises again the urgency of that call.

Norma Shearer, CEO of Training for Women Network, Research Partner of Women without Borders, Belfast
I stand in solidarity with Norwegian women and the people of Norway following the unacceptable violent attacks on 22 July 2011. This violence is an assault on democracy itself and young people attempting to engage with democratic processes. We in Northern Ireland know something of the grief which accompanies these horrendous and indiscriminate acts of violence and our thoughts and prayers are with the surviving victims and the many grieving families who are left so devastated. Of note in the wake of the attack was the speculation that those responsible were Islamic extremists which brings to light the anti-Muslim ‘tendencies’ that are attempting to embed themselves into Western Europe. There needs to be a policy debate and action from all state actors over whether governments are too ‘tunnel-visioned’ when it comes to combating extremist violence. There is the danger that by focussing solely on Islamic militants it contributes and encourages greater anti-Muslim sentiments as well as detracting from the threat of home-grown radicals not associated with Islam. Combating radical extremism requires dealing with these embedded ‘tendencies’ which in so many cases are learnt in the home, highlighting the important role of the mother in educating the next generation as either radical extremists or tolerant accepters of the “other”. My prayers and thoughts go out to all those in Oslo who have lost innocent loved ones and friends who are the very fabric of the future of society. It will take many years for the grief and hurt to heal and if any good can come of such a tragedy it will require courage, vision and education in order to allow us all to live in peace, understanding and tolerance.”

Siham Abu Awwad, SAVE Palestine
As a human being and especially as a woman, I believe we can always solve our problems through non-violent actions. I believe that Islam is always the religion of peace so I am sending my support to the Norwegian people in the hope that it’s the last violent action in Norway. I live in a crazy country full of violence and daily I meet mothers who are full of pain. As a member of SAVE, I, my organization and my nation are against all the faces of terror.

Pamela Philipose, Senior Journalist and Director of Women's Feature Service, Delhi
I remember reading somewhere (I think it was in Rushdie's Midnight's Children), that on the day Gandhi was shot dead, the one thought running through the minds of Muslims in India was this: "God, let it not be a Muslim." The presence of terrorism inspired by Islam is without doubt undeniable, but the Norway tragedy reminds us how untenable and dangerous are facile positions like "All terrorists are Muslims". In fact it is precisely such attitudes that contribute towards creating the horrifyingly delusional world of killers like Breivek. The Norwegian tragedy reminds us that geographical stereotyping doesn't work in a world connected by rapid travel, the internet and hatreds of various kinds. The bomb attack and shooting exposed the fact that reality is always far more complex than the human imagination can comprehend. This attack should be seized as a moment to build bridges between Europe's diverse communities in ways that are imaginative, humane and non-bureaucratic. The main vehicle for this is education, education and more education. Not just in schools but also in neighbourhoods and government apparatuses. Women are largely absent in conflict resolution. Their voices and experiences must inform policy discussions at all levels.

Beatriz Abril Alegre, who lost her brother Óscar in the 2004 Madrid train bombings
We have just come to realize how dangerous racism is. Maybe some people thought that the threats in Europe come from the outside; however, now we see that this is not a question of nationality or religion, but a question of extremism, whichever form it may take, all of them with fatal consequences. I send my condolences to all those families who have lost their loved ones, whose life has changed forever. I encourage them to fight their grief not with hatred or revenge, but with tolerance and peace: the only way to a better world.

In the Aftermath of Norway: A Call for Unity Against Hate

On Friday, Norway became the unexpected target of a terror attack that reminds us of the pervasive nature of violent extremism. Norway suffered a bombing in the capital Oslo, which killed 8 people, and what is said to be the gravest mass shooting of modern times, which killed 68. It has emerged that the massacre was the work of a right-wing extremist advocating cultural conservatism, strong restrictions on immigration and the removal of Muslims from Europe. Early speculation claimed that the attacks could be the work of Al-Qaeda terrorist cells, but this was refuted by the 1,500 page manifesto that attacker Anders Behring Breivik published online.

This tragedy reminds us that terrorism is a phenomenon that crosses boundaries and is not restricted to one culture or religion. Terrorists destroy individual lives, but also aim to rip communities apart. We must keep this in mind when formulating responses to terrorism: our approach MUST be inclusive, broad-based and community orientated. We must begin at the grassroots level, rather than relying solely on government responses, addressing all radicalizing forces regardless of the political, social, religious or cultural factors which they exploit. Counternarratives need to be created within Europe, providing alternatives to a growing conservatism that promotes intolerance of difference within our societies. The Norwegian attacker cited Geert Wilders, the extreme right wing Dutch politician, as one of his greatest influences; it is urgent that moderate perspectives advocating for acceptance of the “other” and understanding of cultural difference are strengthened.

For moderate voices to be effective, they must have support at the community level. Women can be a key ally in anchoring tolerance within their community. By targeting mothers especially for self-confidence, political awareness and peace education, they can be empowered to make a stronger contribution to their children’s education, steering the next generation away from discourses of hatred and separatism.

Over-exposure to false narratives that dehumanize the other is a great risk factor for radicalization. Women without Borders / SAVE programs aim to bring Muslim and non-Muslim youth living in the same city together. Through these encounters, they learn more about one another’s lives, ensuring an open mind and removing fear of difference. Knowing the “other” personally makes it far harder to dehumanize and stigmatize entire cultural, religious or ethnic groups, breaking down the potential for the kind of violence that Norway suffered on Friday.

Women without Borders / SAVE practices an integrated approach of empowering women to identify early signs of radicalism in their children and educating them to promote tolerance in the family and community, and targeting youth through educational and exchange programs that re-humanize the “other” and show the human cost and traumatic consequences of terrorism. To learn more about our projects please follow this link: http://women-without-borders.org/projects/underway/

Austria's young Muslim men need greater support to move out of their parallel world

A new study by Women without Borders shows that young Muslim men in Austria do not enjoy the same chances as non-Muslims, endangering the integration process. 

Watch an ORF report about this study, entitled "Explosive Study about young Muslims" (Brisante Studie über junge Muslime") in German.

Debates about multiculturalism in Europe have been raging over the past years. The increase in Muslim populations in many European countries has led to tensions between different cultural and religious values. Public demonstrations of religious belief, such as wearing a headscarf or hanging up a cross, have become increasingly controversial as diverse peoples try to find ways of living peacefully alongside one another.

Europe often views Austria’s dialogue with Islam as a leading example. Since 1910, the law has guaranteed the free public practice of religion. In recent years, a series of provisions for Muslims in Austria have been established, for example the possibility to follow an Islamic education from Kindergarten to high school. The international literature talks about a “Muslim Space” that Muslims have created for themselves, which includes education, grocery stores, prayer rooms and cultural centers.

Today, 400,000 Muslims live in Austria, a nation with a total population of just over 8 million. Almost half of Austria’s Muslim population is under 25, and nearly a third is aged between 25 and 39. The number of Muslims in Austria has doubled since 1991, and they are now the second biggest population group in the country.

Often, Muslim women find themselves the focus of attention; they are given support, provided with drop-in centers and discussion forums, to ensure that they integrate despite their lower participation in the employment market.

Young men, on the other hand, are often viewed with skepticism and left to themselves due to the perception that they are potential hardliners. A new study by Women without Borders entitled “This is who we are! Young Muslim Men in Austria” exposes the real lives of male Muslim youth. The study finds that they often live in a parallel world with fewer opportunities than their non-Muslim counterparts. Their educational paths diverge at a very young age, leaving many more young Muslims to go to less academically-challenging schools and to focus on traineeships rather than university education. In fact, only 2% of young Muslim men in Austria study at University.

However, career success is right at the top of their personal wish lists, closely followed by the desire to be an open, progressive person, who is at the same time a traditional man living according to his religion. These young men’s lives are strongly regulated by religion. Nearly 80% reported that they live according to Islam’s commandments, whereas religious guidelines are only relevant for about one quarter of non-Muslim respondents. Almost a half of the surveyed Muslim young men argue for a European Islam, providing clear evidence of the need for a successful symbiosis of religion and everyday life. However, there is a further discrepancy here between vision and reality; a third of the young Muslims report that “only in the Mosque do I find people who accept me as I am.”

Identification with Austria is part of the identity of young Muslims. Three quarters of respondents agreed with the statement: “I am proud to be Austrian and Muslim.” Patriotism and pride of their ethnic origins is another important element. 82% find criticism of their land of origin to be hurtful. Additionally, almost a fourth of the surveyed Muslims and non-Muslims report that they feel rejected by “the other”. The desire to get to know one another and engage in intercultural exchange and friendship is expressed above all by the Muslims: 42% would like to have more “Austrian” friends.

Positive interventions must be implemented that address the gap between these young men’s career goals and the opportunities they are provided with, as well as the social divide between Muslim and non-Muslim youth. It is clear that the motivation for engagement exists among the Muslim community, but the possibility to do so is lacking.

The study recommends that increased advice be aimed at young Muslims at critical ages, such as at the age of 15 when teenagers are choosing their career paths. Additionally, they should be encouraged to consider non-traditional careers, such as teaching or nursing, where their cultural and linguistic skills could serve as a great advantage. Mentoring programs that offer targeted individual support and programs that promote diversity in the workplace should be developed. What is more, male Muslim role models from the social and economic arenas should be highlighted to encourage younger men to follow in their footsteps.

Austria finds itself in a critical position. Austria is in the centre of Europe, and has historically formed the bridge between Western Christian Europe and the Muslim East. From Naschmarkt to Kipferl, the influence of Muslim culture in Austria is clear. The country must acknowledge the young Muslim men in its midst and provide leading ideas for integration to ensure that the coming generation in Austria embraces its own diversity and is able to live together in harmony.

To read the full report in German, please follow this link: www.frauen-ohne-grenzen.org/publikationen

Yemeni youth ready to confront gender roles - Women without Borders study on IPS

Despite being at the forefront of sweeping changes taking place in the country, the lives of the majority of Yemeni women are restricted to early marriage, motherhood and serving husbands, according to a new study by Women Without Borders (WWB), a Vienna based public relations and advocacy platform for women’s voices around the world. By Mehru Jaffer.

"Most of the women talked to, even those from a traditional background, do express a desire for more independence in many aspects of their lives," Edit Schlaffer, founder-director of WWB told IPS.

The survey reveals that women are largely restricted to the private sphere and discouraged from participating in public life.

With a grant from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), a team of researchers from WWB designed a 134-item questionnaire in the Arabic language that was distributed amongst 600 students at Yemen’s Sana’a University on the eve of the February uprising earlier this year.

Over half of the male respondents feel that allowing women to work undermines their religious practices. However, a majority of both men and women see changing gender roles as an opportunity to fare better in a fast globalising world

Before her first visit to Yemen in 2009, Schlaffer’s image of the country on the western border of the Arabian Peninsula was that of a hideout for terrorists and a society frozen in time.

"After my first trip to Yemen I was amazed at the work the women were doing," recalls Schlaffer. "I was introduced to a women’s radio station in Sana’a. I met female journalists, aspiring politicians and great mothers."

Schlaffer was introduced to a vibrant civil society that is flourishing in the face of Western mistrust and domestic roadblocks.

The idea of the fact finding mission led by Schlaffer was to find out more about women and their views on extremism in the country, and to establish a SAVE Yemen chapter.

Yemen has a young population and women spoke openly about their own government and what they thought of governments abroad.

SAVE, or Sisters Against Violent Extremism, is a worldwide initiative of WWB to counter violent extremism and to propose strategies for derailing the extremist movement.

"Yemeni women, the NGOs and the mosques can play a vital role. As mothers, women can help in educating and guiding their sons; in society they can be activists in stopping violence," Hooria al Mashoor, Vice-Chairperson of the Women’s National Committee in Yemen told Schlaffer.

Today al-Fotih, is SAVE Yemen’s local coordinator and continues to work with mothers seen as potential ‘alarm-sounders’ when their children travel down the wrong path.

SAVE Yemen has held talks with Women Journalists Without Chains on the role of Yemeni women in confronting terrorism and extremism. Nadia al-Sakkaf, editor-in-chief of ‘Yemen Times’, the country’s leading English language newspaper has helped to host meets with local victims of violent extremism.

Fatima al-Zuhairi, principal of a local school discussed problems of extremism amongst female students in her school, and the challenges and accusations she has faced from extremist preachers in her local mosque.

After having created a network of supporters on the ground, WWB launched the latest survey to gauge the attitude of university students in Yemen on a wide range of issues - but with a focus on gender equality and the future. The findings disclose that the youth in Yemen yearns for gender equality.

The survey showed that youth is ready for change and optimistic about the future.

The survey reports two interrelated trends seen in many developing countries - including Yemen. There is a growth in the population of young people, and increased access to education for both men and women. The educated youth pose significant challenges to economic and political stability as the rate their growth rapidly outpaces available job opportunities.

The promise of free education is real but the hidden costs such as uniforms and school supplies present an overwhelming challenge to many families. Nearly half of the respondents reported that their families find it difficult to pay for their university education.

Conservative, male-dominated social norms still make access to education an insurmountable barrier for too many Yemeni women, but a move in a positive direction is visible. The majority of women predict their future career will be that of a teacher or professor - women currently represent less than a quarter of the educators at all levels.

Domestic violence is a part of many lives, 39 percent have witnessed it and 27 percent have experienced it. Little data is available about this conduct in Yemeni society due to social stigma.

The results also reveal girls are often prohibited from attending school or playing sports, and most women do not hold jobs or participate in politics because the public sphere is almost forbidden to them.

Most female respondents to the survey - despite access to education - come from families with traditional Yemeni values. They are more concerned than their male counterparts with the wishes of the family and agree that family plays a strong role in their decisions.

Much more to Yemen than what we see in the news

Yemen is often portrayed by the news media as a failed state and terrorist haven. Alice Hackmann, who recently returned from two years in Yemen as a reporter for the Yemen Times, tells the other side of the story.

First published in Common Ground News Service. Photos by Women without Borders / SAVE.

 The beautiful architecture of Sana'a, Yemen's capital city

The British media’s focus on a young British Muslim woman who stabbed a British Member of Parliament last month once again shines a gloomy spotlight on Yemen. According to The Guardian, Roshonara Choudhry, a 21-year-old student who stabbed the politician for supporting the war in Iraq, told the police: "I've been listening to lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki.... He's an Islamic scholar. He lives in Yemen."

As the media concentrates on al-Awlaki’s online sermons, his role in the launch of Al Qaeda’s new magazine, and the Yemeni government’s ongoing battle against Al Qaeda, the real Yemen has been drowned out. Yet it is this narrative – that of the vast majority of the population, not of a few hundred militants – that holds the key to better understanding, breaking stereotypes and perhaps ultimately less extremism.

Inside a coffee shop, near King’s Cross station in central London, British-born Yemeni Abubakr al-Shamahi, 21, sips his hot chocolate and talks passionately about his home country. Not once does he talk about extremism. Instead, he talks of corruption and his fear that donors’ money is not properly spent on long-term development, he laughs at Yemeni parents’ matchmaking, and he raves about the beauty of the old city of Sana’a. No one he knows has been influenced at all by the radical sermons of al-Awlaki.

This is the real Yemen. It is not al-Awlaki’s falsified narrative of a West-hating, militant-training Yemen. It is a country of over 22 million people – over 70 per cent of whom are under the age of 25 – struggling for development and the privilege to join the World Trade Organization. On Facebook, this is what the English-speaking youth in Yemen are telling the world. A Yemeni-Canadian, Issmat Alakhali, 32, attracted over 4,500 users to his page, “I know someone in Yemen and he/she is not a terrorist!” which he launched in January. More recently, Atiaf A., another young Yemeni, started a video project called “I’m Yemeni, I’m not a terrorist”.

And yet, in an interview last May, Al-Awlaki said that he enjoyed free movement among the tribes of Yemen because “the people of Yemen hate Americans.” This is not true. Most young Yemenis learn English because, apart from it being the international language of business, they also dream of emigrating to the United States or Europe to study or to work.

 

For the average young Yemeni, daily grievances are far more important than politics. Graduates hope to find a job. Young men struggle to accumulate enough jobs to be able to get married. New couples battle with price hikes. Nearly half of the population lives on less than two dollars a day and social development indicators – such as child malnutrition, maternal mortality and educational attainment – remain extremely poor, according to the UN’s World Food Program.

Yemeni children

In the north of the country, hundreds of thousands of Yemenis have been displaced by six rounds of war between the government and the Houthi rebels. In the south, a growing secessionist movement threatens the unity of the country, while each month thousands of refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants arrive on the coast from the Horn of Africa. Nationwide, the next generation will struggle for water to drink as the country’s population continues to increase and its already depleted aquifers rapidly run dry.

Instead of focusing always on Al Qaeda, the international media should highlight the efforts of youth-led initiatives such as Resonate! Yemen, Me for My country, Ayoon Shabah (Arabic for “youth’s eyes”) and the Yemeni Children’s Parliament to tackle some of the country’s other issues. They should profile social entrepreneurs like Hayat al-Hibshi who set up the Assada Women’s Association to help girls from marginalised poor communities go to school.

The media should also highlight positive exchanges between the Muslim communities of Britain and Yemen, such as the British-Somali charity that helped to set up a day care centre for young refugee mothers in Sana’a earlier this year.

More media focus on positive community-led change in Yemen, instead of terrorism, would counter negative stereotypes of both Yemenis and Muslims in the West. The effect would be more respect for Muslims in the West, less feelings of alienation or anger among their children and, perhaps, less reason to listen to a radical preacher in the first place.

SAVE India works to boost peace at the grass roots level

Peace talks between India and Pakistan at the highest political levels have been faltering for the last two years. Now politicians are calling for increased efforts at the grass roots, people-to-people level. SAVE Global is in Mumbai working with SAVE India on the anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to bring women's voices into the peace dialogue. 

SAVE Executive Director Edit Schlaffer with Vinita Kamte, author of To the Last Bullet, in April 2010. 

Vinita's husband was killed while on duty during the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

This week, the SAVE Global team is in India to build a foundation for the Mothers for Change! project, and to carry out a bridge-building dialogue between Pakistani and Indian women representatives to boost peace initiatives at the grass roots level.

The anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attacks are just around the corner. Since the attacks on 26 November 2008, peace talks between India and Pakistan’s foreign ministers have been on hold. In February this year, high-level representatives began to re-initiate the talks under pressure from the international community. Unfortunately most of the planned meetings have ended in stalemate or failed to take place.

President Obama urged for progress in the talks during his recent visit to India. It is in the interest of most western countries that the two rivals have an amicable relationship, due to the volatile situation in neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan and India must cooperate to stabilize the region, and many fear that the countries’ nuclear capability could make ongoing enmity very dangerous indeed.

It is clear, however, that talks that take place at the highest levels will have little to no effect at the grassroots level. Women—both as victims and as actors—have further been utterly neglected in these talks.

Societal stability and the wellbeing of future generations are at stake if steps are not taken to ease tensions and include civil society in an enduring fashion. Cross-border security is not the only issue at stake: the number of terrorist incidents within Pakistan alone has increased over three-fold since 2008.

Leaders at the highest levels have been calling for more people-to-people contact as an essential ingredient to moving peace talks forward. Women working as effective peace-builders can be a central driving force in this process.

SAVE global travelled to India in April 2010 to carry out storytelling and swimming workshops with the families of the policemen who were on duty during the Mumbai terrorist attacks. To read more about that project, click here. This week, the team will once again be working with these women in an income-generating workshop.

On Saturday November 20, SAVE talked to over 40 school children about their own potential as agents of change. By tackling prejudices and engaging with people of other faiths and backgrounds, children can help build a better future for their communities. SAVE brought this message to children from various schools and organizations at Mumbai’s National Centre for Performing arts.

At the presentation, held in cooperation with the World Kids Foundation, children watched the film Harun-Arun about a Hindu woman who learns to love and take care of a Muslim child, and a trailer of the SAVE film “Journeys Through Darkness”. Click here to read press coverage of the event.

Early next week, SAVE will also carry out a day-long bridge-building dialogue between Indian and Pakistani representatives. Women’s close proximity to the issues at hand positions them as ideal architects for change at the local levels. Mothers, especially, can reach out to disenfranchised youth and provide support and alternatives to the allure of extremist activities. Youth must recognize their potential to act as changemakers at both the grassroots and at the highest levels, and strive to build bridges between divergent religious, cultural, political, and socio-economic groups. These bridges will create the necessary emotional breakthrough to start a meaningful dialogue for action.

This initiative comes from a different perspective, aiming to explore ways in which women can come together in a united front against violent extremism. A cross-cultural dialogue based on shared values, mutual respect and empathy aims to bring women of different backgrounds and perspectives together to better understand one another and work together for a stable, secure future.

SAVE India focuses on bringing women’s voices into the vital dialogue for peace between India and Pakistan. Women’s position at the heart of their families and communities allows them to exercise an enormous moral and educational influence that often goes unappreciated. Their unique perspectives are often left out of the security debate, denying the peace talks between Pakistan and India the input of society’s most powerful peace makers.

SAVE India works with women who are able to influence their local communities in their roles as mothers, teachers, students and activists, and helps them to make their voices heard at the highest political levels. By creating a supportive network, women can more easily and confidently spread peaceful values and tolerance, influencing the next generation to build a brighter future.

The goal of this month’s meetings is to offer participants the opportunity, accompanied by experts, to practice conflict resolution and dialogue within a small circle. Within the framework of this project, getting to know the “other side” across cultural and religious boundaries will be facilitated, while an exchange on the personal level will be accelerated. Each participant will become a catalyst for positive change and the spread of peaceful messages within their communities. The meetings will lay the foundations for further interactions between Indian and Pakistani women, in order to reduce tensions and deconstruct prejudices.

Updates about our activities in India will be available very soon.