نشرة رقم 5 / أكتوبر / تشرين الأول

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to send you this issue of our eNews reporting on a number of events that have given us and our colleagues around the world cause to celebrate.

Rabéa Naciri, president of l'Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc/Rabat, our partner organization in Morocco, informs us that through the collaboration of numerous NGOs, the text of a landmark reform bill that will greatly enhance the status of women in the family and society through changes in the personal status code (Moudawana) has been submitted to the Moroccan Parliament. Once the bill becomes law, an event expected next month, we will post the text on WLP's web site.

Two of our colleagues in the Middle East have been appointed to important and pivotal positions in the governments of their countries. Asma Khader, founder of our partner organization SIGI/Jordan and a foremost defender of women's human rights in her own country and internationally, was appointed Minister of State and Government Spokesperson in Jordan. Bouthaina Shaaban, a long time member of our network and an advisor for WLP's leadership program, was appointed Minister of Expatriates in the Syrian Arab Republic. Their appointments promise to advance the project of introducing new kinds of participatory, democratic leadership to their respective governments. In view of the resurgence of religious extremism, the work of these women leaders and their colleagues in non-governmental as well as governmental positions is an important factor in building an atmosphere of tolerance and moderation. We congratulate our friends and the governments that are privileged to benefit from their wisdom, dedication, and good sense.

We are jubilant that Nobel Peace Prize recipient Shirin Ebadi has been recognized for her defense of women's and children's rights in Iran. One of the first women in a Muslim majority society to be appointed a judge, Shirin lost her position when the Islamic theocracy was established in Iran after the revolution. However, she has continued to struggle for the rights of women, focusing on honor killings and on increasing the minimum age of marriage for girls, which had been reduced from 18 to 9 after the revolution. She has continued to work as an attorney and represent political prisoners and their families. She courageously maintains that there is no conflict between faith and freedom in Islam and that oppressive laws are in conflict with the letter and spirit of the religion.

We send our most heartfelt congratulations to these leaders for their achievements and to our network across the Global South, especially in Muslim majority countries. It is our belief and the oft-repeated opinion of our colleagues themselves that their individual achievements are owed to the work of all and the honors are a recognition of the justice of the struggle for women's rights across the world.

Best Regards,
Mahnaz Afkhami
President
Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace

In this Issue

• Articles
• International Leaders Prioritize Human Security at WLP Conference "Clash or Consensus"
• Workshops in Afghanistan and Cameroon Evaluate Leadership Learning

• Latest News
• Asma Khader Chosen for 2003 UNDP Poverty Eradication Award
• Iranian Lawyer and Activist Shirin Ebadi Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
• Order Your Copy of WLP's Multimedia Package on Leadership