Claiming Equal Citizenship

I wish to state my support on this issue, I support peace in all countries of the world, peace and happiness to all women, men and children. All we need is Love.

Janet Leigh
Ireland

Posted by WLP on July 31st, 2007

Citizenship is the first step to give women of all countries the power to chose their lives, improve the lives of their families and the politics of their countries.

There will be no justice before women have citizenship.

Ludmilla Barrand
LEXIA Paris
France

Posted by WLP on July 27th, 2007

When women, just like men can pick what to eat, where to work or who to be with, there is no problem with women having the same human-created rights as men. If the human-created rights are not given to women, then they should not be given to men.

Kurt Kennedy
Best Party of Allah in Australia

Posted by WLP on July 24th, 2007

I must say that everyone in this world has their own way of living, and everybody is free to live his/her own life. We need to give this chance to every living person either male, female or animals. Let’s live together with peace, self-dignity and free to live life…Keep trying for peace and prosperity.

Muhammad Kamran Rashid
Pakistan Solar Power Project

Posted by WLP on July 20th, 2007

As a woman in an Arab society, your options and choices in life are limited. However, as a Palestinian woman, with no legal evidence of your citizenship, as well as a single parent, your choices and options are almost non-existent. Everyday I live in fear of losing my children and wonder if they will have food and shelter the next day.

Continue Reading | Posted by WLP on July 17th, 2007

The Namibian Women’s Lobby is in solidarity with the sisters of the Arab world on their quest for women’s rights and the campaign to raise awareness of the issues.

Tahira da Conceicao Lourenco
Namibian Women’s Lobby
Namibia

Posted by WLP on July 12th, 2007

Very needed campaign…We need to get our minimum rights as women…as Arab women!
I am with you all the way…

Rana Abou Salman
Greenpeace
Lebanon

Posted by WLP on July 8th, 2007

Equal citizenship for women is not only a moral and political right, but a necessary imperative for those societies that are pursuing the goal of development.

Equality is a prerequisite for prosperity, progress and freedom. Societies that truly seek to better the lives of their people, to create competitive economies and inclusive political systems, must begin by ensuring equality of women as members of the community, society, economy and nation–equal before law and country.

It is time that all societies respect equal citizenship for women, on moral grounds but more important as the necessary step to realize development.

Vali Nasr
Professor of International Politics
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Tufts University

Posted by WLP on July 5th, 2007

Rights to citizenship or nationality is not a privilege imposed by God to be enjoyed only by “men”, but a discriminatory law imposed by human beings on their fellow human beings.

God did not create a slave or a second class citizen for Adam in the Garden of Eden, when he created Eve. He created a partner for him to share the fruits of heaven. Therefore just as God created two ears, two eyes, two feet and two arms for man kind to hear, see, walk and do things properly, so did he create men and women equally in his eyes to share equally what he has given us on earth.

All countries that deprive their women equal rights of citizenship and nationality are “incapacitated” and ” disadvantaged” and will not enjoy their full potential just as a bird with one wing will not fly or a bicycle with one pedal will not ride. To therefore ensure that poverty is addressed, disease is fought and a country benefits, enjoys and takes advantage of its full potential given to it by Almighty God, all its citizens must enjoy equal rights and opportunities. This means both men and women must and should be treated equally by all its laws, be given equal access to all its resources, and be allowed to equally participate in all the decision making processes of the country.

Mrs. Zainab Hawa Bangura
Chief - Civil Affairs Section
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

Posted by WLP on July 2nd, 2007