Organizations and individuals who support the campaign:
Check out supporters' messages in the Supporter Spotlight section and blog posts of support in the Blogger Spotlight section. If you would like to lend your support, sign the petition
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
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
End the hypocrisy! Women must be considered as full citizens by our governments and thus must be awarded the exact same rights as their male counterparts! Women can study any field, work at any job and vote and yet, they are not real citizens!! Because this is what this issue is all about! Equal citizenship implies both men and women must abide by the same laws and duties and must be awarded the exact same rights!
Rouba Abouzeid
Lebanon
Posted by WLP on June 21st, 2007
Equal rights, including citizenship status, for all citizens leads to stronger individual self-worth and a stronger nation. The greater respect we have for ourselves and our fellow citizens, the greater respect we will have for our families and our society.
The strength of a nation is often determined by how well the nation uses it resources. People are it’s greatest resource and ALL of the people, men and women, should be given the opportunity to participate equally. Ask the nations that treat women as second class citizens, Is there any GOOD reason for denying their country the potential wisdom, leadership, insight, and economic benefits by restricting the rights of women?
Keith Beach
Jennifer Beach Foundation
United States
Posted by WLP on June 15th, 2007
We reiterate our support for all humanitarian organizations fighting for women’s rights violated. We will strive with you to change nationality laws.
Mohsen A.Aboud
Head of the Organization
The Iraq’s Independent Organization For Culture And Public Opinion
Iraq
Posted by WLP on June 10th, 2007
In the 21st century, we cannot allow situations to exist where women who marry men of other nationalities cannot confer their original nationality to their husbands or children. We cannot allow laws to exist that deny women equal nationality rights and the rights to property and that keep them from their rightful place in society. We stand in solidarity with women across the MENA and Gulf regions in their courageous efforts to gain recognition as equal citizens and nationals of their countries and support wholeheartedly their campaign to participate fully in their societies.
Shalini Nataraj
Vice President of Programs
Global Fund for Women
Posted by WLP on May 23rd, 2007
The right to confer one’s nationality to one’s child is a basic human right from which women in many nations have long been excluded. The efforts of WLP’s Claiming Equal Citizenship Campaign are to be commended. It is about time the world recognized women as full citizens of their own nations.
Janet Afary
Professor of History
Purdue University
Past President Association for Middle East Women’s Studies
Posted by WLP on May 16th, 2007