Women's Activism: Malaysia and Jordan

Malaysia: Fiesta Feminista

Malaysia's Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) kicked-off Fiesta Feminista in mid-June with a three-day "fiesta" meant to celebrate, as the name suggests, the achievements of feminism, to synergize the efforts of women's and social justice groups, and to address the challenges and inequalities that remain. Over 500 women and men from all walks of life took part in workshops, lectures, presentations, exhibitions, performances, and films focusing on a variety of feminist issues with a thematic emphasis on diversity. JAG, which includes Sisters in Islam (SIS) and the All Women's Action Society (AWAM), plans to host a Fiesta Feminista event every two to three years.

This initiative was born out of the need for a national dialogue on feminism that embraces the interests and perspectives of all classes, ages, sexualities, religions, cultures, and locations. It allows all who wish to see change to share, discuss, learn and strategize on issues of feminism, and more broadly, issues of human rights and democracy.

Fiesta Feminista additionally seeks to reclaim the often misunderstood and maligned movement by increasing awareness about the role, contributions, and relevance of feminism in building a just and democratic Malaysia. Tze Yeng, a Fiesta Feminista supporter, explained "feminism has helped me understand why I experience life as I do, as I synthesize and analyze each argument and experience put forth, reflecting upon my own actions, inactions and beliefs that contribute to social injustice."

Jordan: SIGI/J's Political Participation Organizing

Asma Khader, who is both General Coordinator of WLP partner in Jordan, Sisterhood Is Global Institute/Jordan (SIGI/J) and Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission on Women, shared with WLP International two recent success stories for women in Jordan.

• CEDAW: In July, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was published in the Official Gazette in Jordan, giving CEDAW legal status before the courts.
• Municipal elections: Khader also shared how SIGI/J's activities contributed to the recent success for women in Jordan's municipal elections. Two months prior to the July elections the municipal quotas for women were increased to 20%. In July 355 women ran and 214 women won elections in their municipalities. Twenty made it without the quota and 195 made it through the quota.

This victory followed a national campaign to promote women candidates. In July, SIGI/J was very active in registering women to vote, training women in advocacy, and supporting campaigning and lobbying activities. Two days before the election, SIGI/J held a workshop for 30 women’s NGOs around the country, educating them on lobbying and voting practices. They distributed media materials promoting the slogan of the campaign, "my home, my municipality, my country". Necklaces bearing this slogan were worn by activists. Khader explained the symbolic nature of this necklace. "In Jordan when you take something very seriously, you say it is ‘around your neck’". The slogan also appeared on posters and television. Many women candidates were invited on TV programs wearing this necklace and over 10 newspaper articles featured this slogan.

Another campaign slogan which Khader said "touched people’s hearts" was "You trust her to raise your children, are you not trusting her to lead your municipality." Khader explained, "Many in Jordan think that if a woman serves in public life, she will forget about her family." This slogan highlighted the importance of women being included, emphasizing that women are working with men, not against them.

In preparation for the upcoming November 2007 parliamentary elections, SIGI/J is petitioning for 10 seats rather than the 6 seats currently allocated for women.