Learning through experience: Reflections from the second High-level Dialogue on FoRB and Gender
Last month, we hosted our second High-level Dialogue on ‘Gender and FoRB: opportunities for synergies and learning’. As part of bringing forward learnings from these Dialogues, this article lays out the different themes and issues explored by participants during the webinar together with recommendations and a way forward.
With the aim of exploring the role of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in relation to gender equality, the High-level Dialogue on October 14th saw 70 parliamentarians, faith leaders and civil society actors come together to engage, listen, and learn in order to ‘leave no one behind’, as is the Goal of Agenda 2030.
This Dialogue was the second in a series of High-level Dialogues on FoRB and SDGs being hosted between September 2021 and February 2022 to address the connections between FoRB and the following SDGs –gender, education, rule of law/freedom of expression, health and climate change. The series is being organized by Freedom of Religion or Belief Leadership Network (FoRBLN), IPPFoRB, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Religions for Peace, African Parliamentarians Association for Human Rights and the UN’s Faith for Rights Initiative.
The consultation provided opening remarks by Katharine Thane (Project officer FoRBLN/IPPFoRB project) and contributions by Lopa Banerjee (Executive Coordinator Generation Equality & Director, Civil Society Division, UN Women), Prof. Nazila Ghanea (Associate Professor, International Human Rights Law, University of Oxford), Annika Jane Dorothy (East Africa Coordinator, Amplify Girls and Steering Board Member, Political Parties Liaison Committee Kenya) and Rev’d Bafana Khumalo (Co-Founder and Senior Strategic Advisor, Sonke Gender Justice).
In their presentations, the speakers emphasized the misunderstanding of FoRB as protection of religion (and patriarchy), rather than protection of individuals. FoRB cannot be used to justify oppression or harmful practices. This clarification was important when participants went into regional/national breakout groups where they got the opportunity to speak about their personal experiences on the matter. Such spaces of engagement help create lower thresholds for diverse perspectives and meaningful reflections around how FoRB and women’s and girls’ rights intersect, and how they are challenged in various countries and communities.
In the breakout groups, three main questions were discussed: What does the work on FoRB & SDG 5 mean and look like in your country, how can you and others you know be part of the changes, and what are the challenges?
‘Being left behind’ – a discussion on FoRB and Women’s rights
“FoRB is the empowerment of women”
– Participant from Pan Africa group
Participants in both the Asia and the Africa groups touched on the subjects of forced marriages and forced conversion. These are two important issues affecting women and young girls, which are often viewed as challenges that exist specifically because of FoRB. However, this is a general misunderstanding of FoRB and its limitations. FoRB is an individual right and a right that belongs to women and men equally. It does not protect harmful practices.
“Religion is not the problem with gender rights. The interpreters are.”
- Participant from Pan Africa group
The Europe group discussed how the gender component in FoRB in certain counties was taboo for religious leaders, creating challenges for advocacy on women’s and girl’s rights internally in faith communities. Those who decide to step out of the traditional patriarchal framework, risk being alienated by their own communities.
“FoRB and gender is about opportunities. Opportunities to contribute”
– Participant from West Africa group
Another common thread across all the groups was criticizing how women in political spheres are often used just as a headcount, to fill the requirements of female representation. There are few women in terms of government positions that provide authority, which creates a challenge for female voices to be heard and listened to. In addition to this, some countries still deal with laws that allow discrimination against women and girls. Even when these laws are changed, they are not being enforced which generates a gap between policy and implementation. There is also a cultural aspect that needs to be addressed, as traditional norms prevent women from contributing on equal terms as men.
Making changes – opportunities and recommendations
“We need to start looking at different levels, explain to men that they will not lose anything if women get the same rights. Men need to be a part of the conversation.”
- Participant from Europe
For the second part of the discussion, participants were invited to set out the opportunities for change within their respective countries and the challenges that they might face. Here as well there were many similarities across the different groups. Firstly, it was acknowledged that men need to be part of implementing the work for gender equality. If men and women do not work together for the betterment of society and religious communities, this will create winners and losers, and not result in a sustainable society.
Secondly, it was pointed out how women are not a homogenous group. We need to be able to recognize clusters of women, to better understand the different ways women, as well as girls, are facing discrimination. To succeed here interfaith dialogue might play an important role in strengthening bonds across religions and beliefs and create safe platforms for women to express their rights.
“We need to build the capacity of religious leaders and teachers, so that they can be part of the solutions.”
- Participant from the Asia group
Another recommendation mentioned the need for religious training for both religious leaders and women, to enhance inclusive understandings of religion and religious practice, and to prevent the exclusion of individuals because of their gender.