Fierce Courage: Muslim Women’s Transformative Activism – CIIS Speech
April 25th, 2013 by Jane SloaneCalifornia Institute of Integral Studies Speech: April 25, 2013
Fierce Courage: Muslim Women’s Transformative Activism – Jane Sloane
The changing political landscape over the last year, fueled by an active citizenry, has shown us why the fierce courage of Muslim women is important for them, their countries and for ourselves. The focus of this activism — in opening up options for peacemaking and peace-building, in pursuing the creation of democratic societies that are inclusive — diverse in voice and choice and in embracing a moderate form of Islam – is to secure a global transformation of power as much as a regional or country specific transformation.… Continue Reading
Letter From San Franciso #8
April 24th, 2013 by Jane SloaneI see me.
This was what a donor said when speaking about the importance of recognizing the diversity of the philanthropic community in a video presented to us at the recent Women’s Funding Network conference. I thought about how powerful this concept is in many other contexts too.
I see me.
It’s what Stella Cornelius always coached me about when teaching me conflict resolution skills – look for the points of commonality to open up options and dialogue.
If men could more often say ‘I see me’ when they see the struggle of women in their families and communities, they would begin to change the equation for women, for their families and communities, and effectively reduce hunger in the process.… Continue Reading
Letter From San Francisco #7
April 5th, 2013 by Jane SloaneI was talking to a young woman the other day who was not sure whether to call herself a feminist because she had heard that she needed to support certain causes in order to be a ‘real feminist.’ “If you believe in the full social, economic, political equality of women and men then you are a feminist,” I said.
I was reminded of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s remarks on the Marriage Equality Act – full milk vs. skim milk and thought that the image was apt – a perception by some that there was a full milk feminism for those who ticked the boxes on a number of causes and a skim milk feminism for those who were challenged by some of these causes and campaigns and yet still believed in a rights based approach. It seemed that if women and men believed in a rights based approach to women claiming and realizing their rights – a right to education, a right to a childhood without early marriage, a right to work, a right to the choice of work, a right to protection from trafficking and abuse and a right to choices about our bodies – then there was room for a variety of views and voices to surface within the realm of feminism.… Continue Reading
Letter From San Francisco #6
March 26th, 2013 by Jane SloaneIt was to citizens gathered in Jerusalem that President Obama made his appeal last week when he addressed over 1,000 students at the Jerusalem International Convention Center. One of the President’s key messages was that peace is possible – “and necessary because it is the only path to true security.” Later the President went off script and asked the audience to imagine themselves as parents of Palestinian teenagers and asked if they would also want the best for these young people to be successful in the way they would hope for their daughters and sons too.… Continue Reading
Letter from the UN
March 12th, 2013 by Jane SloaneI was in New York to attend the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The priority theme this year was Prevention and Elimination of Violence to Women and Girls (VAWG). This was in response to the fact that almost 70 per cent of the world’s women have suffered some form of violence.
Representatives of Governments came to report on their progress to advance the rights of women and girls and to report on their implementation of the commitments they’d made under the Beijing Platform For Action (PFA) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).… Continue Reading