Interfaith Womens Journey, November, 200708, India

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Interfaith Womens Journey, November, 2007-08,
India

• ORGANIZED BY
• Interfaith Coalition For Peace, India
• Presentation by
• Deepali Bhanot, Ph.D
• ICP, New Delhi

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Work Areas ofINTERFAITH COALITION FOR PEACE,
INDIA

• An Interfaith organization conducting research
  in scriptures building bridges with followers
  of different faith groups- making connections and
  sharing experiences
• Creating awareness and Interaction through
  various national and international programmes
• Capacity Building to develop potential to respond
  creatively to the challenges faced - does not
  undertake relief work at present.
• Conflict Resolution by organizing and training
  volunteers across India for the establishment of
  a new order of peace and justice based on love
  and mutual respect.

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Participants of the Inter-faith Womens Journey,
2007

• Creating Spaces,
• Connecting People,
• Changing Lives

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Interfaith Womens Journey, November, 2007
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Objectives of the Womens Journey

• To identify womens perspective in underlying
  issues in existing conflicts especially in the
  context of the places covered in the journey
• To discern the contribution of religious and
  spiritual identities to such conflicts and also
  the role they can play in terms of resolution
• To explore alternative models of conflict
  resolution and peace building that arises out of
  womens experiences and collaborations
• But most important is to give the women 15 days
  of freedom, happiness, feeling of respect and
  well-being.

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Constraints

• Social attitude- women travelling on their own is
  still not accepted widely
• Family responsibilities
• Issues of safety- especially in relation to young
  girls
• Dependency mode

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Capacity Building

• Initiative involving women from grassroots
• Sharing/Follow-up at community level
• Sharing/ sensitization on other important issues
  with partner organizations
• Developing confidence in the participants
• Growth and learning- Team spirit, expression,
  communication and documentation

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Group meetings
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Interaction with local women
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Challenges

• Feeling of superiority (in terms of religion)
• Customs (believes, practices, lifestyles, )
• Celebrations during festivals
• Powerposition (Exploitation/superiority)
• Self-centric thoughts
• Religion- when it becomes an institution
• Identity issues
• Uninformed opinions/influences
• Politics
• Opportunities

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Forming opinions
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Learning experiences

• Being a women
• Goodness/values
• Disaster management
• Culture (in geographical aspects)
• Youth groups
• Law of the land (women violence, atrocities)

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Documenting personal experiences
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Interfaith meetings
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Meeting religious leaders
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Interactive session
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Team work
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Communicating skills

• Involving young women

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Achievements/Opportunities

• Sharing in National Consultation
• Radio talk (community radio)
• Digital Story
• Training opportunities
• Sharing on other platforms
• Support from other campaigns/ movements/Network
  like CWLR, Aaaroh

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We have got wings which inspires to fly high,
higher, highest My eyes are closed and it
seems that I am watching a beautiful dream
wishing that it continues for long Nothing
can be greater than the feeling that there are no
eyes constantly staring at you and keeping a
check. God! I am breathing in fresh air  
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INTERFAITH WOMENS JOURNEY, 2008of Healing for
Overcoming Violence and Establishing Peaceful
Coexistence in Manipur, North East India,
October 1st-10th 2008.
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WOMEN PILGRIMS OF PEACE

• Supported by Interfaith Coalition for Peace,
  India
• 25 women representing Hindu, Muslim, Christian,
  Bahai, Sanamahe (Meitei Indigenous), and Thingkao
  (Kuki Indigenous) faith traditions
• Travelled from Agartala (Tripura), to Dibrugarh
  (Assam) then to Imphal (Manipur) from the
  1st-10th October, 2008

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The North East Region of India has its own
peculiar problems

• In the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
  Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura
  and Sikkim
• A large number of hill tribes
• Speaking more than 400 dialects
• Each hill tribe with its own unique traditions
• Inter-ethnic rivalries-Each tribe struggling for
  autonomy
• Political unrest instability
• Atrocities inflicted by the Army-Human rights
  violations
• Frustrated Youth resorting to armed activities
• Violent conflicts rampant in the region

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Objectives of the Journey

• To carry an inter-faith message of peace
  reconciliation in the region suffering from
  violence and unrest
• To bring together different faith traditions and
  the civil society to overcome violence and
  establish peace and harmony.
• To educate the people and communities to be
  peace-makers
• To transform Conflict by healing hurtful and
  broken relationships by love and forgiveness
• To establish interfaith understanding, tolerance
  and respect for other religions
• 
  
  contd.

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Objectives..contd.

• To develop a sense of solidarity and healing with
  the victims of violence - particularly women and
  girls - initiated by Interfaith Coalition for
  Peace.
• To seek the experiences of victimized women and
  girls
• To understand the human suffering created by
  ethnic and communal conflict and violence that
  affect peaceful coexistence in the region
• To make an attempt to bridge the gap between
  different communities, religious groups and also
  between the hill and the valley.

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Women suffer the most in conflicts

• Women and children are most vulnerable to
  violence and suffer the most in conflicts and
  wars
• Women are specially targeted for sexual abuse,
  molestation and rape to violate the honor of the
  enemy. Hence the experience of women is different
  from the experience of men in any conflict
  situation.
• Women face the trauma of losing their husbands
  and sons. While some men get killed, some go
  missing. Women have no knowledge of whether they
  are alive or dead - the suffering of such
  half-widows and grieving mothers is unimaginable.
  

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.

• Women face economic hardships, mental trauma and
  social neglect after the conflicts are over
• The entire responsibility of looking after the
  family falls on her if the men in the family are
  killed or injured.
• Widows are likely to be duped by their own family
  members if they have no knowledge of their
  husbands property and bank balance, if any
• They remain vulnerable without the protection of
  the male members of the family

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Children in conflict situations

• Children especially girls are the worst sufferers
  during any conflict situation
• Children who have witnessed crimes including
  rapes and sexual crimes against the female
  members of their families are scarred for life.
  They too can become perpetrators to seek revenge
• Children are forced into violent acts and armed
  conflicts whenever two communities or groups are
  engaged in prolonged conflicts
• Violent situations deprive children of a normal
  childhood they are forced into adulthood when
  exposed to all kinds of violence
• Orphaned children need the support of the
  communities for protection and proper growth

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WOMEN ARE ALSO HEALERS

• Despite their pain and suffering, women are the
  most active agents of peace in all communities.
  
• Actually, societies have survived because of the
  various efforts made by women to keep the family
  and community in peaceful condition.
• But their efforts remain invisible and are not
  recognized.
• Only women can understand the suffering of women
  and provide a healing touch.
• As mothers and teachers, they transmit the values
  of head and heart to the children
• Women from different faith traditions can form
  help-groups at the local level to reach out and
  provide support to children in need.

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Women leading Inter-faith Prayers
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Womens meeting in progress
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Sharing experiences
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Women victims of violence

• Mrs. Kim Vaiphei sharing the story of her
   trauma. Her husband was suddenly shot dead one
  evening as he was preparing for a dinner party.

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Traumatized Survivors of Violence and Rape break
down while sharing about their experiences of
violence
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Women Leading Non-violent protest

• Ms. Irom Sharmila is a brilliant example of a
  determined woman who is protesting by fasting
  since the year 2000 against the imposition of
  Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958.AFSPA in
  Manipur. Presently she is in police custody .
  But she is protesting in the non-violent way.
• Meira Paibis or the Manipur Women Torch bearers,
  initially known as Nisha Bandh, came into action
  in retaliation against the atrocities inflicted
  by the CRPF on innocent men and youth. Meira
  Paibis played a significant role of mediation
  during the Meiti and Pangal (Muslim) riots in
  1993, saving many innocent people. Now working on
  social issues and playing a crucial role as Peace
  Builders.

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Core team members with a group of Meira Paibis
(The Meiti Women Torch bearers) in Urimpok
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Core team members at Kangla,where the Meira
Paibis protested in the year 2003 against the
rape and murder of Thangjam Manorama Devi by
Assam Rifles.
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Listening to the stories of womens experiences
of horror
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Women of faith pledge to heal the wounds of
the world
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Feed back session
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Outcome of the Journey

• This exchange between regions and religions
  allowed for the first hand understanding of the
  impact of violence on women
• It was a great learning experience for the women
  to learn about each others faiths
• They learnt about the power of forgiveness and
  compassion in establishing peace and harmony
• Reaching out to the victims of violence

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Participants of the Journey in Imphal on 10th
Oct. 2008
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Interfaith Womens Journey in Gujarat,
5th-16th.Jan,2009

• ICP sponsored another Interfaith Womens Journey
  in Gujarat recently from the 5th -16th Jan.2009
• 15 women from different cities of Gujarat
  representing different faith traditions
  (including 2 Jains) have just finished their
  journey through Gujarat.
• These women traveled through Ahmedabad, Nadaid,
  Baroda and Angleshwar (Bharooch). The report of
  this journey is awaited.

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Women to Women Exchange ProgrammeSeptember/Octobe
r, 2009

• After having conducted three Interfaith Womens
  Journey successfully, Interfaith Coalition for
  Peace plans to organize a women to women exchange
  programme.
• Accordingly, the Women from the Manipur Journey
  will travel through Gujarat and the women from
  Gujarat will travel through Manipur in
  Sep./Oct.2009.
• Thereby, deepening their understanding of women
  across religions and regions of the country.

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Women as Agents of Peace

• Women as Agents of Peace provide lasting
  solutions
• Women-led responses demonstrate Survival Wisdom
  that is unique
• Womens Distinct capabilities give them a
  comparative advantage
• Inspiring leadership at all levels can be
  provided by women
• Women of faith can create meaningful links among
  themselves and with others to promote holistic
  Peace

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As long as the women of India do not take part
in public life, there can be no salvation for the
country

• - Mahatma Gandhi

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Thank you