Subject: [fem-women2000 663] Press Release: Outcomes of the AP NGO Kathmandu Meeting
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 15:25:43 +0900
Seq: 663
Forwarded by lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
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From: kathy clarin <kathy@isiswomen.org>
To: apgr-list@isiswomen.org
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 13:58:13 +0800
Subject: [APGR-list] Press Release: Outcomes of the AP NGO Kathmandu Meeting
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Subject: Press Release: Outcomes of the AP NGO Kathmandu Meeting
source: Allison Gita <allison.gita@apwld.org>
forwarded by: Susanna George, <susanna@isiswomen.org>
date: 05.11.01
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PRESS RELEASE
Outcomes of the Asia Pacific NGO Networking Meeting
Kathmandu 27-29 April 2001
Racism as the root cause of the insidiousness of caste, the horror faced by
women and men in situations of armed conflict, the suffering from poverty
and human rights abuses throughout the region were among some of the major
issues discussed by over 200 representatives at the Asia Pacific NGO
Networking Meeting .
Delegates heard the personal testimonies of people who had been humiliated,
raped; whose family and friends had been murdered because of their caste,
race, and ethnicity. A young woman gave her account of being trafficked
and forced into prostitution. Another woman spoke of her suffering as a
migrant domestic worker.
These stories brought home the reality of the life and death situations
caused by racism, casteism, xenophobia and related intolerances.
The stories also brought home the significant negative impacts of
globalisation that is working to further exploit already marginalised
groups, such as indigenous peoples, Dalits, and other minorities. The
process of globalisation as implemented by the WTO regime is further
marginalising Dalits, Indigenous peoples and Minorities who are already a
deprived section of society. In the name of privatisation, globalisation
has destroyed whatever opportunities were created by affirmative actions
initiated by governments. The knowledge systems of indigenous peoples and
Dalits have been expropriated by the multinational corporations (MNCs). The
State is consciously withdrawing from its obligation to provide key social
service sectors like education, health and employment with a devastating
impact on racially discriminated groups. The policies of the World Bank and
IMF such as devaluation and downsizing of the labor force adversely affect
the already marginalised living standards of Dalits, Indigenous peoples and
Minorities.
Indigenous peoples, women of caste, ethnic and other marginalised women
experience multiple forms of discrimination due to the nexus of class,
gender and them being members of marginalise communities. They are denied
their right to self-determination, their right to own and inherit property
and control the resources; they are treated as having a lower status than
men; and are exploited because they are members of the most exploited
groups of society, the poor and marginalised groups. They are often
excluded from political leadership and participation. Their equal status is
not recognised by the State and dominant culture, or by the people within
their communities and family.
An urgent problem created by the growth of conflict is the increase of all
forms of violence, including sexual violence against women. Intolerance in
the context of conflict places many restrictions on women's freedom and
mobility.
The apartheid nature of caste discrimination manifests itself in the
segregated housing settlements and cemeteries, access to common drinking
water, restaurants, temples, tea stalls ('two-cup' system, meaning one cup
for everybody, and a separate cup for the "untouchables"), restrictions on
marriage and other insidious measures designed to prevent social
interaction and mobility.
Any attempt to assert or struggle against casteism is met with extreme
violence and heinous crimes such as burning of homes, stripping and
parading, rape, murder and social and economic boycott. The perpetrators
of these crimes frequently enjoy police impunity, while the victims, who
are mostly women, are often falsely accused and imprisoned.
In the Asia Pacific region numerous minorities and marginalised communities
have been subject to various forms of racism and institutionalised
discrimination including denial of citizenship, state colonisation, forced
population transfer, ethnic cleansing and political repression. The
nation-state structures that are majoritarian deny the right of minority
communities to full enjoyment of their democratic rights, including the
right to self-determination and to an equal share of power.
The Asia-Pacific region has seen the systematic outbreak of religion-based
intolerances, often in the garb of religion based nationalism, that has
resulted in the denial of basic human rights, including the right to life,
liberty, equality, opportunity, freedom of residence, conscience and belief.
People living under foreign occupation face one of the worst forms of
racism, racial discrimination, cultural genocide and related intolerance as
a direct result of state policies of assimilation and integration. add
religious based intolerance.
The intersectionality of race, gender, and refugee status should be
recognised. Refugee women are discriminated against on the grounds of their
ethnicity and their gender. Rape and forms of sexual torture are used in
situation of conflict and should be recognised as a war crime and the basis
for granting refugee status.
Race-based discrimination against documented and undocumented migrants,
migrant workers and trafficked persons is structural in nature and
contravene international standards. These persons suffer gross violations
of their human rights due to the lack of legal protection and redress
mechanisms and are vulnerable to a range of abuse and violence. Legal and
policy frameworks that enable states to make a distinction between citizens
and non-citizens in terms of enjoyment of rights lay the foundation for
these forms of discrimination.
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(The deliberations and outcomes of this meeting will be included in the
WCAR Asia Pacific Declaration which will be taken by the delegates to the
World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Forms of Intolerance, in Durban, South Africa, 28 August 7
September 2001. )
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