Women, Faith and Human Rights

"Religious women advocates of the human rights agenda are rarely heard in global dialogues and negotiations, and when they are present, their voices and perspectives are often on the margins of these intergovernmental fora....This happens in spite of the important contributions they can - and do - make in public spaces and in religious narratives." - Margareta Grape and Azza Karam

In 2015, the Church of Sweden and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) co-convened a consultation on "Women, Faith and Human Rights" from 25-26 November near Stockholm, Sweden. Participants reviewed a series of papers expressing the knowledge of diverse actors, compiled in a shorter report (summarised here) and a longer paper (also available below), as part of efforts to mobilise a broad constituency of faith actors who support the human rights agenda - especially sexual and reproductive health issues. Participants in the consultation were asked to write reflections on 4 themes: the dissonance between religious institutions and frameworks, and human rights; the links between notions of family and religious values; the extent to which faith-based language could be seen to oppose or to endorse human rights; and the specific role that faith-based actors play in the debates around sexual and reproductive health and rights. This publication provides a glimpse into the perspectives of these contributors, who are from different countries and faiths.

As UNFPA explains, the global political space for initiatives aiming at expanding women's human rights appears increasingly to be filling with voices that would detract from and attack the agenda of gender equality and women's empowerment. Yet many women and men of faith do not agree with those who advocate for backing down from intergovernmental commitments such as the Programme of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo (1994), the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action from the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995), and the annual Commission on the Status of Women and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Many also do not agree with those who advocate for limitations on women's participation and rights in the global 2030 Agenda, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

There is a debate in some countries on the contribution faith-based organisations can offer to promote development. One observation is that mainly male faith-based actors are being heard in discussions or reflections with international secular organisations. As the report summing up the consultation indicates, while women in religious organisations are and have been present in and around the UN, they often speak to the "victimhood" and oppression suffered by women, or on idealistic roles and responsibilities of women and men. It is rare to see such women in UN and other international developmental fora who occupy leadership positions or any other position that allows them to be "norm shapers". Faith leaders often do not approve of their way of challenging theology and tradition, and at times "secular" feminists tend to suspect they want to undermine the struggle for women's rights. However, "[w]omen in faith communities can offer added value in relation to formal religious leadership. At best, some religious leaders can be persuaded to support a women's agenda, as elaborated by the United Nations. Women religious leaders have the ability to bridge theological and rights language, and should be invited to take an active part in panels, dialogues, working groups and such in order to contribute 'from within' to challenging discourses allegedly based on a contradiction between universal human rights and respect for freedom of religion."

Many of the participants reflected on the concepts of human dignity and human rights, noting that there is an ambiguity attached to how the concepts are used. Human dignity is sometimes referenced by those who want to underline that there is no fundamental difference between a religious understanding of human dignity and what is codified in the global frameworks as human rights. Against the backdrop of critique against the religious (conservative) right's agenda at almost all UN-related meetings, there is a fear that a more tentative discussion on the relation between human rights and human dignity could strengthen those who aim at limiting the universality of human rights for women, children, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. "More often than not, discrimination against women, children and LGBT people is being justified by relating to religion and tradition. But the interaction between tradition, culture and religion is not static. Religion can also have the opposite effect: that of strengthening the argument for human dignity and freedom.... It takes systematic work to challenge the discourse on tradition, religion and culture both within the faith communities, and in and around the global meetings where issues related to human rights and human dignity are discussed."

Participants expressed the need for "safe spaces" for those seeking to bridge the rights and faith discourses. Such spaces (not substitutes for a seat at the policy table) would allow for tentative discussions, for voicing and sharing ideas that are not yet totally thought through, and for expressing frustrations, but also for sharing discursive and pragmatic successes in argumentation and implementation. Many expressed the need for laboratories and workshops to build and explore new alliances, and to articulate new initiatives. Negotiating a position requires reaching joint language and confirming a shared narrative, with all that may entail in terms of compromise.

During the discussions, the issue of religious literacy came up several times. The challenge is the increasing inability to analyse and understand the nature of faith, and the role faith plays in shaping not only the identity of individuals but also communities. "Indeed, there was a stark warning leveraged in the discussions: If actors in the 'development industry' deliberately ignore the role of religion, they may, by default, contribute to strengthening the more conservative and fundamentalist versions of religious traditions. There is an imminent risk that the most conservative religious readings become normative, if they are not challenged and put into perspective. The ones who will have to pay for this are poorer women and girls in patriarchic societies." As noted here, there are scholars around the world who actively contribute to increasing religious literacy among staff in organisations promoting the universal human rights agenda. They have a role to play in encouraging women in faith communities to revisit their religious texts and traditions in order to find bridges between their faiths and the universal human rights agenda. Several examples of this are offered in the papers in the full document (see below). Universities, international agencies, civil society organisations, and national development organisations are among those who could cooperate in initiatives for building capacity and literacy in the field of religion.

Based on a literature overview and consultation discussions, two concrete and actionable recommendations emerge:

1. Establish a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for joint reflection and action directed at the UN and other intergovernmental fora. This NGO could provide the "safe space" where experts in theology, feminism, and development praxis can dialogue and jointly address challenges related to women's rights and religion as they unfold in intergovernmental settings.
2. Create initiatives for joint studies and increased religious developmental literacy. One theme mentioned was how Shari'ah law and Canon law relate to scripture, context, and tradition. A case was strongly made for jointly organised seminars on the nexus of religion and development, to be simultaneously informed by experts on theology, human rights and social development. This form of religious developmental literacy should take into account the lived reality of religion and faith traditions. Geared for civil servants in global and national organisations, its purpose would be to review and inform on why and how religious considerations influence - and can be influenced by - development praxis.

Click here in order to access the full 80-page document in PDF format.