Bangkok Boom: Report from Thailand

by Jensine Larsen

Steam Still Rising after Largest Women's Rights Gathering of the Decade

It was an explosive collision of brainpower in a colorful sea of saris, headscarves, and sarongs. Nearly 2,000 women's rights activists from 120 nations conspired in the heart of Bangkok for four days last week to build alliances, strengthen networks, and generate big ideas for global transformation. The premise of the conference, billed as the biggest thing since Beijing and hosted by Canada's AWID (the Association for Women in Development), was this question: "How Does Change Happen?"

Some of the early applauded outcomes included an Iraqi leader's vision for a women's satellite television station that would eclipse Al Jazeera, an initiative called "FundHer" to increase funding for women worldwide, and a proposal for the mobilization of U.S. and Iraqi mothers along Iraq's borders.

The full scope of innovative results remains to be seen, but conference organizers announced that they would use $100,000 to fund 20 of the top submitted visionary ideas born out of the conference.

As attendees hashed out the question of how to advance global change in the face of rising fundamentalist threats, two urgent strategies emerged: 1) increase funding for women's networks; 2) create space and platforms for women to come together and create agendas.

Indeed, it was clear that the greatest value of the event for many was the space it provided for cross-cultural networking. The hallways, bathrooms, lobbies, and boats of the hotel smoldered endlessly with multi-layered languages, introductions, and alliance-building. Undoubtedly the steam from these personal connections will continue to rise across the waters, further igniting each activist's inner strength and external support network.

The conference site, Bangkok's luxurious 4-star "Shangri-La" hotel, underscored a desire to treat women delegates as key global leaders who deserved to experience an impeccable and pampering international convention where all minds could focus on important debates.

It was a far cry from a typical elite global conference, however. Many attendees had moved mountains to reach Bangkok, braving difficult passages with visa problems, border controls, high travel costs, and language obstacles. There were revolutionary women from the Eastern bloc; journalists from the Congo; African philanthropists and Buddhist nuns; indigenous women from Kenya, the Philippines, Guatemala (toting radio equipment) and Peru, South African tax economists; Roma leaders; Cambodian trafficking survivors; International NGO directors; queer Pacific Island bloggers; Indian feminist male organizers; and Argentinean academics.

Organizers called out, "For those of you who are tired, take heart and take note!" Young women under 35 made up 1/3 of the total participants.

A dizzying number of activities were testimony to the breadth and inclusivity of the movement. There were art installations, marketplaces, a celebration dinner, book launches and receptions, a diva party, speed mentoring, roadside consulting, wellness center services, play care, and prayer rooms.

There were over 120 workshops and most were simultaneously translated into Russian, Thai, Spanish, French, and English, including: Romany Women Challenging State Racism, New Communications Technologies in Rural Communities, The Politics of "Femicides" in the Americas, Balkan Women Defying Borders, Women Transforming Economy, Governing Digital Spaces, Faith and the Power of Love, African Feminists Talk Show, The Pitfalls of Diversity, Generation Next: Young Women Raising Consciousness, Indigenous Visions of Inclusive Feminism, Transgender Rights, Survivors of Sex Trafficking Speak Out, The Dilemmas of Micro-credit, African Tsunamis of Poverty, HIV/AIDS, and Conflict, and the Struggle for Free Elections in Papua, New Guinea.

Some of the panel participants had come directly from war zones. In one of the large plenaries, Iraqi leader Yanar Mohammed exclaimed, "I feel so relaxed and comfortable here with all of you, with no bombs going off, broken glass, or ground shaking." Ms. Mohammed asserted that Iraqi women are being crushed between the United States occupation and "religious" forces (whom she considers political forces) that have drafted a constitution where 1 man is equal to 4 women. Applause roared while she shouted, "We are sure the U.S. administration will not support us, but I believe that it is only through the power of civil society, organizing people, and using media that we can achieve equality and true democracy."

Although much of the forum's dialogue was laced with vestiges of feminist academic theory (words and phrases like hegemony, heteronormitivity, and Nongovernmental Industrial Complex were commonplace), grassroots women leaders managed to insert fresh perspectives.

"Here there has been an historical meeting of Arabs, Turks, and Afghans coming together for the first time," said Mahnaz Afghami, Iran's exiled Minister of Women's Affairs, an icon of the global women's movement. "These are women who have less chance to have their voices heard in this feminist, academic space. The issues they bring to the table are not exactly the same, and they use different tools. Often they are stressing that individual rights cannot be excluded from the context of family and community. They are calling for infrastructural support for men as well as women, such as flexible work hours, extended maternity leave, and childcare."

"Where is the Money for Women's Rights?

One of the most highly anticipated events was a "Funder's Forum" where AWID unveiled their landmark study, "Where is the Money for Women's Rights?" Their findings were alarming: 51% of women's rights organizations across the globe say they are receiving less funding today than 5 years ago. According to the report, "Many groups are in a position of 'survival and resistance'" due to rising fundamentalism, donor 'fatigue,' and gender mainstreaming."

In response to these findings, "FundHer: Money Watch for Women's Rights" was launched—an ambitious new initiative to increase the level of funding to women's organizations worldwide, improve access to funding globally, and affirm the legitimacy of women's rights organizations and movements. This will be achieved through dialogue and alliance-building between and among donors and women's rights organizations and networks, and will include an annual report Money Watch for Women's Rights, to report on these issues.

Over all, the message was this: Women need to think big, demand more, and find allies.

Movements of Men

A small percentage of male participants held sway in sessions where they asserted that movements of men were taking shape in their nations. In a panel entitled "Male Feminists: Allies not Adversaries for Social Change," leaders from Zimbabwe, India, and South Africa told their personal stories of empowering thousands of men to support women.

In a gentle and confident tone, Regis Mtuti Munyaradzi, from the Men's Forum on Gender, Zimbabwe, began by saying that he saw his work leading groups of men committed to ending violence against women as a matter of social justice.

"I am the father of two daughters. I can't imagine them going through their life not living to their full potential. I know that I can contribute to the betterment of conditions for not only my daughters, but women in my community."

He talked about how it is important to create a space where men feel safe and can create a new definition of manhood.

"It is difficult for men to take this step. There is a lot of pressure from the community, especially challenges to sexual orientation." He added, "I think it is an assumption that men are empowered. To me sharing power and responsibility is another source of empowerment. In our country, there is a shortage of basic foods and unemployment is 80%, and many men become dependent on their wives' small businesses. As a man, when I cannot fulfill basic expectations, I experience disempowerment. To have a space where we begin to support women as leaders is good. I think women are better placed to articulate the larger oppression of patriarchy we also feel as men."

But Munyaradzi emphasized, "We must be cautious to make sure we are not taking anything AWAY from women. At the end of the day, we must look at our work and ask ourselves, 'Are we advancing the women's agenda?' Otherwise we are not on track."

Satish Kumar of India heads up a group called "Men's Action for Stopping Violence Against Women," which is active across 40 districts of Uttar Pradesh province. Some of the stories from the province include:

• When a female student is harassed by a teacher in a university, a group of male students support her to file a police report against the teacher.
  
  
• A man regularly beat his wife at home and the rest of the village can hear her cries. Now the youth in his village have asked him to stop beating his wife or leave the village.
  
  
• A woman is burnt for dowry and it is made to look like a suicide. A delegation of men from 3 districts meet repeatedly with district administrators and make sure that the homicide is registered and the guilty are arrested.
  
  

Excitedly Kumar claimed that "men are rediscovering themselves" in his province. They are organizing workshops, debates, poster competitions, games, film shows, rallies, pledges, road shows, advocacy campaigns, networking, and information sharing. "If men are the problem, we must also be part of the solution," he said.

Kumar heartily welcomed challenges from women questioning his commitment to the cause. However, he added, "We also need recognition from women to shift the paradigm. We must equally empower everybody. We MUST empower men."

Dean Peacock from the South African Men as Partners Network told the group that he was convinced that that today's masculinity comprises a public health crisis. "Almost all health crises are caused by men's behavior—domination over women's bodies and the environment in such a way that it has a devastating impact on women and girls."

"I think that we need to contradict the notion that men have an automatic stake in patriarchy," said Peacock. "I've been assaulted twice on the streets, and I ask myself — who am I afraid of? It is other men."

For Peacock, the best way to inspire men is to show them what they will gain from equality.

A Plea for Burma

One of the most moving moments came during a panel of young women refugee leaders from Burma, many of whom were in Thailand illegally. After describing a horrifying string of abuses occurring at the hands of military troops, such as rampant rape and forced labor, the leaders wiped their tears away. In soft-spoken English they began their plea. "We're afraid that we have made your morning very difficult. We are very grateful for you to be here. But our sisters are living these difficulties every day."

They made a direct appeal to the audience members from Thailand and other neighboring Asian countries (the main economic supporters of the military dictatorship) to join hands in pressuring their nations to end financial ties.

"We are reaching out to our sisters. We need all our neighboring countries. China is selling everything from needles to missiles to the Burmese dictatorship. Thailand is exploiting our resources. We are happy to see our Thai friends here. We really need your help to put pressure on the regime. It is very difficult for us to organize in Thailand. The situation is deteriorating. We are arrested there, and we need space. The climate of this fancy hotel where all women can gather is not a reality for us."

Afterwards, there were impromptu strategy huddles with funders and partners like the Global Fund for Women. It was agreed that it did come down to influencing Burma's Asian neighbors, the financial lifeline for the dictatorship. The question was how?

The US in the Mix

One of the most popular keynotes was a US woman, Medea Benjamin of Code PINK: Women for Peace, which has a mission to end the Iraq war.

Benjamin stepped up to the mike and said, "Other women have come to the podium and said how humbled they are to be speaking before you. But I am beyond humble. I am embarrassed. I am embarrassed that we in the US have not yet been able to overthrow our government [loud clapping]. I can give you excuses—the divisions of class, race, and corporate media—but they are only excuses. The blame is on ourselves, and we must keep moving forward and be better organizers. It is humbling to see so many of you struggling under more difficult conditions and accomplishing so much."

Benjamin asked for the support of the global community in assisting those in the US struggling for change. "We are a coalition of 1,300 groups creating a movement so that our country will never again go to war on the basis of lies. Let us go the road of international law and justice! Let us take the 5 billion we spend a month in Iraq to kill, and let us invest in LIFE!!" [loud cheering]. She went on to show slides from Code PINK's many acts of civil disobedience, including getting arrested at the Republican National Convention and in front of the White House. "But a lot of times we are not arrested simply because we are wearing pink!" she laughed.

Wrap Up

The conference concluded with an exchange of the torch for a new director for AWID, Geetanjali Misra, the executive director for Creating Resources for Empowerment in Action in New Delhi, India. Geetanjali summed up the conference in one sentence:

"Change happens, when we first say 'no'! Then, when we create space for transformation and we can see the faces of women who have moved mountains with their bare hands."