A Global Conference:
“Women and the 21 Century - Feminist Alternatives”
16-18 December 2010
The Supreme Council of Culture,
1 El Gabalaia Street, Opera House, El Gezira,
Cairo
Several national and international organisations, networks and initiatives co-organise a Global Conference in Cairo. The Conference takes one of the steps that are urgently needed towards global peace and justice. It will elaborate a feminist critique on the present development and will provide space for exchange of feminist analyses and feminist grassroots work together with other democratic movements and analyses across the world.
Goals of the Conference
- Elaborate on the link between feminism and its proposals for peace, justice with secularism, as a global precondition for democracy and development, that contributes to fostering peace at the local and global level;
- Provide a space for exchange of views, experiences and knowledge among feminists, peace activists, researchers, practitioners, progressive women and men from the civil society and the political sphere globally;
- Promote feminist alternatives to the present increasing influence of religious fundamentalisms and conservative thoughts of patriarchal hegemonies;
- Open broader channels for solidarity communicating, networking, strengthening of the egalitarian community globally.
Welcome!
DRAFT PROGRAM
09.00 – 09.30 Registration
Day 1: Thursday, Dec 16th 2010
FEMINIST CRITIQUE ON POWER AND DEMOCRACY
09.30 – 10.00 Opening and Welcome:
Why this Conference? Goals, process and welcoming.
Aza Kamel, Egypt
Gjuner Nebiu, Macedonia
Lilian Halls French, Europe
10.00 – 13.00 Session 1
Power, patriarchy and citizenship: Between belonging and lack of citizenship
Chair: Boriana Jönsson
10.00 – 10.30 Opening Keynote speech by Nawal El Saadawi
Today we live in a world, dominated by a privileged minority, using patriarchal, military, neo-liberal, neo–colonial and religion based systems to oppress the disadvantaged majority in private and public spheres.
10.30 – 11.15 Panel 1: Women and Power: Politics, Culture and Tradition and the space for women: public/private. Quotas: Democracy debate. Citizenship without women
Speakers:
Miriam Cooke, USA
Brinda Mehta, India
Drude Dalerup, Sweden
11.15 – 11.45 Coffee Break
11.45 – 12.30 Open Debate
12.30 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 – 18.00 Session 2
Civil society and women´s rights: culture, tradition and cultural relativism
Chair: Leila Al Ali
14.00 – 14.30 Keynote speech: Obioma N Naemeka, Chancellor´s Professor, President of Association of African Women´s Scholars
The influence of religious institutions, movements and organisations against the fundamental rights and increasing intrusion in the civil sphere. Culture, Traditions and Honour.
14.30 – 15.15 Panel 1 Legislation, personal status laws, civil laws. One law for all.
Marieme Lucas, WLUML
Sawsan Zakzak, Syria
Azar Majedi, Iran/England
Asma Khader, Jordan
15.15 – 16.00 Open Debate
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee break
16.30 – 17.15 Panel 2 Women have more and more limited access to the public space and their rights over their body and sexuality is violated every day. At the same time trafficking and global pornography is increasing in the public sphere.
Panellists:
Gulser Kayir, Turkey
Dalal Al-Rubaye, Iraq
Rihab Kassatly Bagnole, USA
17.15 – 18.00 Open debate
18.30 – 20.00 An evening with Dr Mads Gilbert with “Eyes in Gaza”
Day 2: Friday, Dec 17th 2010
Starts at 13.45
CHALLENGING THE GLOBAL PATRIARCHAL SYSTEMS OF DOMINATION
13.45 – 14.00 Re-cap of day 1 and through program of day 2
14.00 – 18.00 Session 1
Patriarchy and the global fundamentalisms
Chair: Kerstin Greback
14.00 – 14.30 Keynote speech: Johan Galtung, Professor of Peace Studies, Dr hc mult
The links patriarchy-capitalism-militarism and the levers to be pushed to switch that to a more human society
14.30 – 15.15 Panel1 Military attacks, invasions and occupations and their consequences for democracy, security and women’s rights: transnational feminism in the context of women and war
Panelists
Evelyne Accad, USA/Lebanon
Islah Jad, Palestine
Madelene Reese, WILPF
15.15 – 16.00 Open Debate
16.00 – 16.45 Panel 2: Continuum of Violence against women in peace and war. Security/Insecurity; Military Violence and limiting of freedom of women
Panelists
Asha Elkarib,Sudan
Sevdije Ahmeti, Kosovo
Leyla Hamarneh, Jordan
16.45 – 17.30 Open Debate
17.30 – 18.00 Coffee break
18.00 – 20.00 Session 2
Feminist perspective on the economic and security contexts of crises:
Free market, social protection and women´s rights
Chair: Afaf Marei
18.00 – 18.30 Keynote speech: Monica Lanfranco, Journalist and Writer
Patriarchy and Feminism in the Context of Capitalist Crisis
18.30 – 19.15 Panel 1 Neo liberalism, social disarmament and migration. Contexts of war and occupation.
Speakers:
Gordana Lukac- Koritnik, Croatia
Sundus Abbas, Iraq
Nina Sankari, Poland
AFTD Tunisia
19.15 – 20.00 Open Debate
22.00 - 24.00 Dinner, poetry, dance and music on the Phaoronic Boat on the Nile
Day 3: Saturday, Dec 18th 2010
A GLOBAL-LOCAL SOLIDARITY AND FEMINIST MOVEMENTS: ESSENTIAL
PRECONDITION FOR REAL DEMOCRACY, JUST PEACE AND FULL EQUALITY
AMONG PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF GENDER, CLASS, RELIGION OR OTHER
CHARACTERISTICS
09.30 – 09.45 Re-cap of day 2 and through program of day 3
09.45 – 13.30 Session 1
Crossing borders, building a WORLD of solidarity, peace and equality;
A World Free from all patriarchal systems of domination
09.45 – 10.15 Chair: Azza Kamel
Keynote speech: Houzan Mahmoud, Writer and Political Activist, Representative Abroad of Organisation of Women´s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)
The urge for real solidarity and internationalism between movements fighting for freedom, equality and an egalitarian alternative is growing more than ever to oppose Neo Liberalism and religious right globally
10.15 – 11.00 Panel:
Caroline Brac de la Perrière, France
Joumana Mehri, Lebanon
Maria Hagberg, Sweden
11.00 – 11.45 Open debate
11.45 – 12.15 Coffee Break
12.15 – 13.15 CONCLUDING SESSION
Feminist Voices of the World: Tribute to Nawal El Saadawi