[WA-News] Intersections =?UNKNOWN?Q?=96?= Covering Gender @ the WCAR NGO Forum, Durban 2001

[jradloff at iafrica.com]

Intersections – Covering Gender @ the WCAR NGO Forum, Durban 2001
Issue 2 – Part 2
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Items in Issue 2 – Part 2

1. Gay group banned from WCAR written by Mark Brooks
2. Racism in the home written by Nothile Mcayana
3. SANGOCO President Mercia Andrews addresses WCAR NGO Forum African Regional 
Meeting written by Miriam Menkiti 
4. Women on FIRE!

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Gay group banned from WCAR
By Mark Brooks

Although the World Conference Against Racism does not begin in earnest until 
next week, the summit has already generated its fare share of controversy. In 
addition to the as yet undetermined question of U.S. participation and the 
debate over whether Zionism should or should not be on the agenda, another 
issue has been smouldering. 

The Belgium-based International Gay and Lesbian Association had applied to the 
UN for observer status at the world gathering. However, earlier this month, 
participating UN countries held a vote banning the organization from attending.

Led by Malaysia, a bloc of predominantly Muslim countries stood firm against 
the gay and lesbian umbrella organization, which had won support from most 
Western countries. Delegates voted 43-43, with 27 abstentions. Under conference 
rules, a tie throws out the application. South Africa, who declined to cast a 
vote, could have tipped the balance in the ILGA’s favour.

Muslim countries are among the most vocal at the UN in opposing groups fighting 
for homosexual rights. In some of these nations, homosexuality is illegal, 
sometimes punishable by death. The victory demonstrated the bloc's strength as 
many of its members push to have Israel denounced in the final declaration of 
the conference.
Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, has expressed alarm that the conference 
had "opened up deep fissures on a number of sensitive issues. We need a 
declaration that ... inspires all peoples."

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Racism in the home By Nothile Mcayana

It is clear on the faces of confererence participants that they want the very 
curable disease of racism to be beaten.

Some women participants at the WCAR spoke of how they have experienced racism 
in their homes and in the outside world. A Ugandan woman talked of her 
experience of racism in her home.

"I've been married to my white husband for six years, but my in laws don't want 
to accept the fact that we love each other till death do us apart. They have 
been treating me like I'm  not a member of the family (an intruder) because I 
am black" Angela Kigdo Anderson said.

Kigdo Anderson said her in-laws have called her names that are hard to repeat. 
She says she cannot leave her husband because her children need both her and 
her husband, and she does not want her children to grow up in a single parent 
family.

She concluded by advising all women never to allow anyone to look down on 
them. " Sisters out there, stand up for what you believe in".

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SANGOCO President Mercia Andrews Addresses WCAR NGO Forum African Regional 
Meeting By Miriam Menkiti

As the  WCAR NGO Forum continues with meetings, workshops and  roundtable 
discussions, SANGOCO President Ms. Mercia Andrews
addressed the Africa Regional caucus meeting yesterday.[Tuesday] Ms Andrews 
expressed happiness that the Africa caucus gets together to discuss issues 
which they need to tackle. She said though many Africans were participating in 
the NGO Forum, many more needed to have attended   since it was taking place in 
Africa. According to her, Africans 
should ensure that the questions of colonialism, reparations and slavery 
do not fall out of the  agenda of the conference. She advised them to be
committed to the caucus and organize themselves to be active in the 
WCAR conference so as to make relevant contributions.

Ms Andrews emphasized the need for NGOs from Africa to study the  Draft 
declaration. Find out what they want and make their position known at the 
forum. Africans ,she said must make their issues loud.

**Miriam Menkiti is a Nigerian journalist and chairperson Nigeria Association 
Of Women Journalists [NAWOJ] Enugu State Chapter.
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Women on FIRE!
The Feminist International Radio Endeavour is holding a  FIRE-PLACE and will 
broadcast live daily from the Women’sNet Internet Café from 18h00 till 20h30 . 
The broadcasts can be heard on the Internet during the NGO Forum and the 
Official Conference and will also post regular news updates on their web site 
featuring women's perspectives and participation. Tune in from the FIRE web 
site at: www://fire.or.cr

[End Issue 2 Part 2]


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