Women & Fundamentalism

SESSION OF TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2002

Women and Fundamentalism

Karamanou (PSE), Rapporteur of the opinion on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Human Rights. Mr. President, as the rapporteur of the opinion on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties and Human Rights, I would like to warmly congratulate our rapporteur for her excellent report and her courage in presenting some harsh truths.

Recently, we witnessed the collapse of the Taliban regime, which highlighted the tragic situation of women in Afghanistan. We have also seen the drama of Safiya Hussaini, who was sentenced to death by stoning by an Islamic court in Nigeria for giving birth to a child out of wedlock. A similar sentence was imposed in Sudan. All these incidents demonstrate that this report is indeed at the heart of current events. However, these cases have also dramatically brought back to the forefront the issue of the violation of fundamental freedoms and women’s rights by fundamentalist and undemocratic regimes.

What happened in Afghanistan with the rise of the Taliban is a striking example. Overnight, women lost their most basic human rights. Like all undemocratic regimes, the Taliban established their power on the subjugation of women and a return to supposed roots. In these regimes, women’s sexual behavior, lifestyle, and reproductive functions, even their clothing, are usually controlled by religious leaders, under the guise of sacred rules and cultural traditions. The implementation of inhumane, violent, and humiliating punishments, such as whipping and stoning, is commonplace.
We must also consider that approximately 5,000 women are murdered each year by male family members for reasons of “honor,” and the perpetrators often go unpunished. Furthermore, 130 million women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation, with 2 million more facing these practices each year.

However, I would like to emphasize at this point that fundamentalism does not only thrive in developing countries, but also in Europe. I believe there is a serious problem with Poland. I have in my hands a complaint signed by 100 personalities, which denounces the Catholic Church for unacceptable interventions and attempts to control women’s reproductive functions.