No freedom without women's freedom
A feminist conference re-affirms the need for international feminist sisterhood
My SubStack is a bit later today, because I’ve spent all day at a feminist conference exploring the role of education in women’s liberation. I wanted to attend for two reasons: the first is because Southall Black Sisters was running a session on migrant survivors of domestic abuse who have no recourse to public funds, and second because there was a session covering Iran, Afghanistan, and girls’ education globally.
The discussions were moving, painful, and inspiring. I heard from Zehra Bahman, a feminist in Afghanistan discuss the framing of education in her country – and the impact of the Taliban ban on girls accessing secondary and further education. She shared her perspectives on some of the problematic Western framings of girls’ and women’s education, not least that it was seen as something bestowed on girls.
Anything you bestow, you can of course take away.
Behman described the horror of when the Taliban first took over in 1996 and shared something that I had no idea of: how the fleeing defeated forces kidnapped women and girls, bundling them into their cars and jeeps, and taking them away.
One of the most inspiring aspects of her talk shared stories of women in Afghanistan creating new ways to circumvent the ban on education – from online teaching, to home schooling, to setting up businesses where women could be trained in a craft or skill, but where other lessons are taking place.
Behman Zoomed in from Afghanistan, and her home looks over a school that is closed to girls. The sight of it, she said, gives her physical pain.
She was followed by Maryam Namazie, who gave a presentation on the women’s revolution in Iran. Watching the footage of the brave girls sticking up the middle finger to portraits of the Ayotallah, burning their hijabs, and dancing and singing was so moving and inspiring. These brave acts of resistance have led to 100s of girls and women – as well as male allies – being arrested and tortured. Namazie shared stories of women defying the regime being taken away and raped. Many protesters have been killed and four male protesters have been executed.
Namazie’s talk was a reminder of the importance of international sisterhood. Iran can feel far away, and the news cycle has moved on from the autumn outrage. But as feminists, she urged, we have a duty to support the women’s revolution in Iran. The women and girls there are fighting the patriarchal structures that systematically enforce female subordination and oppression. We are fighting those same structures here – and if we care about our freedoms and rights, we have to care about the freedoms and rights of all women and girls.
The chant of the women’s revolution is ‘women, life, freedom’. This is because, Namazie said, there can be no freedom and no life, when women are not free.
The second and final session I attended was run by Southall Black Sisters, the awe-inspiring feminist organisation set up to support black and minority ethnic women who are victims/survivors of men’s violence, including honour-based abuse.
Dr Hannanna Siddique discussed the experiences of women who have endured honour-based violence, and the ways in which women’s bodies and behaviours are policed in order to preserve the honour of the group or community. One really interesting are of discussion explored the role of women in enforcing honour, but how that has to be understood in the context of patriarchy and power dynamics.
She then moved on to the experiences of migrant women victim/survivors of domestic abuse who have no recourse to public funds – meaning their migration status excludes them from state support such as benefits, housing, or secondary healthcare. This is an issue I am passionate about, having reported on it on numerous occasions. The NRPF rule traps women in abusive homes, or leaves them destitute when they try to leave. Despite many attempts to change the law, including with an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill, the Conservatives continue to treat migrant women victims as a different class to British citizens.
One of the women in the room stood up to share her story of being a victim with no recourse to public funds. She endured years of control and abuse, before she eventually fled with her children, with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. Because her ex husband controlled everything, she didn’t even have her own bank card, and he kept hold of her passport. Scared and unsure what to do next, she spent the day on the streets.
If she was a British national, or had recourse to public funds, some of the limited means of support would have been open to her. But because of her migration status, there was nothing to help her. Agencies she called for help told her ‘sorry but you are NRPF’.
Thankfully, Southall Black Sisters were able to help. It runs a pilot that provides a weekly sum to women who have fled abuse and have NRPF. It’s not much, though, and life is a struggle.
It was impossible not be moved and enraged by her story in equal measure. But as I was listening, I kept getting distracted by this banging noise. What that banging was became clear as I left: there was a noisy protest outside the conference, and the protesters had crowded around the windows and walls, banging pots and pans and shouting. On the other side of the wall was this young woman, sharing her story of abuse – violence from her ex husband, and violence from the state.
It made me angry, to be honest. Why would these men, and by the sounds of the shouts and chants it was mostly men, want to silence this woman? Migrant women are among the most silenced and marginalised women in society. Migrant women who are victims and survivors of domestic abuse even more so.
Violent men and a violent patriarchal state have aggressively tried to silence women like the one sharing her story today. As a journalist reporting on these issues, I know how hard it is to get the voices of migrant survivors of domestic abuse heard. Male abusers, the abusive state structures – everyone wants these women to shut up and go away. Everyone wants to silence their voices.
It really troubles me that these protesters felt the same. That they chose to try and drown out the voices of victims and survivors on the other side of the wall.
Obligatory book plug
I got a message yesterday from a friend saying his printed proof copy of the book had arrived in the post. The blank terror that other people are now going to read the book is just about balanced out by my pride that I wrote a whole book!
You can pre-order it now.
What I’ve been writing
Speaking of international feminist solidarity, I wrote this week about an amazing achievement by a determined Bolivian woman named Brisa de Angulo, who last month took her 20-year fight for justice to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and WON. The court affirmed that Bolivia had violated her human rights after she was repeatedly raped by an older male relative.
You can read it here.
I was really proud of this article I wrote about the destruction of schools in Ukraine by Russian forces, and what it means for children.
I also wrote about the cost of living crisis, and policing and trust.
There has been media scrutiny of women in prisons the last few weeks, due to the row about whether a double rapist could or should be housed in a Scottish women's prison. But the issues of women’s safety in the prison system goes beyond trans rights – the scale of self harm, lack of maternal care, and poor cell conditions are devastating. I wrote two pieces about the issue this week, one on self-harm and one on an inspector’s report that found a cell in Eastwood Park had scratch marks on the walls.
Last but not least I wrote about Proud Boys, and women on the far right. Put her on a pedestal and make her go down on it, to coin the phrase.
What I loved
A new feature that I have added to my SubStack, dedicated to a piece of investigative journalism that deserves praise. This week my choice is the urgent investigation by The Times’ Paul Morgan-Bentley into how British Gas debt collectors were breaking into people’s homes to install prepayment meters. It’s already having a huge impact. The details are devastating. These cruel and aggressive practices need to stop.
What I’m reading
1989 by Val McDermid, which was great of course. So many themes woven into this novel, from media corruption to the fall of communism, the AIDs crisis, and the legacy of the Holocaust.
Victory City by Salman Rushdie, which I am reading for an event, so you will have to wait until the event for my verdict!
Taking Sides by Sherine Tadros – again, this is for an event.
I also started Red Famine by Anne Appelbaum but I haven’t got very far into it.
What I’m watching
I went to see Drive Your Plow at the Bristol Old Vic which was great! The lighting was particularly impressive.
That’s it! Remember: WOMEN, LIFE, FREEDOM!
Until women are free.
And, until next week!