November 2012 Dear friends, The World Student Christian Federation Asia Pacific Regional Womens Committee is pleased

to share with you the resource material for 2012 sixteenth days campaign to end violence against women. The global theme for this years campaign as shared by The Center for Womens Global Leadership (CWGL) is From peace in the home to peace in the world: Lets challenge militarism and end violence against women!. The SCM women who gathered for Sub regional womens program and womens pre-meeting in Bangalore, India on 22-25 October 2012 have heard the voices and struggle of Irom Sharmila who is seeking justice and peace due to the Armed Forced Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, India. Along with many other voices and struggles who are seeking, engaging and restoring justice and peace around the world. Therefore, we would like to invite you all to observe this 16 days campaign to remember and reflect on what we, as student and young people can do to hold our governments accountable and challenge the structures that allow gender based violence in our communities. In early November weve heard once again the lamentation from Gaza, a place where the worst form of military conduct has taken place and as of now 40 Palestinians have been reportedly killed, most of whom are women and children, and about 800 targets in Gaza strip have been destructed. As we call to denounce all forms of war and militarism, let us remember the 1.6 million people in Gaza who are in fear, panic and severe trauma due to Israels military destructive control, also remember the people in Israel in our prayers to seek God's intervention to resolve this conflict in a non violence way. The observance date will begin on 25th November marked as an International Day of Eliminating Violence Against Women and ends on 10th December 2012 commemorated as International Human Right Day. May this sixteenth days of observance be an open space to all to remember and striving for ending violence against women. Also, to be a moment for being co-travelers and accompaniers in solidarity with those who challenge militarism empire. Please find our suggested actions in this resource and you may also explore it through the link at : http://wscfap16dayscampaign.weebly.com/index.html. You are encouraged to use or adapt this resource based on your local context and we would also be happy to receive your sharing either photographs, reflections, articles or any feedback of your observances. Thank you for considering this call and actively joining this 16 days campaign to end violence against women ! In hope and solidarity, Regional Womens Committee of World Student Christian Federation Asia Pacific

World Student Christian Federation Asia Pacific

Supports 2012 Sixteenth Days Campaign on Ending Violence Against Women

Let Life, Justice and Peace be there ! End the roads of Militarism Empire !
Introduction From November 25th to December 10th will be marked as the sixteenth days activism to end Gender-based violence all over the world. 25 November was declared the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women as a result of United Nations resolution in 1999. The context of this very date was the assassination of three Mirabal sisters from Dominican Republic who were constant critics of the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. This date is commemorated as the anniversary of the day of the murder of Mirabal sisters who gave birth to a strong public movement against dictatorship in her country. 10th December is commemorated as the International Day of Human Right. This sixteenth days activism is chosen to emphasize that Violence against Women is a violation of human right. The global theme for 2012 sixteenth days campaign is From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Lets challenge militarism and end Violence Against Women. Militarization has been a phenomenon everywhere and it remains a key source of violence for women. Militarism as an ideology has created a culture of fear and it supports the use of violence, aggression in settling disputes as well as enforcing economic and political interest. Militarism has impacted deeply to all of our communities, to the lives of women, children and men culturally, psychologically, institutionally and material. Life has been denied, neglected and devalued in the practice of militarism.

Our Struggles !
In 21st-25th October 2012, around twenty women from SCMs in Asia Pacific region had gathered in Bangalore, India to share stories, experiences and reflections. Some voices heard there called us to remember the lives of women and her communities which are seeking Peace and Justice amidst the militarism impact.

Let us remember and be in solidarity with all women and her communities who are seeking justice and peace such as: Irom Sharmila and her communities who struggling to repeal AFSPA in Manipur, India ! Timorese Women and her families who struggling for justice due to the illegal occupation by Indonesian military from 1975 to 1999! Comfort Women who struggling for justice due to sexual violence under the Japanese military imperial control in Asia.

Our Actions, Get Involved !

You are all welcomed to join and plan these actions: 1. 2. 3. Candle light vigil on Sunday, 25th November 2012 (or another one day available to your own context) to pray for ending Violence against women and Militarism Empire! A Postcard letter campaign to be in solidarity with Irom Sharmila. You can print the postcard and send to Irom Sharmila and/or through SCM India and WSCF AP. Writing a reflection, poem, prayer reflecting on the message Let Life, Justice and Peace be there: End the roads of Militarism! You are welcomed to share your own reflection with WSCF publications or social media ! Here they are: Website : www.wscfglobal.org , www.wscfap.org ; Facebook fan : http://www.facebook.com/World Student Christian Federation Asia Pacific,
http:// www.facebook.com/World Student Christian Federation

4. 5.

Newsletter: PRAXIS, your own SCM publication, etc Organize a worship or prayer service to commemorate the day of ending violence against women and challenge militarism. Creating accompanying, reflective and prayerful communities or spaces for sharing and telling stories about women who struggling to end violence and challenge militarism empire.

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A Hand print signature Campaign of WSCF AP for solidarity with Irom Sharmila

12 years of Fasting, the plea unheard, the struggle uncovered: Justice at Cross-roads
SCMIs Call for Solidarity in support of Ms. Irom Sharmila

On an All Souls Day in the year 2000, after witnessing the brutal killings of the 40 common people in her town by the Armed forces, a 28 year old young woman Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila, could not remain silent to the brutality of violence and began a political fast unto justice against the Indian State, demanding to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), an act which allows the security forces to shoot on and at sight, arresting anyone without a warrant. 3826 days from then, that courageous iron woman, whom she calls herself as simple woman vis--vis social activist, did not give up her fast till today, fighting a lonely battle against the state hoping that human rights shall be affirmed in her land and the dignity of life to all people will be respected. As Ms. Irom Sharmila enters silently (for the media is absolutely silent, the civil society is silent for they have other fasting to cheer up, and the government is silent for they have a deaf ear to her pleas) into her 12th year of fasting today on the 2nd November 2011, it is high time that we as student communities and responsible citizens of our country to rededicate to express our solidarity with Ms. Sharmila and join her in demanding to repeal this inhuman AFPSA. This draconian law has taken the lives of several common and innocent people over the years, and has become a threat to the very fabric of democracy in India and to the commitment for human rights has been at stake. The Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI) has been committed to be in solidarity with Ms. Irom Sharmila, for in the past we have organised several documentaries on the struggle of Sharmila, led a signature campaign in support of her collecting signatures from several students, joined in partnership with other community based organisations in support of Sharmila and have been partaking in bringing in awareness about the struggle of Sharmila to student friends. On this 11th anniversary of Ms. Irom Sharmilas fast unto justice, we the SCMI call on all our friends to extend our whole hearted support to her and demand along with her to repeal the AFPSA immediately. We also are shocked at the no coverage attitudes by the media to her struggle for justice, and call on the media to continuously bring into light the repercussions of this draconian AFPSA law to express their unstinted commitment to human rights. We call on our student friends to write to the government in repealing this law. An SMS campaign has been on in this direction, and we seek your support and solidarity in this effort. Coincidentally today happens to be the All Souls Day and several friends remember the life of their dear ones at their tombs and graves, but the challenge for us is to remember and accompany the lonely soul Ms. Irom Sharmila, who is fighting on behalf of several innocent people who are sent to their graves unjustly, for her fight is a fight for the

cause of life and justice, fighting against the forces of state and powers. Ms. Irom Sharmila we pledge to be with you till justice is achieved and dignity of life is affirmed.
When life comes to its end You, please transport My lifeless body Place it on the soil of Father Koubru To reduce my dead body To cinders amidst the flames Chopping it with axe and spade Fills my mind with revulsion The outer cover is sure to dry out Let it rot under the ground Let it be of some use to future generations Let it transform into ore in the mine Ill spread the fragrance of peace From Kanglei, my birthplace In the ages to come It will spread all over the world. Irom Sharmila

Rev. Raj Bharath Patta, General Secretary, SCMI 2nd November 2011

A Post Card letter Campaign for Solidarity with Irom Sharmila

In Solidarity with Irom Sharmilas Struggle to seek Justice and Peace! From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Lets Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women! WSCF Asia Pacific supports 2012 Sixteenth Days Campaign to End Violence Against Women

Dear Irom Sharmila,

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

[ your name and country/SCM/community ]

Let Life, Justice and Peace be there ! End the roads of Militarism Empire !
[Acknowledgement: Center for Womens Global Leadership (CWGL) for the Global theme of 16 Days activism against Gender Violence]

A Resource for Prayer & Worship for Justice and Peace

[To commemorate those who suffered and survived under militarism empire, and those who are being co-sufferer and accompanying the struggle to against violence and militarism!] Call to gather : Let us gather to remember Gods accompanying work within the struggles of those who suffered and survived from violence and militarism. Let us come together to experience Gods presence in and around us, and to touch and be healed by Gods healing and transforming power. Let us open our minds and heart to welcome and be welcomed by God, our Giver of Life, our Healer, our Accompanier and our Transformer. Song : The Kindom of God [ from Taize Hymn ] The Kindom of God is Justice and Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit Come, God, and open in us the gate of Your Kindom. Opening Prayer Almighty God of the universe, You have divided our time into day and night. Our lives are likewise divided between good and evil. Your creations are covered with wounds, pains and sufferings. When evil is excessive and prevailing, they become destructive to us humans and to your beautiful creations. We ask Your loving mercy O God, to heal the lesion of those who are victims of injustice, rejected, abandoned, oppressed, persecuted, distressed by war and those wounded by the greed of the merciless. Jesus our Peace, may Your Love build new ties of unity among the people of our country and throughout the world, so that Your forgiveness may heal our deep wounds, may Your joy touch our lives with profound consciousness of the one God we search for and the one people we wish to become in Your reign. Holy Spirit of God, we are hunger and thirst for righteousness. May we are enabled to live out and acknowledge the truth so that Justice and Righteousness may roll down like river and ever flowing stream.

Confession [ spend some moments of repentance in silence] All : God of Justice and Peace, make us aware of our indifference for lamentations of justice and peace; forgive us for being in fear of the hegemonic militaristic ideology instead of affirming the Divine truth of Justice. Grant us true repentance, enable us to be transformed in our mind set and actions towards new humanity touched by the healing power of Jesus Christ. Amen. Song : God in Your Grace [authored by Shirley Erena Murray from New Zealand; composed by Per Harling, Sweden] Love is Your way, love is your nature, Blessing each creature, lighting each day: Grace is your sign, gift of forgiveness, Chalice that changes water to wine. Reff: God in Your grace, God in Your mercy, Turn us to You to transform the world 2x Pathways we choose, undeserved freedom, Earth as our kingdom, still we abuse; Much we have done, gross human error, Misuse of power, darkens the sun. Reff: . Terror and tears, wounds without healing, Hearts without feeling, mirror our fears: Life without trust, greed and high prices, Conflict and crisis, grind us to dust. Reff: Let us stand still, look at each other, Sister and brother thwarting your will: Teach us good care, grace to seek pardon, Reclaim your garden, riches to share. Reff: Scripture Readings: Mark 5: 25-35
25 26

Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28for she said, If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well. 29Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, Who touched my clothes? 31And his disciples said to him,

You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, Who touched me? 32He looked all round to see who had done it. 33But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease. Biblical Reflection [after reading Mark 5:25-35, you may reflect in group or as individual and/or think of these questions. You can also formulate more questions, : 1. This reading shows us to see how greatly this woman wanted to be healed from a twelve severe bleeding that was not easily cured at that time. The woman had been treated by many doctors but instead of getting better, she was getting worse. Only when she acted to touch Jesus clothes then her disease was cured and she knew that she had been liberated. But the moment Jesus asked, Who touched my clothes? she came back to the cruel reality. She realized that she would be judged under the law, and that she would be brought before the people and publicly punished. This realization was what made her tremble with fear. She seems to be put in a vulnerable situation by Jesus question, Who touched me?. Why would Jesus asked so sternly that question while we believe that Jesus knew everything and therefore he also knew who would have touched Him ? We need to ask why Jesus kept asking the question so determinedly. 2. Telling or confessing the whole truth (verse 34) as what had been done by this woman in this story shows the significance of unmasking the truth even though sometimes in revealing the truth may risk your life, makes you tremble and in fear or making you vulnerable. There is a saying that Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. How many woman ensure public awareness of their struggles and their victories in the realm of justice ? Think of some of them and share in your group or community. Reflective Stories [See the link at: http://wscfap16dayscampaign.weebly.com/resources.html. Here are two life stories of Ms. Irom Sharmila (from India) and Mrs. Herminia de Deus (from Timor Leste) who struggling within the context of militarism and war; These are stories of courageous women in human history who are making Justice not only to be done, but have struggled to show that Justice must be seen to be done. Please take some time to read those stories, and identify the transforming power that could bring healing from wound caused by militarism to herself, her community and her society or nation. ] Affirmation of Faith We believe in God the Creator, who accompany and suffers along with the people struggling for justice, who is enlightening people to unmask the truth, risking their life to become vulnerable, in fear and trembling to make the truth prevail.

We believe in Jesus Christ, questioning who are the ones who have sought the power of healing in me, who empower people to reveal the truth, and granted peace for all works done for justice. We believe in the Holy Spirit, passionate wind of power for change, giver of gifts for the struggle, and flame of fire to light and warm the way for the bearers of the truth. Prayers of the People God of Life and Justice, we thank you for the courage and good spirit of all women and men working for the healing of their families, community and nation from any pain and wound caused by militarism illness and other violent, oppressive systems and policies. We pray for all those who are still in the struggle to seek and restore justice and peace, and those young women and men who are willing to journey and accompany the struggles towards life giving communities, grant us all your healing and transforming power, so that we all may go in peace and experience life in abundance. Amen. Closing Song : Sent by the Lord (source: Cuban oral tradition, translated by Jorge Maldonado, 1991) Sent by the Lord are we, our hands are ready now To make the earth a place, in which the Kindom comes The angels cannot change, a world of hurt and pain Into a world of love, of justice and of peace The task is for us too, to set it truly free God help us to obey, help us to do Your will. Gods Prayer in our mother tongue Benediction (unison) May the Peace of God that surpasses all understanding abide with us in our hearts and minds. May the healing power of Jesus Christ enables us to heal and transform ourselves, our people and nation from any wound and pain caused by militarism and other violent and oppressive systems. May the Holy Spirit God who flow across the nations and cultures empower us to be agents of transformation. AMEN. ------------------------------------Note: this liturgy is compiled and inspired from different liturgical resources. Reference: Asia Pacific Resource Network, Women Resisting Crisis and War, Quezon City, Philippines, 2012. SCM India, Time for Creation Sustainable energy for All, India, 2012. Asia-Pacific Students & Youth Week, Blessed are the Peacemakers Booklet, Easy Net 2003. Womens concern Unit of Christian Conference of Asia, Reading the Bible as Asian Women, Singapore, 1987.

More Resources Global Facts on Gender-based violence

( taken from Gender based violence fact sheet of Center for Womens Global Leadership/CWGL 2012)
The World Health Organization estimates that at least one of every three women globally will be beaten, raped, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. In most cases, the abuser is a member of her own family. Violence kills and disables as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer. And its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined. Survivors of sexual assault are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide. About 3% of American menor 1 in 33have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. Approximately 2.78 million men in the United States have been victims of sexual assault or rape. An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). It is estimated that close to 90% of current war casualties are civilians, the majority of whom are women and children, compared to a century ago when 90% of those who lost their lives were military personnel.

Violence Perpetrated by State Actors

In countries where armed conflict is rife, there have been reports of rape being used as a tool of war. Amnesty International reported that between 1999 and 2000 in every armed conflict that they investigated, the torture of women was reported.7 In some cases, women have been intentionally infected with HIV, with the aim of causing a slow death. Physicians for Human Rights surveyed 603 households in Burma/Myanmars Chin state in 2009 and confirmed 17 cases of rape over a one-year periodall committed by Tatmadaw forces. One-third of the victims were under the age of 15. During the Egyptian uprising in 2011, it was widely reported that female protestors were physically and verbally abuse by armed troops, and subjected to forced virginity tests. Military spending in 2011 is estimated to have been $1,738 billion. Approximately $711billion was spent by the United States alone. More than 250 cases of rape in several camps were reported in the first 150 days after the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Domestic Violence and the Role of Small Arms

Research shows that having a small arm in the home increases the overall risk of someone being murdered by 41%; for women in particular the risk was nearly tripled. The most common act of violence against women is being slappedan experience reported by 9% of women in Japan and 52% in provincial Peru. Rates of sexual abuse also varies greatly around the worldwith partner rape being reported by 6% of women from Serbia and Montenegro, 46% of women from provincial Bangladesh, and 59% of women in Ethiopia. A 2005 study reported that 7% of partnered Canadian women experienced violence at the hands of a spouse between 1999 and 2004. Of these battered women, nearly one-quarter (23%) reported being beaten, choked, or threatened with a knife or gun. In Colombia, women are victims of 95% of all cases of spousal violence. Half of the women who suffer from aggression fall into the age range of 15 to 24 years. Domestic and sexual violence in the United Kingdom costs the country 5.7 billion per year, including costs to the criminal justice system, health care costs, housing and the loss to the economy. In the United States, the health care cost of intimate partner rape, physical assault and stalking totals $5.8 billion each year, nearly $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health care services. Lost productivity from paid work and household chores and lifetime earnings lost by homicide victims total nearly $1.8 billion.

Sexual Violence during and after Conflict

Reports on rape during conflict detail profound brutality towards women and girls, including serious beatings, mutilation or removal of the genitals, rape with sharp objects, and gunshots to the genitals. Others have witnessed the death of friends and family members from similar forms of brutality.19 Due to systematic and exceptionally violent gang rapes, doctors in the Democratic Republic of Congo now classify vaginal destruction as a war crime. Thousands of Congolese girls and women suffer from vaginal fistulatissue tears in the vagina, bladder and rectumafter surviving brutal rapes in which guns, branches and broken bottles were used to violate them. 20 In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is believed that around 200,000 women and girls have been raped since 1998.21 Estimates of the total number of women subjected to sexual violence during the war in BosniaHerzegovina during the 1990s vary from 14,000 to 50,000.22