Fundamentalist Ideologies and Practices: threats to women

1. Fundamentalist Ideologies and Practices: threats to women by Carolyn I. Sobritchea, Ph.D.

2. Study Objectives • to describe the different global and local expressions of fundamentalisms and other forms of intolerance; • to identify the threats, particularly to Filipino women, of fundamentalist ideologies and practices; • to identify appropriate strategies for challenging fundamentalisms.

3. Definition of Fundamentalism • the use of religious tenets and/or cultural beliefs and practices to maintain or achieve political power (Sarda, Alejandra, WIA, 2005); • implies strict and often literal adherence to a totalizing and hegemonic set of principles, often in complete disregard of individual and/or group differences, capacities and needs;

4. some expressions have strong nativistic and/or revivalistic ideological elements.

5. Signs of Fundamentalisms Common elements found in various faith-based and cultural expressions: • manifest themselves in control over women’s sexuality, bodies, family relationships, physical movement, dress codes and participation in public life;

6. religious fundamentalist forces try to influence public policy -- despite the Constitution separating church and state -- to adopt their own beliefs and norms, in complete disregard of the sentiments and views of other religious and cultural groups.

7. Expressions of Fundamentalisms • restrictions on appearance of women in public places; • imposition of dress code justified to promote nationalism or cultural pride; • promulgation of family laws that often put women at a disadvantaged position;

8. restriction on women’s reproductive health choices and access to information; • re-valorization of cultural practices, e.g., female genital mutilation, stoning of women for “immodest” conduct, and domestic violence.

9. Local Threats to Women • resistance to the passage of laws and ordinances that will provide -- especially poor women -- full access to reproductive health information and services;

10. passage of bills sanctioning and/or restricting educators, media practitioners, medical and health service providers from performing and providing adequate reproductive health and sexuality information;

11. violation by some public officials of policy and international human rights covenants by restricting access of people to family planning and related services and using as justification the idea that all modern forms of contraception are “abortifacients” and promote promiscuity.

12. Local Threats to Women • public officials denied of communion by the Church for espousing views on reproductive rights; • closure of reproductive health clinics operated by non-government organizations;

13. women had their IUD removed without their consent; denied treatment for complications arising from an abortion procedure (based on anecdotal reports); • dissemination of wrong and/or incomplete information on the efficacy of modern contraceptives; definition of “viable life,” and others.

14. Current Gender, Economic and Political Issues that Fundamentalist Rhetoric Ignore • 61% of currently married women do not want additional children (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey);

15. desired fertility rate of Filipino women is 2.5 children; yet actual fertility rate is 3.5 children due to lack of information and absence of adequate family planning services (2003 National Demographic and Health Survey);

16. proportion of unwanted births increased from 18 percent in 1998 to 20 percent in 2003(2003 NDHS Survey); • poor women with least education have 2-3 times more children than economically better-off and higher educated women;

17. poor women have the least access to reproductive health information and services; • the Philippines continues to be one of Asian countries with high rate of maternal mortality;

18. 97% of all Filipinos believe in the importance of having the ability to control one’s fertility or to plan one’s family; note: 82% of total respondents are Roman Catholic (Pulse Asia Survey, Feb 2004);

19. studies show that “reproductive health education leads to responsible behavior, higher levels of abstinence, later initiation of sexuality, higher use of contraception and fewer sexual partners” (UNFPA,2003).

20. Ways of Challenging Fundamentalisms • uphold constitutional provision on separation of church and state; • insist on scientific evidence-based policy and program development and review;

21. make the state accountable in ensuring the protection, promotion and respect for the fundamental human rights of all citizens.