# Chiang Mai Declaration

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The Chiang Mai Declaration:
Religion and Women: An Agenda for Change
Preamble
We, the participants in this conference on women and religion, recognize that contemporary realities have tragic consequences for women’s lives. Without a commitment to women’s human rights and to the resolution of these tragedies, religions are failing the world. Their own relevance is at stake as they become more and more isolated from the values and needs of their members.
It is urgent that religions address these realities. Religions must be consonant with the cultural evolution in which we are all immersed. Religions must no longer tolerate violence against women. Women are alienated from religions that do. We are committed to working towards change, and we call on others, women and men, to join in this task.
We live in a time of rapid change that provides both challenges and opportunities. This change has profound effects on all our lives.
Our globalized world is ravaged by armed conflict, increasing economic disparity, the feminization of poverty, massive displacement of peoples, violence against women, the pandemic of HIV and AIDS, enduring racism, and extremism—all of which generate a climate of deep fear and widespread insecurity. Globalized capitalism has reduced everything to a commodity and everyone to a consumer and commodity. Nowhere is this more evident than in the lives of women:
– Women’s and children’s bodies are commodified, especially in sexual trafficking.
– Increasingly, HIV and AIDS have a woman’s face.
– Women and children disproportionately populate the camps of refugees and displaced persons.
– Women make up the greater proportion of exploited laborers.
– Pressures of the globalized economy have led to even greater violence against women and children.
Globalization, however, also bears the promise and possibilities of advancing women’s human rights and well-being:
– More women in more places can be gainfully and justly employed.
– Information technology can enable women throughout the world to share strategies, successes, and hope.
Religions at their best celebrate the dignity of each human being and of all life as valuable parts of a sacred whole. They inspire and empower us to compassion and justice.
Religions, however, have not always been at their best. They have collaborated with dehumanizing values of cultural, economic and political powers. Thus they have contributed to the suffering of women:
– They have made women invisible by denying them religious education and excluding them from decision-making .
– They have been silent when patriarchal systems have legitimated the violence, abuse, and exploitation of women by men.
– This silence has been deafening in the face of such atrocities as rape, incest, female genital mutilation, sex-selective abortion, and discrimination against sexual minorities.
– They have not recognized the conscience and moral agency of women, especially in relation to their sexuality and reproductive decisions.
But religions can and must do better. They must reclaim their core values of justice, dignity, and compassion and apply these values to women. We reached consensus that:
A. Within the religions, women’s religious literacy should be recognized and fostered. Women are:
– _Students: _Just as education of women is today understood to be critical in transforming the world, so providing women with religious education is critical in transforming religion. Women seek religious education at both basic and advanced levels. They should be welcomed.
– _Scholars: _In spite of obstacles, women have developed as religious scholars. That scholarship is an essential resource for the overall development of our understanding of religion. It should be promoted.
– _Teachers: _Male religious leaders and students have much to gain from exposure to women teachers of religion. Unless we work to change men, the ability of religions to progress in sensitivity to women is impossible.
– _Leaders: _Women should be full participants in the life and institutional leadership of their religious communities. Women are prepared to be decision-makers, and their gifts should be recognized and used to the fullest extent.
B. Within the world:
– Religions should apply their message of peace in order to oppose the daily reality of violence in family and society. There is a contradiction between the message of peace inherent in all religions and the absence of advocacy for peace in the home and society.
– Women are subjects, not objects, in their own lives. The right to choose any role, including motherhood, should be supported socially, economically, and politically.
– Religions should apply the message of social justice to women. The world’s religions play a leadership role in seeking social justice, in the environment, against racism, and for the poor. But religions have been largely silent in response to critical issues of women’s human rights, in the family and in the work place.
– This is nowhere more evident than in the area of women’s sexuality and reproductive health. Given the moral concern about abortion and the range of stances toward it, the view of any particular religious tradition should not be imposed on the consciences of others. Decriminalization of abortion is a minimal response to this reality and a reasonable means of protecting the life and health of women at risk.
Our experience of coming together as women leaders and religious leaders has convinced us that the religious traditions and the aspirations of women are not in opposition. We are not enemies. On the contrary, we share the same commitment to human dignity, social justice, and human rights _for all._
We therefore commit ourselves and call on other women and other religious leaders to reach out to each other to enhance mutual understanding, support, and cooperation. This can be done on the regional level to expand the consensus achieved here and at the national level to define concrete, joint activities toward advancing women’s human rights and well-being.
We came together as women and men to explore how the positive powers of religion could be engaged to advance the well-being of women. Indeed, we believe thatwhen women and religious traditions collaborate, a powerful force for advancing women’s human rights and leadership will be created.
_This statement was unanimously endorsed by all the participants on March 3, 2004._
Rev. Rose Teteki Abbey, _Presbyterian, Ghana_
Pastor
Presbyterian Church of Ghana
Dr. Denise Ackermann, _Anglican, South Africa_
Extraordinary Professor
University of Stellenbosch
Dr. Hizkias Assefa, _Ethiopia_
Peace Council Trustee, and Professor, Conflict Studies
Eastern Mennonite University
Coordinator
Africa Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Resources
Dr. Philomena Mwaura, _Catholic, Kenya_
Professor of Religion
Kenyatta University
Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians
Mufuliat Fijabi, _Muslim, Nigeria_
Senior Programme Officer
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
Aminata Toure, _Muslim, Senegal_
Technical Advisor on Gender
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Zainah Anwar, _Muslim, Malaysia_
Executive Director
Sisters in Islam
Dr. Chung Hyun Kyung, _Protestant, South Korea_
Peace Councilor and Professor of Ecumenics and World Christianity
Union Theological Seminary (New York)
Ven. Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, _Buddhist, Thailand_
Peace Councilor and Buddhist Nun
Songdhammakalyani Temple
Samdech Preah Maha Ghosananda, _Buddhist, Cambodia_
Peace Councilor and Supreme Patriarch of Cambodian Buddhism and
Co-founder of Inter-Religious Mission for Peace in Cambodia
Shamima Hasan, _Muslim, Bangladesh_
Program Manager
Gender and Women’s Empowerment, East, South East Asia and Oceania
Region International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
Irfan Ahmad Khan, _Muslim, India_
Peace Council Trustee and Founder
World Muslim Council for Interfaith Relations
Ouyporn Khuankaew, _Buddhist, Thailand_
Co-Founder and Director
International Women's Partnership for Peace and Justice
Dr. Wilasinee Phiphitkul, _Buddhist, Thailand_
Assistant Professor of Journalism
Chulalongkorn University
Dr. Suwanna Satha-Anand, _Thailand_
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Chulalongkorn University
Dr. Vandana Shiva, _India_
Director
Research Foundation for Science, Technology and National Resource Policy
Lydia Alpízar, _Catholic, Costa Rica_
Peace Council Trustee and Program Coordinator of Feminist
Organizational Development
Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID), México City
Alta Hooker, _Morava, Nicaragua_
Rector
Universidad de las Regiones Autonomas de la Costa Caribe Nicaragüense
(URACCAN)
Fr. Alberto Múnera, SJ, _Catholic, Colombia_
Rector
Colegio San Bartolomé
Jacqueline Pitanguy, _Brazil_
Executive Director
CEPIA and the Civil Society Forum of the Americas
Silvina Ramos, _Buddhist, Argentina_
Executive Director
Center for the Study of State and Society
Teresa Valdés, _Christian, Chile_
Gender Area Coordinator
Latin American Social Sciences Faculty (FLACSO)
Fr. Gonzalo Bernabé Ituarte Verduzco, OP, _Catholic, Mexico_
Peace Council Trustee and Head
Dominican Mission to Ocosingo (Chiapas)
Dr. Saleha S. Mahmood-Abedin, _Muslim, Saudi Arabia_
Peace Councilor and Director of Academic Advancement
& International Relations
Dar Al-Hekman College (Jeddah)
Leah Shakdiel, _Jewish, Israel_
Teacher
Be’er – Religious Women’s House of Study (Yeruham)
Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman, _Jewish, Israel_
Peace Councilor and Rabbi
Reform Jewish Congregation Kehilat Kol Haneshama (Jerusalem)
Rev. Marcus Braybrooke, _Anglican, United Kingdom_
Peace Councilor and President
World Congress of Faiths
Roshan Dhunjibhoy, _Buddhist, Germany_
Executive Secretary
Women and Religion (Thailand)
Elfriede Harth, _Catholic, France_
European Representative
Catholics for a Free Choice Co-Coordinator,
International Movement We Are Church
Ulla Margrethe Sandbaek, _Denmark_
Member of Parliament
The European Parliament
Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, _Catholic, United States_
Peace Councilor and Executive Director
Benetvision
Dr. Joseph W. Elder, _Quaker, United States_
Peace Council Trustee and Professor of Sociology
Languages and Cultures of Asia, University of Wisconsin
Dr. Christine Gudorf, _Catholic, United States_
Professor of Comparative Religions
Miami International University
Rev. Debra W. Haffner, _Unitarian Universalist, United States_
Director
Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing
Jim Kenney, _Catholic, United States_
Peace Council Trustee and Executive Director
Interreligious Engagement Project
Dr. Sallie B. King, _Quaker, United States_
Peace Council Trustee and Professor and
Head of the Department of Philosophy and Religion
James Madison University
Frances Kissling, _Catholic, United States_
President
Catholics for a Free Choice
Dr. Paul Knitter, _Catholic, United States_
Peace Council Trustee and Professor Emeritus of Theology
Xavier University, Cincinnati
Sr. Marcelline Koch, OP, _Catholic, United States_
Peace Council Advisor and Dominican Sister of Springfield, Illinois
Rev. Stephen Minnema, _Presbyterian, United States_
Peace Council Advisor and Pastor
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Madison, Wisconsin
John Udelhofen, _United States_
CPA, Chief Financial Officer
Prefinished Millwork Corporation
José Barzelatto
Vice-President
The Center for Health and Social Policy
F. Peter Brinkman
Associate Director and Peace Council Trustee
International Committee for the Peace Council
Elizabeth Dawson
Director of Program Development
The Center for Health and Social Policy
Daniel Gómez-Ibáñez
Executive Director, Peace Council Trustee,
and Secretary of the Board of Trustees
International Committee for the Peace Council
Stephen L. Isaacs
President
The Center for Health and Social Policy
Sr. Mary Ellen Lewis
Assistant Director
International Committee for the Peace Council
Axel Mundigo
Director of International Programs
The Center for Health and Social Policy
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