South East Asia: Islam, Politics and Women: What Identities? Whose Interests?

The regional meeting was mooted in response to several interacting political and patriarchal trends. The threat to hegemonic global unilateralism have provided excuses for the re-introduction of security policies and the strengthening of oppressive national laws. Simultaneously, there has also been a rise of extremist religious forces that feed upon local patriarchies and a demonization of Islam as an enemy of democracy and of women. This meeting was an attempt to understand the forces at work and discuss these issues, in particular the impact on the lives of women.