...it is important not to use religion, as belief, as actors, or as institutions, in the business of politics. We need to remember that colonialism b… - Azza Karam

Arab women have made it clear they are perfectly capable of activism and of articulating their own needs and aspirations. If and when these women need the assistance of “people in the West,” they will let that be known in no uncertain terms. After listening, the “people in the West” can then decide whether and how best to respond. And it would be wise to do so in consultation with the same women who made the request.

Service is a call beyond our professional commitment. I believe that service is the quintessential raison d’être of religion and that we are faithful when we serve. We are people of faith and therefore we serve one another without discriminating.

Gender is very often intimately connected to sexuality – who we believe we are, how we feel and see and use our bodies. For this reason, almost all faith traditions have an opinion on the matter. The more institutionalised the religion, the more dominant the framework of gender, sex and patriarchy.