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Workshops

The final phase of the HRD Programme was the drawing out by the participants of certain broad issues/problems/tendencies from the earlier inputs and an intensive exploration of these subjects in specialised small groups over three full days. Having isolated the subjects the participants then divided into groups under the subject of their choice and, after some re-distribution to ensure a balanced representation of sub-regions and sexes in all groups as far as possible, went into workshops. It is in these workshops that the participants are able not only to abstract a broader con­ceptual understanding from the mass of specific information provided in the earlier stages, but also to thrash out their own ideas on these subjects amongst themselves and arrive at common understand­ings. Furthermore, the workshops were also a preparation for the subsequent Asian Youth Assembly, the themes of which were similar.

The participants agreed on four topics:

(1)     Problem of Women arising from Sexism

(2)     Peoples' Struggles for Freedom and Self-determination (HRD'84 theme)

(3)     Self-understanding of the Role of SCM

(4)     The Role of WSCF Asia/Pacific in the Asian Youth Assembly (AYA)

The Workshop on the Self-understanding of the Role of SCMconcluded that SCMs were a "Prophetic Minority" acting within the Church, in the academic community and, in the general processes

 

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of society. SCMs perform a critical r the Church's links with oppressive a "fresh articulation of faith rooted and aspirations of the oppressed in involvement of the Church and other "the oppressed in their struggles As a student movement SCM works for community" and "promotes the interest ship in the life of the world" on build a more just and humane society"

The workshop on the HRD'84 theme "Peoples' Struggles for Free­dom and Self-determination" identified six major dimensions of oppression in the Asia/Pacific region: political, economic, cul­tural, social and, sexist oppression and oppression of ethnic mino­rities. These oppressions take place within and are result of social systems which are dominated and controlled by social elites. The social system common to most Asia/Pacific countries is under-deve­loped, neo-colonial society dependent on, and dominated by, the advanced capitalist countries. Countries such as Australia play a "sub-imperialistic" role as part of the world capitalist order. The workshop also noted that those countries with collectivist (socialistic) system were dominated and controlled by bureaucratic elites. The various modes of peoples' struggles against oppression were classified broadly as:

(1)     Conscientization

(2)     Legalistic struggles

(3)     Non-party mass agitational movement

(4)     Direct political action led by political parties, trade unions etc.

(5)     Direct poticial-military struggles to overthrow the entire oppress­ive system.

 

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Assessing the Christian response to oppression, the workshop observed that the traditional mainline churches in the Asia/Pacific region were almost entirely conservative in their societal outlook and supported the prevailing oppressive social order. However, many of these Churches responded to social problems with large social service programmes. Meanwhile, the growing fundamentalist Christian groups were identified by the workshop as actually pro­moting consumerist and individualistic attitudes amongst people thereby maintaining the ideology of the prevailing oppressive sys­tem. However, the workshop noted the growing number of "Radical Christian Groups" both within and outside the traditional Church which are "working for a basic re-structuring of society". The workshop found Asia/Pacific SCMs to be involved in most areas of oppression with the least involvement being in the area of sexist oppression. Critically evaluating SCM roles in peoples' struggles, the workshop found the major area of SCM action to be in conscientization. Some Asia/Pacific SCMs were also linked with mass agitat­ional campaigns, whilst a few SCMs, being in situations of maturing societal crises, supported direct political struggles for systemic change.

The workshop called on SCMs to ally themselves with movement of oppressed people both as an organisation and also by conscientizing its members to participate individually. It further urged SCMs to mobilize the Church institutions towards supporting peoples' struggles. The workshop emphasized the need for much greater SCM involvement against the oppression of women under sexism by study­ing the problem in the local context and working to change sexist oppression within SCMs, within the churches and in the larger so­ciety.

The workshop on the "Problems of Women" concluded that "women are doubly oppressed" by the general socio-economic exploitation of the Asia/Pacific masses as well as by patriarchic structures of our societies which have led to men having social control over women. Women are dominated and exploited by men in all areas of societal life: economic, cultural, sexual, religious and political. Declaring that "the liberation of women is an integral part of the total liberation of society", the workshop recommended that:

(a)                  The WSCF Asia/Pacific Women's Committee develop guidelines to aid national movements in establishing women's projects and women's committees;

(b)                 The men in WSCF express their solidarity with the women's stru­ggle by recognising that it is not merely a "women's problem". In particular, at Federation meetings men's caucuses should meet alongside women's caucuses and then share their thoughts and feelings regarding current sexist and alienating relation-

 

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ships and thereby help build a mutual trust and respect in relationships;

(c)                  The national movements should give priority to the participat­ion of women at all levels in their organisation and more women delegates should represent movements at international meetings;

(d)                 The next HRD Programme should focus on SCMs in solidarity with women's struggles with priority given to women's participation in the programme, including an equal number of women and men as resource persons.

(e)                  The WSCF should actively support women's struggles for equality within the Churches.

The workshop on "The WSCF role in the Asian Youth Assembly" came up with a vision of the role which Christian youth and student, organisations could play in the forward movement of Asia/Pacific i peoples, and proposed that the SCM group act as a catalyst within the Assembly giving direction to the AYA process. The HRD'84 parti­cipants were asked to link up with other SCMers also attending the AYA in their respective country delegations and thereby ensure a coordinated and effective SCM contribution to the Assembly. SCMers were also asked to build fellowship with the delegation of Church youth groups attending the Assembly and thereby help strengthen ecumenical relations. The HRD'84 plenary adopted a WSCF Asia/Pacific Statement proposed by the workshop for presentation at the Assembly. (See Appendix for Statement Text)

During the first week of the HRD'84, in keeping with customs within the Federation, the women participants went into caucus to discuss the growing consciousness of women throughout the world with regard to oppression, their due rights, the struggle against sexism. For the past several years the Women's Caucus has been a regular feature of WSCF activities. Before and during Federation meetings, women come together to share their problems under sexism, to evaluate the participation of women in the meeting processes and to coordinate their strategies for achieving the goals of Femi­nism. During HRD'84, the women's caucus prompted some of the men participants (who were in a majority) to realise that the women in caucus would necessarily be discussing the behaviour and role of men as the dominant sex. Consequently all the men participants came together spontaneously to discuss this aspect of their lives as men in a male dominated society. Since there had been no prior programming for such a development, the men met in caucus only twice. During the final week of HRD'84 there was an open plenary for a sharing between the men's and women's caucuses.

The Women's Caucus pointed out the need to "guard against the sub-categorising of women's issues under the general categories

 

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of socio-economic oppression". There was the need for liberating men from male chauvinist ideology and behaviour. The women called for "a male-female partnership in the struggle against sexism". The men reported that for the first time they seriously discussed and felt their "responsibility as the oppressing sex". This, they were confronted with, while sharing their personal experi­ences of relations with women and identifying the oppressive aspects of such relations. As one male participant express­ed, "it was a kind of confessional".