Text Box: a regional perspective Women's Journey With and Within

the SCMs and WSCF

by Yang Ting Jin

Text Box: The growing critical awareness of women in the WSCF Asia-Pacific region is a remarkable phenomenon. Women born of the fire of consciousness marked the beginning of a new wave of awakening in the global fellowship of the Federation. Specifically, the growing critical awareness of women in the WSCF Asia-Pacific region is a remarkable phenomenon. Individually and collectively, women have shaped the development of the women's programme. Their concerted voice and effort throughout a long and persevering process resulted in making women's concerns and programme a high priority in the region. Since then, the women have become an effective political force in the SCM/WSCF life.

Looking at the formation of women in Asia-Pacific over the last ten years, there is much to celebrate about and reflect on. Women have been increasingly at the centre of many regional activities and programmes. More importantly, they have seen themselves as subjects of the SCMs in the national and regional events and programmes.

To pen down my reflections on those early years of the women's movement in the WSCF has not been an easy task, for so many reasons. This paper covers a very limited scope and is particularly confined to the late 1970s which marks the development of women in the region. Nonetheless, it is important to locate the growth of women's new-born consciousness and the progress of the regional women's programme within the larger women's movement in the social-historical scenario locally, regionally and globally in and outside of WSCF.

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Text Box: a regional perspective A Glimpse at the Overall

Women's Movement

The old saying "Women hold up half the sky" emerged from the Chinese history of struggle for freedom against imperialism and feudalism. However, the Chinese women who fought as equals with men found themselves trapped socially and culturally in the web of patriarchy. Historically in Asia, women's participation was equal to that of men in the national struggle for liberation from colonial rule. But history and experience have it that national liberation was not women's liberation. It did not recognize women's rights, image, role and position in society. While waging against foreign domination and feudalism, women encountered daily the reality of patriarchy in the midst of struggle among their male partners and in society in general. It was undeniably a double oppression (even triple) which has repeated itself and taken different forms in a rapidly changing Asia and Pacific.

Text Box: Historically in Asia, women's participation was equal to that of men in the national struggle for liberation from colonial rule. But history and experience have it that national liberation was not women's liberation. It did not recognize women's rights, image, role and position in society. Christianity was imported to Asia and the Pacific through massive plunder and exploitation of land, resources and people. It came with the ideologies of capitalism, colonialism and imperialism. Hence, Christianity was not only identified with the ruling, oppressive class and race but as also sexist and patriarchal in its order of faith and worship, word and ministry, structure, mission and theology, language and interpretation of the Bible. For Christian women, therefore, the experienced reality of oppression is more than double.

It was out of these experiences that women held a vision that is more embracing and encompassing of the new humanity. Their struggle for freedom, justice and equality in Asia and the Pacific must be rooted and integrated in the total human struggle for liberation, equality, peace with justice in a new social order. For the final liberation of humankind and society will only be complete when women are liberated and men are freed from patriarchy. For Christian feminists, Jesus Christ is the New Creation, New Humanity, New Birth and New Life in the shaping of an alternative vision and social order.

In the last two decades, women began to break loose of the chains of patriarchy, its ideology and system which had socially conditioned them for so long in all realms of life, from the domestic to the socio-economic, politico-cultural, religious and educational. The oppression of women was

Text Box: women’s journey getting defined and critically analyzed in the concrete socio-economic-politico-cultural situations. Discrimination and violence against women became rampant in multiple forms. As women coming from a diverse and pluralistic situation in Asia-Pacific, their stories, visions and perspectives converged on a common framework of critical analysis of patriarchy and gender oppression based on class, race and gender perspective.

Stories of women's plight became exposed in all structures of economics, politics, culture, media, education, religion, legal system, ecology and social institutions. Issues and problems faced by women in the rural and urban areas got researched, studied, documented and brought to the public's awareness. Pockets of women's groups emerged to work and identify with the various communities struggling for change. It became clear that women, in addressing the issues of class, race and gender, have also to make an option in struggle and solidarity with women of the poorest and most oppressed conditions. Community work was renewed with the aim of organizing grassroots women for change through literacy and education on labor laws, workers' rights, land rights and women's rights.

Text Box: In the last two decades, women began to break loose of the chains of patriarchy, its ideology and system which have socially conditioned them for so long in all realms of life. Meanwhile, the United Nations Declaration of the Women's Decade in 1976-1985 issued its challenge across the globe. Although its objectives have not really been fulfilled, i.e. as far as improving or changing much of the material conditions and sufferings of millions of women, it has sent some significant degree of shockwaves across the international waters. The changing world of women all over the globe, visibly or otherwise, is indeed a revolution of the hearts and minds, physical, material and spiritual conditions of women, resulting in both individual and collective change.

The UN decade running from 1985 in Nairobi to 1995 in Beijing has mounted greater impact in advancing strategies and programme of action worldwide. Although there are strong critiques concerning the approach, style of operation and implementation, etc., it has stimulated many new women's organizations and networks, thus, providing an international platform for various feminist perspectives and cultural approaches to issues and problems encountered by women.

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Text Box: a regional perspective Women's Movement within SCM/WSCF

Text Box: The ecumenical movement, including SCMs and WSCF, is not spared from the feminist critique of being patriarchal in structure, organization and praxis.

This is hard-hitting because for more than 60-70 years, the noble history, vision, politics and structures of SCMs/WSCF stood unchallenged. A number of significant factors have contributed to laying and firming up the foundation and sowing the seeds of consciousness among the SCM/WSCF women. Two major determining factors were at play: (a) the external/secular factor and (b) the internal but ecumenical factor. The first is the general and specific uprising of women's liberation movement the world over leading to the declaration of the International Year of Women in 1975 and subsequently the Women's Decade in 1975-1985. Hence, women's movement was taking root in the soils of Asia-Pacific as part of the secular people's movement. The second is the initiative of the North American and European women in the SCMs at the global level and the 1977 WSCF General Assembly held in Sri Lanka which mandated women's concerns to be one of the priorities. This resulted in a series of women's events in the life of the Federation including a whole range of feminist analyses, perspectives, studies, research, women's stories and literature, publications, etc.

The ecumenical movement, including SCMs and WSCF, is not spared from the feminist critique of being patriarchal in structure, organization and praxis. This of course is hard-hitting because for more than 60-70 years the noble history, vision, politics and structures of SCMs/WSCF stood unchallenged. The startling reality began to unravel as women called attention to the discrimination and violence against them within the so-called wonderful global fellowship of the one-time most radical and pioneering student ecumenical movement. It must be difficult to swallow our own pill of critique which is often done to social and economic injustices in society. But now our own women are persistently pointing out the injustices of an unequal yoke between men and women in the SCM and WSCF! Our radical critique and analysis of the economy and ecology (within a socio-political context) in relation to the pious theological and ecumenical concept of "oikos" (meaning originally "house") was for the first time and since then been continuously challenged. This showed us that our concern for the "oikos" has indeed missed the basic household or family unit for a start. For while we dream and work for a home-like new society where the "oikos" of economy, politics, ecology, etc. will attain equality and peace with justice, yet we are uncritically being socialized in the kind of home and

ecumenical oikos of SCMs and WSCF where power relationships and all related issues are problematic.

Text Box: The task of the struggle is more than double –

there is the need for solidarity with women in struggle who are most oppressed based on their class, race and gender background;

there is a need to strive for change and liberation in the larger society;

and then there is a need to strive for change and liberation within SCM-WSCF and the church. Within this setting, Christian and secular women have found themselves waging a giant uphill struggle. For Christian women in the SCM/WSCF it is also more than a double oppression because they are confronted by the ideology and system of patriarchy in their home, their society, in the church and also in the SCM/WSCF. The task of the struggle is also more than double – there is the need for solidarity with women in struggle who are most oppressed based on their class, race and gender background; there is a need to strive for change and liberation in the larger society; and then there is a need to strive for change and liberation within SCM-WSCF and the church.

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SCM-WSCF Women in Asia-Pacific

The formation of the Asia-Pacific Women's Committee in 1984 and the inception of the Regional Women's Programme in 1985 sailed through a rather challenging process over a long time. A glimpse into the brief history of SCM women being awakened in the region may be dated back to the late 1970s before the institution of a women's committee and programme although the larger woman's question took roots much earlier on. This reflection however shall touch only the late 1970s and onwards as this has a direct and most immediate impact for the history of the regional women's activities and development.

The 1977 WSCF General Assembly paved a major headway for women when a mandate was passed to focus on women's issues and concerns in the immediate quadrennium. In recognizing the oppression and liberation of women as an integral part of the larger human struggle for peace with justice, the WSCF Asia-Pacific launched a Regional Women's Project in 1978. National movements were invited to participate in this by undertaking a serious study of certain areas/sectors of society where women were most oppressed and exploited. These studies were shared in the first regional workshop on "Men and Women in Asia" held in India on December 4-13, 1978.

Text Box: a regional perspective The Women's Project is like a mustard seed of consciousness for it grew slowly but surely into a high priority. In 1982, with the discovery of seed money designated for women's programme, the Women's Project gradually developed into Women's Programme. In 1984, the Regional Women's Committee was born at the Regional Committee Meeting, held incidentally in India.

As concrete manifestations of the Region's commitment to prioritizing women's concerns, two major programmes centred on women were held in 1985: the one-month regional leadership formation programme called HRD (Human Resources Development) in Malaysia and the first Regional Women's Meeting (RWM) immediately after that in Singapore. This marked the beginning of a big leap forward for among this group of women in these two events were raised two women co-secretaries general of the WSCF, two regional secretaries of the Asia-Pacific, one regional women's coordinator, one ex-co member and many national executive/staff members from 1986 onwards.

Text Box: The Women's Project, now turned Women's Programme, became a life-giving wire for a series of other significant events for strengthening and developing women for active and equal participation, leadership and partnership. The period from June 1986 to July 1993 proved to be very challenging for the SCMs and WSCF of Asia-Pacific. Women became an increasingly strong political force. The Women's Project now turned Women's Programme became a life-giving wire for a series of other significant events for strengthening and developing women for active and equal participation, leadership and partnership. But this task proved to be immense, demanding and laborious which involved a constant process of self and collective critique and evaluation.

A number of women workshops were organized. One was for training young women and female students held in India on December 28, 1987 to January 10, 1988. This was based on a leadership formation concept similar to that of HRD but carried an emphasis on women's lived experience and analysis from a women's perspective. Bible studies and faith reflection were built in to link up one's faith and the reality of women's oppression. The workshop on "Women Doing Theology" in Taiwan held in early 1991 was a training on faith reflection and re-reading the Bible from a women's perspective with a contextual approach. Worship and liturgies were also stressed as important.

In September 1989, a bi-regional women's meeting between the Middle East and Asia-Pacific women of the

Text Box: women’s journey WSCF assembled in Cairo, Egypt. The first of such kind to be organized by the WSCF Women's Commission and coordinated by the concerned regional offices, it was hailed as an enriching pool of sharing, learning and exchange. A common basis for bringing these two regions together was their rich heritage of Islam and Christianity alongside pluralistic cultures.

The Student Empowerment for Transformation, or SET, which replaced HRD in 1992 started with the theme, "A New Partnership Towards a New Humanity and Creation." The target of this one-month critical formation programme were the young SCM men and women so both could look at patriarchy and partnership critically from personal and collective levels. This again included a re-reading of social reality alongside re-reading of the Bible and the use of participatory approaches.

Text Box: The women's struggle forms an integral part of the total human struggle from all forms of oppression towards liberation and new humanity.

This calls for an updated critical analysis of women's oppression in the context of socio-economic, politico-cultural struggles in Asia-Pacific. It is a major milestone in the region for attaining the employment of a full-time Regional Women's Coordinator in January 1993. The idea which was prompted by a constant felt-need as early as 1987 was shared with the then Regional Women's Committee. The celebration of women coming of age and women at the crossroads into the 21st century in the SCM/WSCF will be a remarkable herstory beginning with the story of the first women's coordinator.

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Shaping Perspective and Vision in Context

All the plans of action and strategies done for building up women and developing women's programme over the years were guided by a two-fold holistic vision and perspective. First, the women's struggle forms an integral part of the total human struggle from all forms of oppression towards liberation and new humanity. This calls for an updated critical analysis of women's oppression in the context of socio-economic, politico-cultural struggles in Asia-Pacific. Such an analysis sharply exposes the double, even triple, oppression faced by women; addresses and links the close relationship between class, race and gender; and critiques patriarchy as an ideology of gender tainted by male-bias.

Second, and equally important as a complement to this analytical approach, is the question of relevance of our

Text Box: a regional perspective faith in God: how do we link our faith with our stories and the many stories of women in church and society? Therefore there is the need to re-read and re-interpret the Bible and to encourage and equip women for doing theology from the students' and young women's experiences and perception. And this perception has become a crucial part of the analysis and perspective.

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Women at the Crossroads;

Women Coming of Age

Text Box: How relevant is our faith in God? How do we link our faith with our stories and the many stories of women in church and society? Guided by this perspective and based on a regular critical assessment of women's participation, problems and arising needs, programme plans and strategies continue to be devised for the purpose of developing and strengthening women's participation and leadership at all levels of movement life – local, national and regional. The overall thrust is on both the quality and quantity of growth which must be implemented simultaneously.

The stress on quality is aimed at building awareness, education; leadership with an emphasis on providing in-depth study of women's issues, analysis and perspective; training for greater and active participation aiming at leadership; doing theology from the experience and viewpoint of women; solidarity with the wider women's struggles; and integrating women and women's programme concerns into national programmes of the SCMs.

The strategy for quantity is not a shallow number game but a conscious, responsible exercise of appropriating power and politics, of asserting women's rights and equal place in the life of the movement and WSCF. This is gradually taking root through many reforms in constitutional and policy matters in all the national and regional structures, decision-making bodies, in leadership formation, movement building and training programmes. Therefore, it is crucial to observe, respect and practice gender balance, equal gender representation and percentage as part of the overall struggle for change and transformation.

However, it is imperative to hold in balance the quantity-quality growth factors to ensure that these two are implemented together and with equal importance in

Text Box: women’s journey any local, national or regional leadership training. In recent years, based on several evaluations and observations, many SCMs have treated numbers as mere tokenism or window-dressing while the lack of quality training for women is a deliberate or latent political action.

At the regional level, whether during meetings or during programmes, one regular feature that has been built into the schedule is the holding of separate and joint caucuses of women and men. This has proved to be a very enabling process for both women and men participants. Initially, women's caucus was an activity outside the structured schedule of a regional programme during which time women participants had to strive hard. Later, however, these caucuses became integrated into the main structure of regional programmes. As a process of empowerment it helps bring about deeper gender awareness and education of both men and women participants. One positive result is the realization of a need for male facilitators for the men's caucuses.

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Text Box: Just as the development of the Women's Programme is historic, so too is the resistance of men in the SCMs and WSCF. In fact, the whole encounter and confrontation at each given period had been a very pain fill process which needed a lot of care, sensitivity and tactfulness. SCM-WSCF Men in Asia-Pacific:

From Resistance to Openness

Just as the development of the Women's Programme is historic, so too is the resistance of men in the SCMs and WSCF. In fact, the whole encounter and confrontation at each given period during programmes, committee meetings, or elsewhere, had been a very painful process which needed a lot of care, sensitivity and tactfulness. The women were told that women's issues and movement were western and liberal; that their liberation would come when the national struggle for liberation was achieved; that they were perceived as emotional, inferior, less capable than men in almost every field of work except the domestic chores; and that their place was naturally in the home rather than church and the larger society. This caused the women many hurts and heartaches at varying degrees which were manifested in different reactions. For their part, the men were told that they were male chauvinists; ego-centric; sexist; oppressive; more mind than heart; without much feeling; that they were perceived to have thought of themselves as superior than women and that their place and position was in the church and society. The men felt insecure, threatened, upset and hurt

Text Box: a regional perspective for very varied, and often personal, reasons. And to show validity of their arguments, both men and women hurled at each other their own viewpoints and understanding of the Bible and of theology.

Text Box: Partnership implies an "open-ended" discovery of life together with new dimensions and dynamics.

It calls for a covenant between women and men to search and find out the true and meaningful partnership in their personal lives and their collective life as SCM/WSCF. As time rolled on, signs began to show the growing awareness and openness of more enlightened men. They started suggesting a re-education of men in the SCMs and WSCF having realized that men also need to be freed from the patriarchal web of enslavement. As far as one could recall, there was only one official written report read and submitted by the men's caucus during the 1989 Regional Committee Meeting. It was a significant report on a special encounter between men and women with minimum tension and conflict. It is also significant to note that it was at this same meeting that an equal number of women and men were nominated and assigned to work on amendments of the Regional Bye-Laws. Incidentally, the draft of the entire chapter on the Regional Women's Committee was written for revision and adoption in the next two years by the Regional Women's Committee and the 1991 Regional Committee.

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Women-Men Partnership

Another forward step in the whole process is the re-thinking of the whole concept of women-men partnership in concrete terms and situations. This must be built on a firm foundation, nurtured and sustained by a common understanding and perspective. This whole idea of partnership is still more of a rhetoric than genuine lifestyle. It is in fact an idea used by many people for different reasons but far from being a genuine dialogue and a new relationship between men and women. Thus, re-education of both men and women in this area is urgent in the SCMs and WSCF.

The idea of partnership implies an "open-ended" discovery of life together with new dimensions and dynamics. Since women's problems are men's problems, women's struggle for liberation should be equally men's struggle for liberation. This of course demands a loud and affirmative response from the men through discussion and study together. This also calls for a covenant between women and men to search and find out the true and meaningful

Text Box: women’s journey partnership in their personal/individual lives and their collective life as SCM/WSCF.

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Men Also Need Liberation

Text Box: Has the women's question forgotten the poorest and most oppressed women whose struggle/or daily survival and basic needs of life have to be met?

But should the SCM/WSCF just ignore the cry of women within its family for rights and equality with justice? In the initial promotion of the Women's Project and Programme, it was thought that only women needed liberation from all forms of gender oppression and violence. Those women who struggled for their rights, for justice and freedom had only to strive for themselves and other women. The more progressive and enlightened men were only expected to assume their role and participation in terms of giving support and solidarity. But gradually more and more women began to realize that men too need their own liberation from the claws of patriarchy in order that a new humanity can emerge – where both men and women reflect the image of God that is in them.

The liberation of men is distinct from that of women. The former is perceived from the viewpoint of being the privileged class of the patriarchal ideology and system while the latter is the oppressed and discriminated group. And like women, the men have to be freed from all this beginning with the personal to the social, cultural and structural levels. Such a process is visible only among a small minority of SCM men. Only one or two SCMs have a formal/regular men's group/caucus. But the thought of men's need for liberation is neither a widespread notion nor a realization by most men themselves. The process must start with a personal conviction and the commitment to change. Only then can responsible partnership come about and a total human liberation be possible.

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Conclusion

So much needs to be done than said. The need continues for a wider and deeper critical reassessment of the SCM/WSCF women in the larger women's movement in Asia-Pacific. One critique remains quite strongly: whether the women's question has forgotten the poorest and most oppressed women whose struggle for daily survival and the basic needs of food, shelter, water, housing, clothing, health and education for themselves and their children have yet to be met. But the SCM/WSCF can no longer

Text Box: a regional perspective ignore the cry of women within its family for rights and equality with justice. And so women in today's SCMs and WSCF will continue to journey into the 21st century with their increasing participation and leadership to reach the goal of their foremothers and sisters who have gone ahead these past "100 years of WSCF's history. Women shall continue to rejoice, even with pain, at every stage of their labour as long as new life is brought forth in the spirit and image of God our life-giver, creator and sustainer. The invitation to this journey is open to all, including the men, our brothers and friends, who are ready to journey m this new partnership towards a new humanity and creation.

Ms. Yong Ting Jin is a former Regional Secretary of WSCF Asia-Pacific and is presently the organizing secretary of the Asian Women's Resource Centre, which is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.