Bahá’í World/Volume 31/Bahá’í International Community Activities

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[Page 129]

Bahá’í International Community

ACTIVITIES

The Bahá’í International Community (BIC) represents, at the United Nations and at international gatherings, the more than five million Bahá’ís living in some 237 countries and dependent territories around the world. Its 182 national and regional administrative bodies are engaged in a wide range of activities aimed at creating a just and peaceful society. In recent years, Bahá’í International Community activities at the local, national, and international levels have centered on four major themes—human rights, the advancement of women, global prosperity, and moral development.

The Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office and its Office of Public Information play complementary roles in this work. The United Nations Office offers Bahá’í perspectives on global issues, supports UN programs, and assists its national affiliates to work with governments and other organizations in their own countries to shape policies and programs that will foster peace and prosperity. The Office of Public Information coordinates and stimulates the public information efforts of national Bahá’í communities, disseminates information about the Bahá’í Faith around the world, oversees production of the award-winning newsletter One Country, and maintains the official Web sites of the Bahá’í International Community. [Page 130]

United Nations

The BIC has United Nations Offices in New York and Geneva and maintains representations to United Nations (UN) regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, and Santiago, and to UN offices in Nairobi, Rome, and Vienna. A feature of this year’s activities has been the growing role of national Bahá’í communities and regional representatives in the external affairs work, both in their own countries and in the global arena. They have received training and encouragement from the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office to expand their cooperation with their own governments and with the United Nations in their countries and regions.

Bani Dugal, Director of the BIC’s Office for the Advancement of Women, was this year named the Bahá’í International Community’s Principal Representative to the United Nations.

ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN

The Office for the Advancement of Women was fully involved in the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children, which was convened in New York in May 2002 to assess progress towards goals set at the 1990 World Summit for Children. The Special Session, originally scheduled for 19–21 September 2001, was postponed for eight months because of security considerations after the events of 11 September. During the three-day Special Session, the Bahá’í offices served as the venue for 16 workshops, panel discussions, and

Since the founding of the United Nations in 1945, the Bahá’í International Community has consistently supported the principles set forth in the UN Charter and has helped to achieve the UN’s social and educational objectives. Formally affiliated with the UN since 1947, the Bahá’í International Community was granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1970 as an international nongovernmental organization (NGO). Consultative status with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was accorded in 1976, and then with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in 1989. That same year, the BIC established a working relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). Its Office of the Environment, established in 1989, and its Office for the Advancement of Women, established in 1992, function as adjuncts of the United Nations Office. [Page 131]caucus meetings. The BIC circulated A Bahá’í Vision for Children, a compilation of its past statements on children addressing such topics as the rights of children, the importance of educating girls, the need to protect children from sexual abuse, and the role of youth in protecting human rights. Bahá’ís were also represented on a panel entitled "Religions for Children: Challenges and Best Practices," sponsored by the Committee of Religious NGOS.

As chair of the NGO Committee on UNICEF, the BIC helped organize a number of activities at the Special Session, among them an interactive workshop entitled "Girls as Their Own Advocates," sponsored jointly by the NGO Committees on UNICEF and Women. Among the 15 young people who addressed the audience of over 200 at the workshop was Anjali Mody, a Bahá’í youth delegate from India. While acknowledging India for its progressive constitution, Anjali drew attention to the widespread traditional discrimination that leaves a majority of girls in India uneducated and malnourished. She cited as a hopeful example the work of the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in central India, which offers a program of empowerment—including literacy, income-generating skills, and character development—for young women living in an area where only four percent of women and girls are literate. At a follow-up senior-level NGO consultation sponsored by UNICEF in July, Bani Dugal explored the topic "Maintaining a Political Momentum for the Children's Agenda."

National Bahá’í communities have continued to establish Offices for the Advancement of Women to assist in promoting the full participation of women both in the life of the Bahá’í community and in the world at large. At last count 69 National Spiritual Assemblies had established such offices, committees, and task forces to carry out this work. The Bahá’í International Community supports these offices with materials, advice, and guidance. It also draws on those who have gained experience at the national level to help represent the BIC at such UN events as the Special Session on Children and

2 The Barli Institute, which is now an independent NGO, had its beginnings in 1983 as a project for the advancement of women undertaken by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of India. A profile of the institute can be found in The Bahá’í World 2000-2001, pp. 219-27. [Page 132]the Commission on the Status of Women. At the October 2002 Global Peace Initiative of Women Religious and Spiritual Leaders in Geneva, an outcome of the 2000 Millennium World Peace Summit, a member of the Swiss Bahá’í community, Silvia Fröhlich, represented the Bahá’í International Community and presented the community's statement.³

The Bahá’í communities of Canada, Hawaii, the United Kingdom, and the United States were represented on the BIC delegation at this year's 47th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Convened in March 2003, the Commission focused on two themes: ending violence against women, and ensuring that women have access to media and information and communication technologies (ICT) and that these technologies are used to empower women. With the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the BIC cosponsored a panel on "Ending Violence Against Women." Approximately 89 people, including 16 from government missions and delegations, attended the panel featuring UN and government experts, an expert on gender-based persecution from the Tahirih Justice Center in Washington, DC, and a Bahá’í expert, Dr. Michael Penn, coauthor of a recent book, Overcoming Violence against Women and Girls. Dr. Penn was also invited to address a monthly meeting of the UN Values Caucus on the value of recognizing one's own worth.

National NGOs made valuable contributions to the Commission. With other UK NGOS, the Association of Bahá’í Women of the UK cosponsored a panel entitled "You Can't Beat a Woman: High and Low-Tech Ways to Prevent Violence against Women." This panel focused on grassroots efforts to empower and protect survivors of domestic violence in Europe, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, including efforts undertaken by faith groups.

The BIC's concern about the impact of HIV/AIDS, especially on women and children, was reflected in a variety of activities this year. At the Commission on the Status of Women, Bahá’ís were represented on a panel on "Women, Religion, and HIV/AIDS," organized by the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP). At the August 2002 exceptional session of the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

3 For the text of this statement, see pp. 241-42. [Page 133](CEDAW), the BIC cohosted a luncheon panel on "HIV/AIDS and the Human Rights of Women: Health, Law and UN Priorities" with two other human rights NGOs. And, as it has in years past, the BIC hosted a celebration of Human Rights Day on the theme "No One is Alone" with African Action on AIDS, an NGO that supports schools for AIDS orphans in Africa.

REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PARTICIPATION IN UN ACTIVITIES

For the first time, Bahá’í representatives to four regional UN offices and commissions were invited to New York City in September 2002 for formal training in UN diplomatic work. The training was timed to coincide with the 55th annual UN Department of Public Information (DPI) Conference "Rebuilding Societies Emerging from Conflict: A Shared Responsibility" so that the regional representatives could take advantage of the meeting at the UN.

The training has stimulated activity in the regions and created a closer connection between the regional representatives and the BIC United Nations Office. At the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Bahá’í activity has increased, with involvement in planning and executing World Peace Day and International Women's Day celebrations and participation in the regional UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) organized by UNICEF. At two separate UNGEI regional partnership meetings the Bahá’í representative was invited to make presentations on "Bahá’í Consultation" and the "Bahá’í-inspired Montessori School in Lucknow, India." He also moderated a session on "Freedom of Religion and Belief" for the Asian Civil Society Forum 2002.

HUMAN RIGHTS

The Bahá’í International Community's long-standing dedication to human rights is firmly grounded in the conviction that human rights are indispensable to the creation of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world order. Throughout the year, the Geneva Office, in particular, participates in UN and NGO activities focused largely on human rights and religious freedom. Twice this year, BIC statements focused attention on the rights of minorities. At the 54th session of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human [Page 134]Rights in July and August 2002, the BIC Submitted a statement offering support for the Sub-Committee's Working Group on Minorities. In May 2002, at the eighth session of that working group, the BIC statement raised questions about the practice followed by some governments of "recognizing" certain minorities in order to disenfranchise others. The Bahá’í International Community has also continued its efforts to secure relief from persecution for the Bahá’ís in Iran and in Egypt, where several Bahá’ís remain imprisoned for their beliefs.5

The Bahá’í International Community is active in the defense of its own community and protecting the rights of Bahá’ís throughout the world to practice their faith, working through the United Nations' human rights machinery and meeting personally with diplomats on behalf of Bahá’ís experiencing difficulties in their countries. The role of National Spiritual Assemblies, which liaise with their governments on behalf of the Bahá’ís in Iran, is particularly important now that some governments are considering dialogue with Iran as a way to encourage that country to improve its human rights record. At annual training seminars organized by the BIC United Nations Office, representatives of National Spiritual Assemblies come together for consultations aimed at coordinating their efforts to defend the Faith and for workshops designed to sharpen their diplomatic skills. The seventh such training session was held in Acuto, Italy, in September 2002. A similar training session for National Spiritual Assemblies in Latin America and the Caribbean was held for the first time in Orlando, Florida, in October 2002.

MEETINGS

The Bahá’í International Community held offices on six NGO consultative bodies, cochairing the NGO Committee on UNICEF in New York and the Subgroup on Education, Literacy, and Mass Media for the NGO Group for the Rights of the Child in Geneva; and serving as Vice-Chair of the NGO Committees on the Status of Women and

4 For the text of this statement, see pp. 243-45. 5 For information about the situation of the Bahá’í communities in Iran and Egypt, see the article on pp. 139-44 and the statements on pp. 247-53 and PP. 255-56. [Page 135]Freedom of Religion or Belief in New York, and Racism in Geneva. BIC also cochaired, for the NGO Committee on the Status of Women, the Planning Group for NGO Consultation Day at the Commission on the Status of Women. In New York the BIC cohosted with the NGO Committee on UNIFEM two receptions honoring CEDAW Committee members and a workshop entitled "Update on CEDAW: Looking Ahead." At the August session of CEDAW, the BIC hosted with another NGO a panel luncheon on "HIV/AIDS and the Human Rights of Women: Health, Law, and UN Priorities."

Other meetings and UN sessions monitored by the Bahá’í International Community this year included the 57th session of the UN General Assembly (GA); the 2nd UN GA Ad Hoc Committee for the Negotiation of a Convention against Corruption; the 10th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development; the 41st session of the Commission for Social Development; the Substantive Session of ECOSOC; the 55th session of the Economic and Social Council for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP); the Committees on the Rights of the Child, Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights, and the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; the 27th and 28th sessions of the UN Committee on CEDAW; and meetings of the Human Rights Committee, the UNICEF/WHO Joint Committee on Health Policy, the UNICEF Executive Board, the 90th session of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the 53rd session of the Executive Committee of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' Program.

Public Information

Based at the Bahá’í World Centre in Haifa, Israel, with an Office in Paris, the Bahá’í International Community's Office of Public Information oversees and organizes public information work throughout the worldwide Bahá’í community and liaises with a network of National Public Information Officers (NPIO) who carry out the external affairs and public information work of National Spiritual Assemblies. The Office of the Bahá’í International Community's Special Representative in London plays a vital role in organizing diplomatic and other social functions that serve the interests of the Faith at the international level. [Page 136]The Haifa Office also receives dignitaries and other important visitors to the Bahá’í World Centre. From 21 April 2002 to 21 April 2003, the Office arranged more than 253 visits of nearly 2500 dignitaries, leaders of thought, and prominent people from 62 countries. Visitors from Israel included judges, representatives of the Haifa Police Department, members of the Knesset and representatives of other government ministries, including the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Office also hosted film crews, journalists, and photographers from local and national TV channels.

The Office received 16 Ambassadors from 14 countries, and government ministers and officials from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Paraguay, the Philippines, the Republic of the Congo, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia.

In addition to these visits, the Office also manages a Guided Tours Operations Office that oversees a reservation system for public tours of the terraced gardens. Weekly, an average of nearly 3,000 people take the guided group tours. In total, more than 1.4 million people have visited the gardens since their public opening in June 2001.

The Paris Office contributes to the work of the BIC by assisting in public information efforts in Europe and the francophone world and through continued involvement with the EU, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), and Eastern Europe's Stability Pact (formerly the Royaumont Process). OPI-Paris supports the Stability Pact through its continuing involvement with the project "Promoting Positive Messages in the Media." This year, activities included follow-up of the project in Romanian Schools in Bucharest and in Cluj-Napoca, Giurgiu, and Braila. The Office also participated in follow-up projects in Bosnia

6 For more on the BIC's involvement in this initiative, see The Bahá’í World 1998-99, pp. 145-50. [Page 137]and Herzegovina, including a seminar on "Positive Messages through Theatrical Expressions in Schools," organized by the Pedagogical Institute of Tuzla.

The Office's ongoing efforts to support national Bahá’í communities in their public information efforts included planning the 10th annual European Public Information Management Seminar, in Budapest, Hungary, in June 2003. The Office also carried out regional seminars in several countries, including the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Morocco, and Tunisia, and continued in the production of its European Public Information Bulletin, which published its 106th issue in April 2003.

As part of its partnership with UNESCO for the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence against the Children of the World, the Paris Office continued assisting European National Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í-inspired associations with their registration as partners. All 37 European national communities are now registered, as are 9 local communities and 26 European Bahá’í-inspired organizations.

The Office of Public Information's publications, both print and Web-based, are intended to provide information about the news and activities of the Bahá’í International Community. The official Web site of the Bahá’í International Community, located at http://www.bahai.org/, is the flagship site of the Bahá’í presence on the Web and receives an average of 50,000 visitors monthly. The site contains excerpts from the Bahá’í writings, information about the history and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith, and perspectives of the community on issues facing mankind. Links to Web sites for 76 national Bahá’í communities are also available on the site.

The Bahá’í World News Service continued its third year of publication via its Web site at http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/, also receiving more than 50,000 visits per month.

One Country, the official newsletter of the Bahá’í International Community, entered its 14th year of publication. Published quarterly in English, French, German, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian, it reaches some 53,000 readers in some 180 countries while maintaining a presence on the World Wide Web at http://www.onecountry.org/.

During the year, many of One Country's stories focused on sustainable development, with an emphasis on innovative approaches to [Page 138]protecting and preserving the environment. The October-December 2002 issue carried a profile of Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby and his ground-breaking efforts to protect coral reefs in Fiji, along with a report on the efforts of the Barli Development Institute for Rural Women to encourage the use of solar cookers among indigenous women in India. The previous issue, July-September 2002, focused on the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and Bahá’í efforts to emphasize the ethical and spiritual dimensions of sustainable development there. Other stories during the year focused on grassroots education projects, such as efforts by the Bahá’í community of Puka Puka, Bolivia, and the Ngabe-Bugle community in Panama to establish better local educational opportunities. Editorials discussed Bahá’í approaches to global concerns such as terrorism, the intersection of religion and development, and "materialism" as the "modern malady."

One Country won four awards during 2002-03. In April 2002, the Religion Communicators Council gave One Country an Award of Excellence for the story "In London, a ground-breaking exploration into the science of morality," which appeared in the January-March 2002 issue. The council also gave One Country a Certificate of Merit for "In Bolivia, a distinctive training program in moral leadership shines brightly" about Nur University, which appeared in the same issue. In July, Communications Concepts awarded One Country two Apex Awards for Publication Excellence. The edition as a whole won in the category of printed newsletters, and the cover story for the July-September 2002 issue, "In Johannesburg, a shift in emphasis on sustainable development," won in the news writing category.