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One Country Volume 5 Issue 4 - Jan-Mar, 1994

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ONE

January—March 1994

COUNTRY

Vol. 5, Issue 4- Newsletter of the Baha’i International Community

Looking to Copenhagen: the World-Summit 0n ' SOcial Development is finding its theme- L

In Malta, NGOs launch

the International Year of

the Family, stressing the

zimpfot‘tance of the basic ' unit forsociety.

_ In SMtzerland, Baha’is discuss the fi'Jture of ' wagriculture and its links _ With Other disciplines.

Rewew Unitmg the Peoples ‘ , '_ and'Natz‘om ~As an idea,

' Swerld'federali‘sm spans _ many cultures.

Helping “street kids” in Brazil find a new life

In the Amazon, the Center for Social Welfare provides education, moral training, support to parents and love for the region’s dispossessed

MANAUS, Brazil — Wearing ruby—red lipstick and a fight—fitting skirt and blouse, 13year—old Theresa cam'es herself with a worldliness that seems out of place among the other third graders at the Masrour Vocational School.

When Theresa first came to Masrour, which is located in the poor and densely populated Manaus suburb of Silo J osé, she told teachers that her dream was to be the owner of a house of prostitution. As a child of the streets in this fast—growing metropolis of some 2 million people in the heart of the Amazon River basin, it was perhaps the highest aspiration she could then envision for herself.

After spending a year at Masrour, however, where she not only gets a primary school education but also receives vocational training, moral guid- ance, and meals, Theresa’s vision for her future has changed considerably.

Now when she matures, Theresa said recently, she wants to be a teacher.

“The teachers here, they are just like parents to me,” said Theresa, which is not her real name. “They teach me the things that my parents don’t, like respecting people and how to have good behavior.”

It is an answer that speaks volumes about Masrour, which is operated as part of a larger project aimed primarily at helping down—and—out street children become healthy, conscientious and productive members of society. (Continued on page 4)

Daily classes in vocational education are offered to street children at the Center for Social WeII-Being. Staff member Manuel Paulo Mendes, 25, shown holding the plaque, is a specialist in agricultural education.

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is published quarterly by the Office of Public Information of the Baha’i International Community, an international nongovernmental organization which encompasses and represents the worldwide membership of the Baha'i Faith.

For more information on the stories in this newsletter, or any aspect of the Baha’i International Community and its work, please contact:

ONE COUNTRY

Office of Public Information Baha’i International Community — Suite 120 866 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 USA.

E—mail: lcountry@bic.org

Editor: Brad Pokorny

Associate Editors:

Nancy Ackerman (Moscow) Christine Samandari—Hakim (Paris)

Kong Siew Huat (Macau) GuiIda Walker (London)

Contributing Editor: Arman Danesh

Production Assistant: Veronica Shoffstali

Subscription Inquiries should be directed to the above address. All material is copyrighted by the Baha’i International Community and subject to all applicable international copyright laws. Stories from this newsletter may be republishedby any organization provided that they are attributed as follows: “Reprinted from ONE COUNTRY, the newsletter of the Baha'i International Community."

© 1994‘ by The Baha'i International Community

ISSN 1018-9300

Printed on recycled paper ®

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

Balancing Family Values

When families are strong, much is right with the world. In the loving matn'x of the family, we can develop our full potential as individu- als. Family life is the source of some of our happiest and most satisfying feelings.

When families are weak or frag- mented, however, almost nothing goes well. The most stressful problems of our lives often stem from family troubles.

The importance of the family is recog- nized in the United Nations’ call to observe 1994 as the “International Year of the Fam- i1y.”As proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, the Year takes for its theme: “Family: resources and re- sponsibilities in a changing world.”

Implicit in the Year’s theme is the recognition that families in our modern age are in a time of transition. In every c u ltu r e , families are disintegrating, fragmenting under pressure of economic and political upheavals and weakening in the face of moral and spiritual confusion.

Yet families remain the most basic unit of society, and without a recreation and revitalization of this most fundamental insti- tution, civilization as a whole stands in peril.

The teachings of the Baha’i Faith, which is today the second most widespread independent world religion, offer a distinc- tive remedy to many of the forces that are pulling families apart today.

The essential message of the Baha’i Faith is unity, and Baha’is around the world have found that it is possible to use this guiding principle in a way that com- bines traditional values with progressive social principles so as to provide a bul- wark against the forces of disintegration in our modern age.

Family unity begins with marriage, a divine creation. According to Baha’i law, a man and woman are free to make their own choice of mates; however, they must then obtain permission from their parents for marriage. Although parental consent may seem overly traditional to some in the West, Baha’is find that this requirement helps greatly to preserve the unity of the

Perspective

extended family — while at the same time reaffirming the importance of the bond be- tween parent and child, a lesson that is then passed on to the next generation.

The Baha'i marriage vows are taken in front of witnesses from the community, fur- ther strengthening the supportive network of family and friends. The marriage vow is simple, requiring merely that each partner recite the words “We will all, verily, abide by the will of God." Yet it carries with it an implicit commitment that involves not only the two parties, but also the Creator. Baha’is understand from this that the husband and wife must then strive to become loving com- panions and comrades, “united both physi- cally and spiritually, that they may ever im- prove the spiritual life of each other."

This commitment is the foundation for creating a happy home. And since the physi- cal purpose of marriage is the creation of a new generation who will love God and serve humanity, children benefit from these prom- ises — not to mention from the support of the extended family.

These ideas, of course, are traditional: all of the world’s great religions have taught essentially the same things about the impor-

Bahé’is arbund the world have I ” nd that it

traditionai values With progressive, sociaI , principles in a way that

can provide the family with a bulwark against the forces of disintegration in our modern age.

tance and purpose of marriage and family life. Yet these traditional values have come under attack in the modern world — and many families are failing under the onslaught.

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When such values are balanced with pro- gressive principles, however, it is possible to create the kind of family that is in har- mony with today’s world.

For Baha’is, perhaps the most important such principle in the preservation of family unity is the recognition of the fundamental equality between women and men.The Baha’i sacred writings state: “Until the reality of equality between men and women is fully established and attained, the highest social development of mankind is not possible.”

The use of consultation, a non—adver— sarial method of decision-making, gives the institution of marriage a new resiliency in a rapidly changing world. The spirit of consultation allows husbands and wives the flexibility to adjust their roles, when necessary, to meet the needs of each family member and the family as a whole.

Although men and women have comple- mentary capacities and functions in certain areas, women are encouraged to pursue their own careers, and fathers are not exempt from household duties or child—rearing.

The family must be continually con- cerned with nurturing the highest qualities and values in each member. Parents must

provide for the integrated development of their children’s capacities — spiritual, moral, intellectual, emotional, and physical.

Therefore, both girls and boys are to be formally educated according to the same curriculum. Should limited resources force a choice, daughters, as the potential train- ers of the next generation, are to be granted a “prior right to education over sons.”

When women are educated, as urged in the Baha’i writings, statistics show that fami- lies reap measurable benefits. Family in- come rises, and the money mothers control tends to benefit their children.

Educating girl Children appears to be one of the best ways to address national population concerns. Edu- cated women have fewer children, and those they bear tend to be healthier, better nourished, and better educated.

At all times, the complex of family rela- tionships must be guided by the highest moral standard. Unity, justice, love, com- passion, trustworthiness, courtesy, honesty — these qualities have been taught human- ity by the Founders of all the world’s re- vealed religions and remain the foundation for human happiness and well—being. 9

In Kiev, members of the Baha'i Chorale stopped to pose for a photograph during a 14-day tour in Russia, Moldova and Ukraine in October 1993. Composed of 43 singers from Australia, Canada, China, Israel, Iran, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States, the Chorale also spent three days in the Moscfilm Studio recording the music they performed at the Second Baha‘i World Congress, which was held in November 1992 in New York. The program for their concerts last year included contemporary choral interpretations of classical Persian, Jewish, Indian and American Gospel music.

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[Page 4]In the poor bairros around Manaus, clean water comes at a premium. In the neighborhood near the Center for Social Welfare, residents place their water containers in a line, awaiting their turn to use the tap provided by the Center.

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

Helping “Street Children”

find new lives in Amazonas

(Continued from page one)

The Center for Social Well—Being, as the larger project is known, takes an inte- grated approach to social welfare. In addi- tion to the general classes at Masrour school, the Center offers a special program of vocational and moral training for street children, an outreach program of commu- nity organization aimed at empowering the poor women of the neighborhood, and di- rect services, such as the supply of clean water and health care.

Operated by the Baha’i community of Brazil, the Center’s approach is distinctive in that it seeks not only to provide material and educational assistance to the children and youth it serves, but also to empower themwith the intellectual and spiritual tools with which they can transform their own lives, and ultimately to reach out them— selves to help others.

“There are of course many groups at- tacking the problem of street children in

Brazil,” said Ferial Farzin, the Center’s di- rector. “What makes our approach differ- ent is that we search for the jewel that we believe exists inside of each person.

“Most other institutions aren’t inter- ested in developing these children as indi- viduals,” said Ms. Farzin. “They know they need money, so they teach them to sell ice cream. And then in the streets, the children have more money and learn how to sniff g1ue.And so the problem grows. What we believe is you must look at the potential of these children. And then work with them in a dynamic way that integrates the spiritual with the practica .”

A Worldwide Problem

The problem of homeless children, of course, is a worldwide problem and is not unique to Brazil. According to UNICEF, an estimated 100 million children and young people worldwide live or make their livings on urban streets around the world. Ofthose, an estimated 10 percent are so-called “chil- dren of the street, ”abandoned or separated

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from their families and living day—to-day by their wits.

UNICEF estimates that some 40 per- cent of the world’s street children live in Latin America, and a variety of factors have made the problem an acute one in Brazil, where world attention has been particu- larly focused because of reports of the semi- organized murder of street children. Ac— cording to Newsweek magazine, an esti- mated 6,000 Brazilian “street children” have been killed over the last four years.

The problem is partly rooted in chang- ing demographics. Thirty years ago, some 70 percent of Brazil’s population lived in rural areas. Today, an estimated 70 percent live in urban areas. This flow from the countryside to the cities, coupled with a population rise from roughly 70 million to an estimated 146 million, has overwhelmed the social services and outpaced job creation.

In the sprawling shanty—towns or favelas that have sprung up around the country’s major cities, the impact of these trends is evident.

The streets of this fast-growing suburb are lined with makeshift homes and she]- ters, built of everything from bricks to scrap wood. Most of the households are headed by women, said Ms. Farzin, a fact that stems largely from the failure of husbands to find jobs and being forced to head back into the interior to find employment in forestry or mining. The household income in the area averages about US. $60 per month, she said.

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According to the INPA (National Insti- tute of Research of Amazonas), nearly 40 percent of the children in Manaus suffer from some form of malnutrition. Just 12 percent of the houses have septic systems and nearly 58 percent of the children are afflicted With parasites.

Families are large and there is little for the children to do but hang out in the streets. Petty crime, glue sniffing, and pros- titution are common preoccupations for such children on the fringe.

Started as an Orphanage

F ounded in 1985, the Center for Social Welfare started as a rented home in Manaus and during its first years functioned prima- rily as a foster home, caring for abandoned and abused children until they could be adopted. With a capacity of 50, the Center served more than 300 foster children be- tween 1985 and 1992.

In 1988, the Center managed to pur- chase 12 acres of undeveloped land on the outskirts of Sao José. With help from pri- vate donations, the Center then built sev- eral buildings and moved here in 1989. At about the same time, the Center began to shift its mission from simply being a foster care provider to functioning as the inte- grated school and social outreach project it is today.

The Masrour primary school has a ca- pacity of some 240 children, 40 percent of whom attend on a free scholarship. In addi- tion, from among those 40 percent on schol-

Teacher lrlania da Silva Pinheiro instructs a class of third graders at the Masrour Vocational School.

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The school is special not only for its attempt to serve the poorest children of 5510 Jose, but also for its distinctive curriculum, which focuses on giving the children moral and spiritual education in addition to the traditional subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic.

After school hours, the Center provides a place for young people to gather — offering an attractive alternative to life in the streets. Here a group of young boys play soccer shortly after sundown.

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

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arship, about 40 children are offered free vocational training in the afternoon.

As a private effort, the school is special not only for its attempt to serve the poorest children of Sao Jose, but also for its distinc- tive curriculum, which focuses on giving the children moral and spiritual education in addition to the traditional subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic.

Based on Baha’i teachings, the moral and spiritual curriculum emphasizes the oneness of all religions and peoples, which in turn provides a starting point for greater self—confidence and self-respect.

“In the other schools, the spiritual edu- cation was only Catholic,” said Christina Ihhamus de Paula, 29, a Masrour teacher who taught for four years in government schools before coming here a year ago. “But if there are students of other religions, they feel sad and discouraged. Here we have them talk about God, the God ofevery- body, and it helps the students."

Ms. Ihhamus de Paula added that if the school were not here to serve children in the area, “most of them would be aban- doned and like many other children, they would live in the streets.”

“Many of the students are from the poor- est class of society and they lack care and tenderness," she said. “I feel myself that they need my love, because they often don’t have it at home. Not all of them get enough to eat, so the need for the school is very important.”

The salary of about half of the school’s

teachers are paid by the government — which reflects the high regard state and municipal authorities have for the project.

J osue Filho, Secretary of Education for Amazonas, said that the government was eager to work closely with any group to improve the availability of education. He added, however, that he has been espe- cially pleased with the service-oriented phi— losophy espoused by the Center.

“Besides the good relationship of the government with the Baha’i community in general,” said Dr. Filho. “there is also a bond of friendship with the Governor of Amazonas and with me. It is a spiritual and affectionate bond.”

Community Outreach

Beyond the relatively straightforward operation of the school, the Center also strives to help adults, and particularly women, in the surrounding community to become better organized and developed.

The Center, for example, has been in- strumental in helping to organize a moth- ers’ group in the neighborhood immedi— ately adjacent to the project.

Many of the families send their chil- dren t0 the school, and from this associa— tion the parents have slowly evolved into a force for social change and action.

On many evenings, members of the mothers’ group can be seen walking around together, visiting with families that are hav- ing problems and seeking to provide some sort of mutual support. Ms. Farzin often

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joins the group on these rounds. On one recent evening, they toured the neighbor- hood to discuss the distribution of water.

Clean water is an important issue in the bairro.The municipality does not serve this section of 8510 J osé with pipelines, and all drinking water must be hauled in or pro- duced from local wells.

The Center itself has dug two 50-meter deep wells, which are capable of supplying most ofthe neighborhood’s needs. Butrather than simply dictating when and where to build the tap lines, it has asked the mothers' group to make such decisions — in consulta- tion with the neighborhood at large.

Such an issue might seem trivial, but in the loosely organized, ad hoc neighborhood that surrounds the Center, the question of where to locate a water tap can be quite contentious. VVlthout proper agreement and consensus, it is possible that the family upon whose property (a term that must be loosely applied, as few have formal deeds or titles) the tap is located might try to charge a fee for the water. They might also be the subject of jealousy by others.

The Center, however, has provided the mothers’ group with training in consul- tation —— a form of non-adversarial decision- makingused by Baha’icommunities around the world. By using this process they have learned how to become better organized and to settle their own difficulties.

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“Normally, when you are talking about water, there are conflicts and political prob- lems — because it has been traditional for

the politicians to use water as one means of

winning support,” said Ms. Farzin. “Like- wise, if you just give water away freely, the people have no ownership, and they are as likely to break the lines and the taps as to maintain them.

“However, we have explained that itis up to the neighborhood itself to decide where the water lines will go, and how they will be run," she said. “We ask that they cooperate, for example, to collect a small amount of money for the maintenance of the pipes and the well. And, so far, they have been able to do this with no conflicts. We believe that this comes from learning to consult.”

Going from house to house, the group discussed the pros and cons of running a new water line and where to put the tap. The process was extremely informal, but it was clearly designed to build consensus. In the process, neighborhood residents are com- ing to understand that the responsibility for progress is largely in their own hands.

“The Baha’i community gives us a new vision," said Maria Edjmar, 43, a member of the neighborhood mothers’ group and a Catholic. “Many many people promise us things. But they do little accomplishment. But the Baha’is are always willing to serve and they show us that example.” 9

A group of mothers gathers outside the front gate to the Center for Social Welfare in the evening before going on an informal “tour" of their neighborhood. With the encouragement of the Center, the neighborhood mothers' group has been instrumental in providing a new and much needed element of community organization. Mrs. Maria Edjmar, who is quoted below, is shown second from the left.

“Besides the good relationship of the government with the Bahé’i community in general, there is also a bond of friendship with the - Governor of Amazonas and with me. It is a spiritual and affectionate bond.”

— Amazonas Education Secretary, Josue Filho

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Only as the peoples of the world come to view the planet as one home and all its inhabitants as one people, will the vision, moral integrity and commitment necessary to address the complex challenges of social development emerge. Then and only then will humankind be able to erect a single social order whose boundaries are those of the

planet. — Excerpt from the Baha’i International

Community statement to the WSSD Prepcom

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

Preparations for World Summit on Social Development highlight the need for integration of global issues

After Rio, and looking ahead to Cairo and Beijing, the Copenhagen Summit seeks to tie sectoral concerns together

UNITED NATIONS — Because it comes less than three years after the Earth Sum- mit in Rio de Janeiro, and a few months before the scheduled 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women, some critics have wondered why the United Nations is plan- ning to hold next year a World Summit on Social Development (W SSD).

Didn’t we already talk about develop ment in Rio — establishing that it should be “sustainable?”, such commentators asked. And isn’t the status of women among the most critical social issues, which is sched- uled to be discussed in Beijing at the Women’s Conference? And what is “social development” anyway?

But after the first meetings of the WSSD Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) here in New York in early February, it was clear that the Social Development conference had found a purpose — although, of course, for many it had never been in doubt.

Both in the public deliberations of the Prepcom, as well as in private conversa- tions in the hallways, there was a sense that the main currents of the Summit would flow from the concept of integration.

Specifically, participants expressed hope that the Summit will focus on integrat- ing the various sectoral issues, such as environment, development, women, inter- national finance, human rights, and popula- tion, that have been highlighted at Rio, and which remain on the agenda for the upcom- ing Women’s conference, and for the World Population Conference, scheduled to be held in Cairo in September.

“The issues of Rio and Cairo and Beijing are in a way elements of the broader issue of social development,” said Dr. Yogesh Atal, director of social science for the United Nations Scientific, Educational, and Cul- tural Organization (UNESCO), who is co-

ordinating WSSD work for UNESCO. “The other conferences are addressing those areas in which there is a crisis, and they have done much to highlight these crises. But in terms of an integrated approach, it all comes together in the framework of social development.” Summit Objectives

The Summit is scheduled to be held in Copenhagen in March 1995. Its objectives were established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1992. The Assembly decided that the WSSD should seek to address three core issues: 1) the enhancement of social integration, particu— larly of the more disadvantaged and marginalized groups; 2) the alleviation and reduction of poverty; and, 3) the expansion of productive employment.

During its two week meeting, which ran from 31 January to 11 February 1994, the Prepcom worked principally to outline the main elements for a proposed Declara- tion and Program of Action, which would be the Summit’s main products.

As government delegations sought to better define the goals of the Summit, some differences of approach emerged. Follow- ing the pattern at recent United Nations world conferences, delegations from the North generally emphasized human rights and a focus on national measures for the alleviation of poverty, while Southern del- egations sought to emphasize the need for adjustments in the global system of finance and trade, with the aim of addressing eco- nomic imbalances.

Nevertheless, the theme of integration was highlighted in a number of ways. The delegates agreed, for example, that “com- mon aspects of the core issue should be emphasized and treated in an integrated manner” as documents are readied for the next Prepcom in August.

Speeches by the delegates struck simi- lar notes. The Canadian statement was typi- cal, saying that final Summit documents should incorporate “a conceptual framework that will enable all partners to deal with the

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complexities of social development in inte~ grative ways based on an holistic under- standing of people—centered development.”

N on—govemmental organizations, also, played a key role in underscoring the inter- dependence of social concerns.

“We join with those delegations that stressed the interrelatedness of issues as characterizing our present situation,” said Lisinka Ulatowska, the United Nations rep resentative for the World Citizens, an NGO with affiliates in more than 35 countries. “Social development is interrelated with economic development, justice, and hu- man rights and responsibilities.”

J orge Duréo, the president of the Bra— zilian Association of NGOs, said the confluence of world wide social problems is opening the way to a new “social alliance” between NGOs and governments, and be- tween North and South. “We need not think only in terms of opposition between North and South, but in terms of cooperation between North and South. And this is the role of NGOs, to promote this idea of world or international citizenship.”

Women’s Caucus Highly Effective

Among the most effective and vocal groups representing civil society was the Women’s Caucus, an ad hoc organization of some 100 women from 23 countries who met daily during the Prepcom and on 10 February issued a statement calling on gov- ernments to “conceptualize a new para- digm of development that is centered on the needs of women, youth and children.”

Many N GOs also said that solutions to social problems lie not just in government action, but in a greater reliance on and involvement with civil society.

“The closer you are to a problem, the more you can see its various causes, so you need to consult with local people,” said J ohn Tomlinson, who represented the Syneros Institute at the Prepcom. Based in NewYork, the Syneros Institute works with anfi-poverty NGOs in Africa and Latin America.

Lawrence Arturo, director of the Baha’i International Community’s Office of the Environment, said the high level of the discussions at the Prepcom has done much to boost the overall recognition of the role and importance of the Summit.

“In today’s world, through many pro- cesses — not the least of which was the Earth Summit — we are coming to recog- nize and accept the global interdependence of peoples and countries everywhere,” said Mr. Arturo. “To respond to this new reality, there is a need for global approaches and understanding in the fields of economics, politics, technology, environment, law, fi- nance and the media.

“The critical link in all of this is the issue of social integration,” Mr. Arturo said. “How do we encourage all of the diverse elements of humanity to cooperate fruit- fully and harmoniously, whether at the 10- cal, national, regional or global level? Ifthe Summit earnestly seeks an answer to this question, it will be successful beyond the hopes of its greatest supporters.” e

“We need not think only in terms of opposition between North and South, but in terms of cooperation between North and South. And this is the role of NGOs, to promote this idea of world or international citizenship.”

— Jorge Duréo,

Brazilian Association of NGOs

In Gambia, four Baha'i youth from the United States and Canada pose with the children who attend their weekly literacy and moral education classes in the village of New Yundun. The four youth are in Gambia for a year of service.

[Page 10]In Germany, the City of Berlin held a ceremony on 11 November 1993 to celebrate the birth of Baha’u’lléh. The Bahé’i community of Berlin was asked to organize the program, which was filled with prayers, music and theater. The event was part of an effort by the City to demonstrate the variety of religions represented in the reunited city.

\

ONE COUNTRY now available on—line

NEW YORK— ONE COUNTRY, the news- letter of the Baha’i International Commu- nity, is now available on—line to computer users with access to the Internet, the glo- bal computer communications network.

With the assistance of TogetherNet, a private not—for—profit computer service dedi- cated to creating a communications and information system for organizations work- ing towards a sustain- able future, the full En- glish text of ONE COUNTRY, including all back issues, can be read by any computer user with full Internet access.

The“gopher”address forTogetherNet is “gopher.together.uvm.edu”, and ONE COUNTRY is listed under “Organizations” on TogetherNet’s menu.

Alternatively, computer users with a modem can subscribe directly to TogetherNet’s on-line service, which not only carries the text of ONE COUNTRY, but also a variety of other documents from the United Nations and other non—govern- mental organizations.

For information on how to subscribe

ONE COUNTRY / January-March 1994

to TogetherNet, write to: TogetherNet, 130 South Willard Street, Burlington, Ver- mont, 05401, USA, or send an email to “t0dd_tyrrell@together.org

The editors of ONE COUNTRY can also be reached via Internet at “1country@bic.org”. 6

Government in the Marshall Islands asks for Baha’i help in education

MARSHALL ISLANDS—At the request of the Majuro Atoll Local Government, the Baha’i community of the Marshall Islands has been asked to assume the responsibil- ity for administering and managing five public schools on the atoll.

A memorandum of understanding which formalizes the move was signed on 26 November 1993, and the Baha’i commu— nity is scheduled to begin operating the schools, which serve some 30 percent of the student population in the Marshall Is- lands, in early 1994.

The assistance of the Baha’i commu- nity was sought because of its strong repu- tation in education. The community’s plans to upgrade the curriculum by focusing on moral education, bilingual education in the English and Marshallese languages, and global awareness. Q

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Warning that the existence of the Baha 1

xy

community of Iran is “threatened,” the U.N. condemns Iran on human rights

UNITED NATIONS —— The United Na- tions General Assembly voted on 20 De- cember 1993 to express “deep concern” over continuing reports of Violations of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran — including the persecution of the Baha’i community there.

The resolution, which passed by avote of 74 to 23, warned that because of the discrimination faced by Baha’is in Iran, their “existence as a viable religious com- munity is threatened.”

“Given that the United Nations Gen- eral Assembly represents the considered opinion of the community of nations, we are extremely gratified that the world has so explicitly called attention to the perse- cution faced by the Baha’is of Iran,” said Mr. Techeste Ahderom, the main repre- sentative of the Baha’i International Com- munity t0 the United Nations.

“The resolution makes clear in no un- certain terms that the world community understandsthatlranis persecuting Baha’is solely because of their religious beliefs, despite the Iranian Government’s asser- tions to the contrary,” said Mr. Ahderom.

Baha’is seek only legal rights

“We wish to re—state that the Baha’is of Iran are a peaceful and law-abiding reli— gious community that only seeks the right to freedom of belief and practice, as recog- nized under international human rights instruments to which Iran is a party," Mr. Ahderom added.

Since 1979, more than 200 Baha’is have been executed or killed in Iran, hundreds more have been imprisoned, and thousands have been deprived of employment and/or education. Although the pace of executions has slowed in recent years, there are still numerous and wholesale signs of religious persecution against the Baha’is of Iran.

The December resolution by the Gen- eral Assembly follows closely the conclu- sions and recommendations made in a re- port in early November by Professor Reynaldo Galindo Pohl, the special repre- sentative of the United Nations Commis- sion on Human Rights.

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In this year’s report, Mr. Galindo Pohl said the Baha’i community has for the last ten years been denied the right of assembly and the right to elect and maintain its administra- tive institutions.

“Those institutions constitute the core around which Baha’i community life re- volves,” Mr. Galindo Pohl said. “Given that the Baha’i Faith has no clergy, being de— prived of its institutions threatens the very existence of the Baha’i community as a viable religious community.”

Mr. Galindo Pohl also said that the property rights of Baha’is continue to be disregarded, that many of the 350,000 Baha’is in Iran continue to be deprived of a means of earning a living, and that an entire generation of young Baha’is has been denied a higher education.

Other incidents of persecution

Throughout the year, there have been numerous signs of the continuing nature of the Government’s involvement in the persecution of Baha’is in Iran.

In J une, the municipal Government of Teheran began to dig up and remove the bodies of Baha’is from a Baha’i cemetery, to make way for the construction of a cul- tural center.

In September, a penal court in Shahr-i— Ray ruled that a murder conviction against two Muslim men, which would ordinarily call for the death sentence and the payment of “blood money” to relatives, was “inapplicable" because the victim was a Baha’i.

While the court wrote that “it is proven and established that the accused...have jointly participated in the abduction and subsequent deliberate murder of Rnhu’llah Qidami,” provisions of Islamic law calling for the death sentence and payment to relatives were inapplicable becau se the vic- tim was “a member of the misled and mis- leading Sect of Baha’ism.”

The two murderers were, however, sen- tenced to 18 months in prison because, ac- cording to the court, “the action they have committed is illegal, upsets public order and security, and disturbs the well—being of the sacred order of the Islamic Republic....”@

“The resolution makes clear in no uncertain terms that the world community understands that Iran is persecuting Bahé’is solely because of their religious beliefs, despite the Iranian Government’s assertions to the

contrary.” — Techeste Ahderom

[Page 12]Plenary sessions featuring distinguished speakers from around the world were but one element of the World NGO Forum in Malta late last year, which was held to launch the 1994 International Year of the Family.

A conference organized by NGOs supports a powerful but often overlooked idea: we cannot attempt to address the ills of society without considering its smallest unit.

ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

WORLD NGQ

FOR U 1% '

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World NGO Forum launches 1994

International Year Of the Family

MALTA — To launch the 1994 Interna- tional Year of the Family, representatives of non—govemmental organizations (NGOs) from nearly 100 countries gathered here from 28 November to 2 December 1993 to promote the understanding that healthy families are essential to the well—being of both individuals and societies.

Organized by the Vienna NGO Com- mittee on the Family in cooperation with the United Nations Secretariat for the Inter- national Year of the Family (IYF), and sup- ported by the New York NGO Committee on the Family, the four—day World NGO Forum featured a series of major speakers in plenary sessions and more than 40 work- shops and forums on issues ranging from gender equality to homelessness.

“The Conference was focused on the Year of the Family, of course, but the key theme of the whole event was a realization that the family is a very very important unit of society,” said Betty Benson, a Baha’i International Community representative to the conference. “Virtually everyone reiter- ated that you cannot ignore the family and have a good society.”

The Forum culminated with the sign- ing of an NGO statement which urged gov- ernments to formulate policies that protect families, promote their self—reliance, and

encourage their participation. “In this re- gard,” the statement said, “a family—friendly society, specific economic and ecological measures, and recognition of the contribu- tions of families in the social, cultural and economic fields are indispensable.”

The NGOs pledged to explore areas where “new and creative actions can be developed to support family resilience and to emphasize the significance of family life for the benefit of its members” and to de- velop “a new culture of partnership” and cooperation to “fulfill our vital functions in the interest of families.”

Key Themes

In addition to the Forum’s final state- ment, participants said, a number of impor- tant themes emerged in the speeches and workshops. These included the overall rec- ognition of the family’s importance as a building block for society, the importance of promoting equality between the sexes, and the significance of education for women.

“Womenplaythe centralrole in enabling the family to function,” said Her Royal High- ness Sarvath El-Hassan, the Crown Princess of J ordan. “Education is the key to women’s success in making the right choices.”

Alba Zizzamia, who is chairperson of the NewYork NGO Committee on the Fam- ily, said she felt that an overall theme of

Page 12

[Page 13]ONE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994

“hope” also emerged at the conference.

“The fact is that people have been prophesying the demise of the family for years,” said Ms. Zizzamia, who is the United Nations representative for the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations. “And yet the family is still surviving, and there is a great deal of interest in it and how it functions and the roles of people in it, as evidenced by this conference.”

As reflected in the final statement, many speakers called on governments to do more to protect families. At the same time, the key role of NGOs in working to strengthen the family was repeatedly underscored.

“International organizations and gov- ernments must be encouraged to view fami- lies as among their most important part- ners, the first line of defense and protection against all obstacles to human well—being, and the building blocks of communities,” said Richard J olly, deputy executive direc- tor for programs of the United Nations Children’s Fund QINICEF).

“In this effort, NGOs have both power and responsibility,” Mr. J olly continued. ‘Theirgrassroots approach placesthem close to families where they can encourage impor- tant attitude changes. They exert consider- able influence over policy-makers. And they are well—organized. Using these skills would serve this movement immeasurably.”

Testimonial Awards

As a means of recognizing the work of various organizations and individuals in promoting the International Year of the Family, 100 “testimonials” were handed out by the IYF Secretariat in ceremonies on 1 December. Three testimonials were granted to the Baha’i International Com- munity and its representatives: one to the Baha’i International Community as awhole; one to J enny Field for her work on the New York NGO Committee on the Family; and one to Bahia Ettehadieh for her work as the Baha’i representative to the Vienna NGO Committee on the Family.

“The testimonial was basically a way of saying that we have spoken on the issue of the family and that We have said we want to be involved in this worldwide focus on the family,” said Ms. Field. “We were very grati- fied to have received these awards, and promise that you can expect us to continue to be involved in promoting family issues.”

The Baha’i delegation to the Confer-

Pagc 13

ence totaled some 23 individuals from 13 countries. Its members ranged from official representatives of the Baha’i International Community and national-level Baha’i ad- ministrative councils to family profession- als who are Baha’is.

“Many of the themes that emerged at the conference were themes that the Baha’i community has been stressing for some years now, such as the necessity of forging an equal partnership between women and men, the necessity of ensuring education for girls and women, and the simple idea that the family, as the most basic unit of society, must be healthy for society itself to be healthy,” said Ms. Field. “So it should not be surprising that the interest among Baha’is in this conference was great.”

The Baha’ilntemational Communityalso sponsored one of the Conference’s 40 work- shops. Entitled “Breaking the equality bar- rier: Emerging roles of men and women in the family,” the workshop was given by Linda Kavelin Popov, afamilytherapistfi'om Canada; her husband Daniel Popov, a child psycholo- gist; and Ms. Benson.

“One of the major points we made was that, for the well—being of the family, we need to move from the dominance model within families to the partnership model,” said Ms. Popov. “Part of the way we can do this is by understanding the purpose of life is the growth of our soul, and not so much how many things we accumulate or how much power we have in the eyes of the world.” 0

Shown above is the logo for the 1994 International Year of the Family. Below is a photo showing Bahé'is who received “testimonials” from the IYF Secretariat in ceremonies on 1 December 1993. Shown left to right are Florence Kelly, Betty Benson, and Jenny Field. Ms. Kelly is displaying an award given to Bahia Ettehadieh for her work as the Baha'i representative to the Vienna NGO Committee on the Family; Ms. Ettehadieh was in when the awards were presented. Ms. Benson is holding the award given to the Baha‘i International Community as a whole; Ms. Field received an award for her work on the New York NGO Committee on the Family.

[Page 14]Participants at the third annual conference of the International Society for Agriculture and Rural Development, a Baha'i professional organization, posed for a group photograph during their meeting in Switzerland last November.

“...on some level, doctors and farmers must interact, in order for each to have a more concrete understanding of what is healthy food and where it comes from and how locally grown food can contribute to the community’s health and well- being.”

—— Sally Jamir

()NE COUNTRY / Ianuary-March 1994»

Corhfeene 0n Foobddi Agriculture

stresses interdisciplinary approach

WEINACHT, Switzerland — The crucial and multi-faceted role of agriculture in maintaining human existence and well-be- ing was the focus of the third annual meet- ing of the International Society for Agricul- ture and Rural Development (ISARD) , held here at the Landegg Conference Center 22-28 November 1993.

Some 30 individuals from 10 countries participated in the conference, which fea— tured the presentation of some 11 papers, 5 panel discussions, and video showings.

The topics discussed were widerang— ing, from technical briefs on soil mineraliza- tion to discussions of biotechnology and ru- ral food marketing. Yet, according to partici- pants, a distinctive theme emerged in the integration of ideas from a variety offood and agficulmrerelated disciplines — an integra- tion that some said is the hallmark of such Baha’i professional meetings like this.

“The conference showed the connec- tion between agriculture and health and nu- trition,” said Sally J amir, an agriculture edu- cation specialist from the United States. “In the participants there was a wonderful combi- nation of agriculturalists, medical doctors, nutritionists, people involved in community development, and farmers."

Ms. J amir and others said that diversity of disciplines contributed greatly to the cross— fertilization of ideas in all of these fields.

“For Baha’is, what is important is to con— sider the many faces of the community, and how they all interact and relate to one an-

other," said Ms. J amir. “The Baha’i approach would be to see that on some level, doctors and farmers must interact, in order for each to have a more concrete understanding of what is healthy food'and where it comes from and how locally grown food can contribute to the community’s health and well—being.”

Iraj Poostchi, the conference coordina~ tor and an agricultural development special- ist from England, said in the papers and presentations made at the meeting were the seeds for a new vision of world agriculture.

“Agriculture is really the foundation of the world’s economy,” said Dr. Poostchi. “No other industry has so many people involved in it worldwide.”

Dr. Poostchi and others said future agri- culture has to be from the grassroots on upwards, focused at the village and farm level, and not from the top down. “The cur- rent system of subsidies for agriculture can't be sustained,” said Dr. Poostchi.

Alfred K. Neumann, a professor of public health, and Geraldine S. Robarts, a community development worker, said “a multi-faceted, family- and community—based approach to rural development is called for, an approach that includes health and nutri- tion, income generation and management, social components including equality of the sexes, universal education, open and equal consultation, and moral, ethnical and spiri- tual teachings and discussion to guide the wise use of new income and to promote family and community unity and stability.”@

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[Page 15]ONE COUNTRY / Jantlaquarch 1994

Review: World Federalism

(Continued from back page)

ity for each unit, and respect for the rights and responsibilities of the individual.

The 364—page paperback is divided into three sections. The first discusses the gen- eral principles of federalism, striving to define what it is and to examine its origins. The second section covers theories and proposals for global governance and world government throughout history. The third section focuses on the United Nations ex- perience — and looks at some specific ideas for the New World Order.

In each section, the range and scope of the readings is impressive. The passages selected for the first section, as might be expected, include key excerpts from Fed- eralist Papers, the collection of originally anonymous writings by Alexander Hamilton, John Madison and others who were instrumental in helping to shape the newlyindependent United States ofAmerica in the late 1700s.

However, the book also includes read- ings that show widespread appeal of the federalist idea, providing descriptions of the tribal federationsused bythelroquois people in North America and excerpts from the writings of postcolonial African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and J ulius K Nyerere.

The second section, likewise, contains passages not only from the best—known proponents of world peace and unity throughout history — such as Dante Alighieri, William Penn and Immanuel Kant — but also from those whose contributions arejust now beginning to be acknowledged.

Nearly six pages are devoted to the work of Chinese scholar K’ang Yu-wei (18581927), who Ms. Walker notes “may be been the first person to set out such a comprehensive world government plan.”

As well, the book includes five pages on the life and writings of Baha’u’llah (1817- 1892). Ms. Walker notes that “as the founder and central figure of the Baha’i Faith...his practical and ethical religious teachings have gained followers from all over the world.”

The readings that follow provide a con- cise overview of Baha'u’llah’s dramatic call, made more than 100 years ago, for the rulers of the world to recognize the essen- tial oneness of humanity and to band to- getherto create the institutions of an united

Page 15

world that could enforce the collective se- curity and pave the way for a new era of peace and prosperity for all.

The third and final section leaves out many of the standard documents about the United Nations, such as the UN. Charter itself or Franklin D. Roosevelt‘s 1942 “Dec- laration of United Nations," in favor of read- ings that are both less commonly available and more focused in their criticism — albeit mostly constructive criticism — of the United Nations system.

The readings in this section, for example, delve into matters that are highly practical, and which have proven to be quite sticky in a world ruled by anarchic nation states. Several excerpts deal with the problems and poten- tial of peacekeeping, for example.

Passages from the book 40 Years 0 Third World Soldier at the UN. by Carlos Romulo raise trenchant questions about the limita- tions of peacekeeping in a world where all the parties must agree to an operation before it can be undertaken. “Can you imagine a po liceman being required to secure the assent of the parties in a street fight before moving to break up the conflict? That is the United Nations’ present predicament.”

In summary, the book offers an easily accessible primer on the basic concepts and advantages of federalism while at the same time providing an overview of the degree to which some of history's finest minds have embraced the idea. In the

coming debate over how to unite our world, it will be a valuable resource.@

Shown below are some members of the Baha’i delegation to the NGO Symposium of Women in Development, held in Manila, the Philippines, from 16 to 20 November 1993. Held in preparation for the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, which is scheduled to be held in China in September

1995, the NGO Symposium drew some 550 participants, who discussed how NGOs could provide assistance in the formulation and implementation of a regional plan of action for the advancement of women in Asia and the Pacific.

[Page 16]Out Of Anarchy: a multi— cultural look at the

Federalist ideal

Uniting the Peoples and Nations — Readings in World Federalism

Compiled by Barbara Walker

The World Federalist Movement

Amsterdam

ONE COUNTRY / Januarerarch 1994

During the Cold War years, world federalists were largely viewed as an overly idealistic and dreamy bunch —— even though their proposals for the creation of a world federal system sounded quite attractive versus the very real prospects for global destruction in a U.S.—Soviet nuclear exchange.

Yet although federalism has proved workable in a variety of settings, from Swit— zerland t0 the United States ofAmerica, the hard realities of an ideologically split, bipo- lar world seemed to preclude any reason- able hope that all na- tions could ever be welded into a united federal system. As compelling an idea as a United States of the World might have been, the gulf between the East and West just seemed too great.

Since the end of the cold war, however, and with the rise in anarchy that is unfortu- nately coming to be associated with some newly independent states, the call for some- thing more powerful than the present—day United Nations Organization is increas- ingly heard. In its most vague form, that call rings with the phrase “global gover— nance” —— a sort of toe-in-the-water slogan that simply articulates the need for more international structure.

People in the World Federalist Move- ment, however, have thought about this prob lem for a long time, and amidst the growing clamor for something to be done, they have produced an important new book, one which is sure to be valuable as the debate over how to unite our fractured world broadens.

Published at the end of 1993 by the Movement and its US. affiliate, the World Federalist Association, Uniting the Peoples and the Nations —Readings in WorldFeder- alism offers a wide—ranging and multi—fac- eted view of what federalism is and how it might be applied on a global level.

Compiled by long-time world federalist Barbara Walker, the book succeeds on many levels. It serves as a cogent and schol— arly review of how the concept of world unity has evolved from ancient times up to the present day.

On another level, it exists as an impor- tant collection of short readings on the topic of federalism by well—known thinkers. Thus, as might be expected, excerpts range

Re View

from the writings of Immanuel Kant to Albert Einstein, from James Madison to Dag Hammarskjtild.

Perhaps the book‘s most significant contribution, however, is in the degree to which it publishes the thoughts of lesser- known and/or emerging thinkers from around the world, offering a look at how Eastern and Southern thinkers have dealt with the idea.

As such, the book convincingly shows that federalism is a nearly universal idea, capable of appealing to people of many cultures and backgrounds.

Federalism, of course, is the division of governmental functions between legisla- tures at the provincial or sub-regional lev- els and a national or more-widely encom- passing “federal” legislature that oversees the whole. According to Kenneth C. Wheare, whose writings are among those quoted in the Uniting the Peoples and Na-

Uniting

the Peoples and Na tions

Readings in World Federalism

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tions, this division implies not “the relation- ship of superior to subordinates,” but rather “the relationship of co-ordinate partners in the governmental process.”

Other elements of federalism, accord- ing to Wheare and others quoted in the book, include a reliance on democracy for selecting the legislatures in a federal sys- tem, the underlying use of a constitution or compact to delineate the spheres of author- (Continued on page 15)

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