General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This Is What Saudi Arabia's First PSA For Violence Against Women Looks Like [View all]BainsBane
(53,165 posts)One can provide financial assistance for feminist and human rights groups. Anyone involved in feminist activism can partner with those groups, invite Muslim women to appear as speakers in public functions, and use their groups resources to help in other ways. If someone works at a university or with any community groups, he or she might invite Muslim feminist to speak at a forum. We can help their cause by spreading awareness, awareness of their points of view rather than simply our own.
Some Western feminists, like FEMEN, have targeted veiling as a concern, yet haven't consulted with local feminist organizations in Tunisia or elsewhere, as a former member of Brazilian FEMEN recently pointed out. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=433401410030315&id=117869604995016 My view is they could do much more for Muslim or Brazilian women if they partnered with organizations in those countries. The same is true for any other activist group.
Lastly, I think such dismissive attitudes of foreign peoples, be they Muslim or not, is dangerous, particularly given the nature of our military involvement abroad. I see such views as resulting from propaganda spread to justify war, and I fear they might play a role in justifying such incursions in the future. I believe it impossible to do any good in the world if we lack respect for those we purport to help.
Perhaps there are other ways we can help that others might suggest.