Looking at the deteriorating world conditions, my friends and myself felt we had to do something.
But what?
We had looked at the gems of all religions and realized that all faiths talk about loving and nurturing. We wanted to spread that message. As mothers as sisters as wives as friends…
We were pregnant with the feeling that women must lead now.
So we delivered the ‘Women’s Movement for peace’
The vision as ‘Bombay Times put it is ‘to harness women’s wisdom to end violence, and create a culture of peace and justice.’
The inner core group consists of Ram Maheshwary, Islamic scholar Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, educationist Maya Shahani, Leena Prabhoo and yours sincerely.
Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali says: “We have to understand that we are interdependent in India. Women must work hand in hand to ensure progress. Violence and deaths have created divisions in our hearts, but these divisions are superficial, and can be removed.
I, Shakun, believe that we have to get to know each other better.
One must not waste ones time hating when life is so short for love.
The world is bleeding and we women, have to raise collective voice against exploitation in the name of religion.
So at Azad Maidan in Mumbai the ‘Women’s Movement for Peace’ was launched by the Former Mumbai Police Chief, Julio Ribeiro, who stated that he has always considered women more powerful than men. During the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai, Hindu and Muslim women from Dharavi came together hand in hand and prevented violence in the sensitive area.
And yet, as I write this, I feel a sense of helplessness and dejection. One is tired of reading about the senseless killings in different parts of the world. One is grateful that one, and ones own are safe, but for how long, one asks?
Believe me when I tell you, that I have no agenda, except to be one amongst countless others, who maybe can contribute to the stopping of the madness that has gripped the world.
Yet, maybe you are thinking like I am at the moment, that when one cannot stop violence on smaller scales, how will we accomplish such a mammoth task?
Maybe the solution lies in changing ourselves only. Let us just read the following constitution and follow to the best of our capacity, as much as we truly can in the best way we can and as long as we can.
Jown Fowles states:
Men see objects, Women see the relationship between objects.
Whether the objects need each other, love each other, match each other.
It is an extra dimension of feeling we men are without and one that makes war abhorrent to all real women- and absurd.
Akram Nadwi states:
…Barring Muslim women from education and religious authority is akin to the pre-Islamic custom of burying girls alive.
“I tell people, god has given girls qualities and potential, he says. If they aren’t allowed to develop them, if they aren’t provided with opportunities to study and learn, it’s basically a live burial.”
THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIAN WOMEN
We, The Women of India, have solemnly resolved to Unite our Collective Wisdom for the betterment of our Community and Ourselves.
We hereby vow to strive towards bringing PEACE and TOGETHERNESS in our families and neighborhood and work towards Communal Harmony.
To Educate Ourselves, Our Men and Our Children about the Values of Compassion, Love, Integrity, Honesty, Truthfulness, Hard Work, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Sharing, Respect for Humanity and Our Environment.
To raise a Collective Voice against those indulging in Suppression, Oppression, Exploitation, Victimization, and Abuse of Ourselves, Our Men and Our Children.
To strive towards Social, Economic and Political JUSTICE, LIBERTY of Thought, Expression, Belief, Faith, Worship and EQUALITY of Status and of Opportunity for Ourselves, Our Men, and Our Children.
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this Eleventh day of May, 2002, do WE ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
Shakun Kimatrai 