Envisioning the Asia-Pacific’s Feminist Future

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND – A room of 500 Asian feminists chanted “women, united, will never be defeated” and then “the people, united, will never be defeated” to kick off the three-day Asia Pacific Feminist Forum, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from September 12-14. Unified by the recognition that patriarchal structures, which intersect with a host of -isms – militarism, fundamentalism, capitalism, imperialism, colonialism – are at the root of oppression, the gathering of feminist activists from across Asia convened for the fourth time by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development sought to explore “feminist world-building.” From APWLD’s network of more than 320 member organizations, from 31 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, 500 people gathered for the long delayed forum. “We don’t just talk about the symptoms of the violations of women’s human rights, but we interrogate what are the causes of those oppressions.” The three-day conference was built around assessing “where we are,” “where we want to be,” and “how we get there.” With plenary sessions featuring speakers from across the region, and dozens of workshops highlighting the efforts of feminist movements from Central Asia to the Pacific Islands, the forum was a carnival of solidarity, replete with dancing, chanting, and art. Sarala Emmanuel of the Feminist Collective for Economic Justice, Sri Lanka, highlighted the devastating reality that “developing countries are facing the worst debt crisis in history, with almost half their budgets being spent on paying back their creditors.” Countries struggling to service their debt, she noted, often pursue austerity programs that result in the cutting back of investment in health, education, social protection and climate change measures – which harm women and marginalized communities most. The third day plenary sought to explore pathways between, with speakers ranging from Laisa Bulatale of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, who began her remarks with song, to Mehrub Moiz Awan of the Gender Interactive Alliance, Pakistan, who delivered a darkly satirical letter welcoming the audience to the many Pakistans – such as the “loving” Pakistan that “loves” its women and trans citizens with fists and clubs and bullets.