环球英语 — 694：Equal Women, Better Society
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Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo.
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And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
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Around the world, people are searching for and working toward equality. They want to receive equal pay. They want to receive equal rights. One world report follows the way that countries divide their resources between men and women. It is the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index. In the 2009 report, the country of Syria had a lower position than the year before. The gap between genders is not getting smaller there. Instead, it is getting larger! Women are suffering.
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One organization in Syria is working to change this. They are the Syrian Women Observatory, the SWO. The SWO works to increase awareness of women's rights in Syria. But there is something that some people find a little strange about the leader of the SWO. He is a man! Today's Spotlight is on the Syrian Women Observatory and their male leader, Bassam Al-Kadi. He says that a fight for women's rights is not just about women. It is about the entire society!
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Bassam Al-Kadi has always worked for the things he believes in. As he grew up, he believed Syrian culture was affected by violence. He especially saw how this violence affected women. He wanted to change things.
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When his father died, he left Al-Kadi with some money. Al-Kadi used the money to start the Syrian Women Observatory. The SWO began in 2004. Al-Kadi wanted to use the organisation to change the way the Syrian government and Syrian culture think about women.
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To change the government, the SWO has led many campaigns. These programs work to make changes in laws and society. One campaign began in 2005. It was a campaign against honor killings. In an honor killing, a man may kill a woman relative because he believes she has done wrong. He does this because he believes killing her will bring honor back to his family. The SWO's work led to the honor killing law being changed. Before, the punishment for an honor killing was one year in prison. Today it is two years. There is still more work to be done. But this is an improvement!
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The SWO has also taken part in campaigns led by other organizations. They were involved in the UN Development Fund for Women's 2008 campaign called "Say No to Violence Against Women." And the SWO takes part in another continuing campaign. They want women to have the right to pass on their Syrian nationality to their children. Currently, if a Syrian woman marries a foreign man, the Syrian government says her children are not Syrian citizens. This is not true if a Syrian man marries a foreign woman. Syrian nationality only passes from a man to his children.
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But SWO's influence on Syrian culture has also been very successful! SWO encourages people to get involved. They encourage young Syrians to make a difference for the future of their country. Al-Kadi writes on the SWO's website that each member of the SWO works where he or she already is to make change happen. Each person works in his own workplace, village or family to change opinions and share knowledge. Each member of the SWO is a volunteer. They do not receive pay for their work. And yet, they have been able to expand their work all over Syria.
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Al-Kadi and the SWO know that knowledge and education are power. That is, when people know their rights, they are more likely to demand that they receive their rights. They are more likely to think for themselves, and to do what is right. So, the SWO's website is an important resource. It includes articles in Arabic and English. And people from all over Syria can find the information about their rights.
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Getting information to society is one thing. But influencing the media - like newspapers, magazines, and television - is another! Al-Kadi says that when he began the SWO he could only find three news articles about honor killings. But today, there are thousands! And many of them have similar opinions to the SWO. Al-Kadi says that this change in the media is one of his biggest successes. He told the Christian Science Monitor newspaper:
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"The media used to condemn violence against women out of sympathy or because it was not permitted by religion or because it would harm the country's development. We have changed that. Now, most articles and programs treat issues such as honor killings from the viewpoint of human rights or citizenship. This is how we want people to think about it."
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And Al-Kadi's work has also begun to influence a younger generation of media writers. Zaina Ernaim is a young news writer in Syria. She told the Christian Science Monitor how she believes Al-Kadi has changed opinions in the news media:
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"It is because of him that the coverage of women's issues is no longer only about make-up and raising children. He also taught me and the people my age that we are people. We are not only defined by our gender."
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Some people ask why a man would be so concerned about fighting for women's issues and rights. In fact, one person did ask that very question! In an interview with Al-Kadi, Nadia Muhanna asked him why a man would give his life to defending women's rights. Mr. Al-Kadi explained why a fight for women's rights was about more than just women. He said:
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"Trying to stop violence and discrimination against women is generally defined as defending women's rights. But I believe that by doing these things, I am also defending men's rights. Women are the first victims of violence and discrimination. But men are also victims. When you violate women's rights, restrict their development and treat them as second- class citizens, you create an unstable marriage relationship. You create an unbalanced family. This has an influence not only on women, but on husbands, children, and the whole of society."
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Al-Kadi works hard to make sure that all people in Syria receive equal rights. As he tells the Christian Science Monitor:
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"Our society cannot work when we do not treat one another with respect."
