Women's rights advocate and international music producer Deeyah speaks to the Womens News Network about the importance of remembering victims of honour killings and she shares her own thoughts and experiences of multicultural Norway in this interview!Deeyah: My grandfather was among the first immigrants to come to Norway in the late 60s.
My experience growing up in Norway was generally a very positive one, of course there were challenges but overall I am deeply thankful to have had the opportunity to grow up in a liberal society like Norway where a strong fundamental emphasis is placed on freedom of expression, women’s rights and equality– all values that I hold very dear to my heart and are principles that have formed my outlook on life and also my work.
I was a part of the first Norwegian born generation, children of immigrant parents. Growing up being from an immigrant family and a part of the non white ethnic minority community, I was always aware that I was different and at times not accepted or treated as an equal by some white people.
In the 80s and 90s we definitely felt a presence of various white right wing groups– as a teenager I actually used to participate in marches and demonstrations against skinheads, anti-immigrant and white supremacist groups. Knowing in a very personal way the level of hatred such individuals and groups carried for people of non white ethnic communities. One of the points that always used to grate on me growing up is how we were referred to in the broader mainstream society, we were referred to as foreigners and I remember always being confused why when I was born in Norway, held a Norwegian passport, spoke Norwegian like any white girl did why were people like us still referred to as foreigners…
Immigration changed the face of Norway over time and with it there have of course been some challenges and difficulties, however what has been essential is Norway’s leaders have consistently made efforts to build initiatives where inclusion and diversity was the prime focus of celebration. How successful one of the initiatives have been is hard to say but what is necessary is a genuine will to do something about the challenges we face.
I believe Norway’s leaders have always had the will and I think are now going to explore even more ways of addressing the issues on an even deeper level.
Obviously things have changed significantly since I was a child, the Muslim community in Norway now is around 100,000 and the country has developed into a far more colorful and multicultural society.
I have experienced discrimination from some white people and also from some Muslims in Norway.
When I was about 11 or 12 years old a grown white racist Norwegian man spat in my face telling that I was a black paki bitch and that I should “f” off back to the country I came from. At the age of 16 I was spat in the face by a grown sexist Muslim man telling me I was “a whore” for having become too “westernized.”
I know my experience of being exposed to discrimination from this fear mongering minority within both communities that hold deep rooted prejudices is not a unique one, but these are the sort of attitudes that do exist in some small quarters of both sides that we need to be aware of and deal with – it’s also important to be clear that one form of prejudice does not reduce or excuse the other in any way, both need to be addressed honestly, fearlessly and openly.
I am looking to the future with great optimism and hope based on the love, openness and unity the Norwegian people and leadership has shown in its most difficult time. I feel so much pride, admiration and love for my little country of big-hearted people!
WNN: In 2011, you founded Memini, a digital memorial for the victims of honour killings worldwide, what motivated you to do that?
Deeyah: I have worked with this topic for many years and what has always made my heart hurt in addition to the horrors and violence the victims of such crimes face is the intention of the killers to wipe out all signs of any existence of these young women. Not only are these murders so brutal and not only are the victims subjected to the ultimate betrayal of their family and community but the sheer tragedy of the people closest to them who should have loved them and cared about them and mourned them instead showed their very limited and conditional love and stole their life, their dreams and potential.
I wanted to create an online space where we could mourn them, think of them and acknowledge their life and that they were in fact here, to respect them, honour them and remember them. I told a dear friend of mine that I wanted to build such a place online and he immediately so kindly and graciously agreed to build it and help me start this space of remembrance. Since its launch we have received the time and support of volunteers from all around the world who are helping us in writing, researching, documenting and honouring these martyrs of love and courage by remembering them. I am deeply thankful for everyone’s support, dedication and care.
We of course cannot bring back these young lives but what we can do is defy the intentions of the murderers by honouring, respecting and remembering the ones who have been so brutally taken away.
Deeyah: I think one of the feelings at the core of the work I do and believe in strongly is to support women and young people to fulfill their potential, for women and young people to dream and aspire to lead a life and walk the path of their own choosing, to be who they are and to be the best they can be, underlying the thought behind Sisterhood as well.
Gender equality and women’s rights are the fundamental challenges Muslim women face today. They are the very same challenges women of other communities face as well in the same context by (other) strict patriarchal societies.
Millions of lives are sacrificed every year and the oppression of women manifests in glaring problems like domestic violence, child marriage, trafficking, FGM, forced marriage, honour based violence and honour killings, infanticide, dowry killings, rape as a weapon of war and humiliation. All this happening in the name of culture and in the name of religion and in the name of tradition, tribalism, local customs and “social morality”.
There is a real need to encourage education for our girls, to empower them and encourage women’s participation in these societies.
Muslim society will prosper, flourish and progress once its women, gain the rights to have an equal voice and place in our families, in our community, country and our world. Women are the single most important key to progress in our societies. The biggest barrier to our women having the opportunity to lead a safe, equal and fulfilled life free from violence is the societal rigidity that is rooted in parameters of long standing attitudes and concepts of masculinity, honour and the cultural hierarchy of male supremacy.
What is encouraging is that there are so many wonderful and passionate people men and women out there in different corners of the world working on improving these dire circumstances faced by women every single day. My wish is to create a global network of such courageous activists, NGOs and passionate individuals to connect with each other and see if there are ways we can help, encourage and support each other in our common and very essential goal of strengthening women’s rights and women’s voices.
