APFF4 Plenary Digest

What are the accomplishments and challenges in our collective journey at this moment towards a Feminist World? How can we make a breakthrough in our resistance against structural and systemic oppressions? What writings and stories of our movements are we leaving behind to remember or celebrate as lessons learned for the future? 

At APFF 2024, nearly 500 feminists, Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), and activists in the Asia Pacific gathered together, not only to strengthen our movements, but to learn from each other’s creative energies, share our stories and strategies of resistance, and build solidarity for our collective journey forward.

Here is a summary of the conversations over the three days of APFF Plenary: (The speech videos will be published in the end of October and links will be attached here)

Day 1 – Where We Are

Day 1 Plenary Speakers

As the starting point for The 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum, the Day 1 of APFF4 Plenary unpacked the structural oppressive forces behind injustices in today’s world. Locating ‘Where We Are’ for the journey of Feminist World Building, 5 plenary speakers highlighted imperialism, militarism, corporate capture, religious fundamentalism and more.

Azra Talat Sayeed, Roots for Equity / Pakistan 

“Feminists do not speak about the defence industry enough. Militarism and economic control are the two wings of imperialism.”

Azra Talat Sayeed delivered a panel speech addressing the two wings of imperialism—economic control and militarism—shedding light on the ascent of authoritarian regimes and historic high military spending, with the United States front and center. She argued that these dynamics have plunged the world into abject poverty and oppression. 

On the other hand, she noted that the people are resisting on various fronts—from peaceful protests and legal advocacy spaces to armed resistance. Despite the systematic demonization of this resistance as violent, she posed a rhetorical question: ‘Who is the real terrorist?’ which starkly reveals that terrorism resides within the belly of the beast—the Global North, especially under the aegis of US imperialism.

(View Azra’s speech slides

Sarala Emmanuel, Feminist Collective for Economic Justice / Sri Lanka

“Corporate capture acts as a ‘root cause’ of many human rights abuses. Therefore, corporate capture and debt go hand in hand.”

Sarala Emmanuel delivered a speech focusing on the global debt crisis and the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in expediting corporate capture and resource exploitation. She presented compelling data underscoring the severity of the current debt crisis, which she characterised as the most severe in recorded history.

She highlighted that the Global North is significantly benefiting from this economic downturn, citing Sri Lanka as a notable example of the crisis’ impact given the recent national crisis it faced in the previous years. The immense debt burden has led poor countries to significantly reduce spending on basic social services, including education, healthcare, social protection, and even climate-related measures.

(View Sarala’s speech copy)

Dr. Theresa (Isa) Arriola, Our Common Wealth 670 / Northern Mariana Islands

“Our indigenous culture really values respect, community and humility. The military often used [our] smallness to downplay our islands, but we use it to bring hope.”

Dr. Theresa (Isa) Arriola focused on geopolitical conflict and militarism, placing the Pacific front and centre for militarised testing and war preparations. She also critically examined the pervasive propaganda portraying nuclear weapons as instruments of peace, challenging the misleading narratives surrounding their role in global security.

Isa pointed out that, in response to this military strategy, the people of the Pacific islands are actively engaging in resistance by occupying various spaces. She also revisited the theme of the plenary session, ‘Where We Are,’ emphasising the cruciality of witnessing and holding people accountable.

(View Isa’s speech slides)

Kyung-jin Oh, Korea Women’s Association United / South Korea

“Many political leaders are actively using some people’s sentiments against women and the marginalized for their own political interests.”

Kyung-jin Oh focused on the unprecedented surge in anti-rights and anti-feminist trends, using the South Korean experience as a compelling case study of this backlash. She unraveled how the ruling elites, who wield both economic and political power, are systematically undermining the century-old victories of the labour and feminist movements.

In contrast, she highlighted the dynamic and resilient feminist movement in South Korea, which remains actively engaged in combating these regressive trends on multiple fronts.

(View Kyung-jin’s speech copy)

Zainah Anwar, Musawah Movement for Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family / Malaysia

“It is us, women, who are organising, at the forefront of our societies in pushing for change in the understanding and practice of our religion.”

Zainah Anwar focused on the use and abuse of religion in the Muslim context, asserting that disregarding religion as a strategic element in the feminist movement is a misjudgment.

She emphasised the importance of addressing religious fundamentalism while engaging with Islam, in particular, and religion in general, aimed at fostering a feminist movement that is both inclusive and liberating, advocating for ways to break free from the bonds of religious fundamentalism while integrating religious perspectives in a manner that supports women empowerment.

(View Zainah’s speech copy)

Day 2 – Where We Want To Be

Day 2 Plenary Speakers 

Setting the blueprint for Feminist World Building at The 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum, the Day 2 of APFF4 envisioned a Feminist World that is free, just, and able to support us all. Stating ‘Where We Want To Be’ in the future, 5 speakers demanded Climate Justice , Socialist future, Development Justice, Access and Social Equity for all.

Beverly L. Longid, KATRIBU, Asia IP Pact (AIPP) / Philippines  

“We are here to serve the people, uplift their voices, and ensure we build a bright socialist future where everyone can thrive.”

Beverly L. Longid delivered a speech addressing the theme of plenary session, ‘Where We Want To Be’ by sharing how Indigenous peoples envision a feminist future, saying feminists should strive for a Socialist future—one characterised by genuine freedom, justice and equality.

She recognised the ruling class remains formidable and continues to employ schemes to maintain its power. Therefore, it is imperative that the resistance movement continue to mobilise, organise, and act collectively to hold the power accountable. Besides, the movement must also hold itself accountable to the people it serves.

(View Beverly’s speech copy)

Sarita Lamichane, Prayatna Nepal / Nepal

“I wanna see a digital space where the body of person with disabilities is recognized as a diversity, not as an object of pity.”

Sarita Lamichane, a woman with disabilities, shared the aspirations and dreams of People With Disabilities (PWDs) and highlighted the importance of their genuine integration into society. She emphasised transcending being merely seen as objects of pity and building a society that respects accessibility and upholds social equity for all, especially women and LGBTQIA+ with disabilities.

Sarita highlighted several key areas where PWDs seek equality and inclusion: work and education, social movements and funding, technology accessibility, and family system.

Doris Tulifau, Brown Girl Woke / Samoa

“We envision a region where feminist Leadership is integral to all levels of governance and where social gender justice are foundations to our societies.”

Doris Tulifau discussed the plenary theme, ‘Where We Want To Be’ from the perspective of young women and the Pacific islands. She contextualised the current women-related challenges in the Pacific, highlighting the region’s intervention in climate justice and menstrual hygiene education, which not only to directly confront gender and climate-related issues but also serve as innovative avenues for imbuing gender values and empowerment.

Doris also acknowledged the shortcomings of conventional education, she does not merely criticise but actively addresses the gaps in the Pacific region where everyone is respected and every community has the opportunity to flourish.

Zebuniso Sharipova, League of Women Lawyers of Tajikistan / Tajikistan

“We want a Central Asia where every woman—regardless of ethnicity, religion or social status—has access to education, decent work, and is free from stereotypes and patriarchy!”

Zebuniso Sharipova spoke from the perspective of young activists and lawyers in Central Asia. She focused on demystifying the supposed gender progress in Central Asia, highlighting the serious challenges women face in family and workplace relations and in access to natural resources.

Zebuniso pointed out that gender-based violence and discrimination in Central Asia remain some of the most severe in the world. She also underlined that women in Central Asia cannot achieve their common aspirations alone, and stressed the importance of international solidarity to overcome systemic barriers.

(View Zebuniso’s speech copy)

Wu Meilin, Hong Kong Women Workers Association / Hong Kong

“We want to take back the economy to the people, to assure the dignity of care labour. We need women to participate to change our system.”

Wu Meilin addressed the Forum from the perspective of a women workers’ union organiser, highlighting the structural challenges faced by women workers and providing a labour movement perspective on strategic change.

Meilin highlighted the appalling labour exploitation of women and migrant workers in Hong Kong, despite the region’s supposed economic development. She also identified strategies that workers have developed through their ongoing labour movement in Hong Kong, and argued that a gender lens and women’s participation are needed more than ever to achieve systemic change.

(View Meilin’s speech copy)

Day 3 – How We Get There

Day 3 Plenary Speakers

Exploring the pathway for Feminist World Building at The 4th Asia Pacific Feminist Forum, Day 3 of APFF4 reflected on the strategies and tools needed for our collective journey. Addressing the theme ‘How We Get There’, 5 plenary speakers underlined collective care, cross-movement solidarities, intergenerational dialogue and technology. 

Joviana Guterres, Asia Justice and Rights / Timor-Leste

“Disseminating these stories, engaging in intergenerational dialogues, and advocating for government accountability are essential to ensuring non-recurrence of such violations.”

Jovi Guterres shared their stories of transformation when the state abandoned its responsibility to the people. She contextualised the collective healing of trauma in Timor-Leste’s society, which has experienced various colonial powers and the absence of the state. 

Jovi recounted how they crafted solutions ‘from the survivors, for the survivors’, collectively known as ‘Bukae’ or ‘woven baskets’, to support not only veteran freedom fighters, but also 455 women survivors of the colonisation of Timor-Leste, such as education and health, and more importantly, trauma healing and memoirs documenting the survivors’ stories.

(View Jovi’s speech copy)

Sring Sringatin, Indonesian Migrant Workers Union / Hong Kong

“Women migrants must acknowledge that we can not fight alone. Our history in the migrant worker’s movement proves that our strength relies on our unity among us and solidarity with others to defend ourselves.”

Sring Sringatin shared the successes of organising migrant workers in Hong Kong and other parts of East and Southeast Asia. She explained the global socio-economic trends leading to what she called the phenomenon of ‘forced migration’, and unpacked the current challenges faced by migrant workers in Hong Kong and Singapore, including the narrowing spaces and the limited resources and time available to mobilise and organise them.

However, Sring noted that their decades-long efforts have yielded results, and highlighted the significant role played by migrant women organisers and activists in these challenging times, which demonstrated that migrant women can find innovative ways to connect with and organise their fellow migrants using technology.

(View Sring’s speech copy)

Laisa Bulatale, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement / Fiji

“There seems to be a generation gap where we’re trying to put back the pieces. Our movement is only strong when we build the capacity of those that are in it.”

Laisa Bulatale addressed the plenary theme from the perspective of a young feminist from the Pacific, by focusing on how to sustain the resistance despite a perceived long and difficult fight against a more formidable enemy. She noted the generational gap in feminist movements and the criticality of amending it to sustain the movement.

Laisa identified four building blocks for sustaining an exhausting movement for societal change: taking care of ourselves amid daily hard work and trauma; expanding movement capacities based on past feminist achievements; seeking alternative funding amid restrictive donor requirements; and integrating diverse perspectives through cross- generational learning.

Mehrub Moiz Awan, Gender Interactive Alliance / Pakistan

“For every 800 trans people that we kill in one year, we make 800 normal male and female babies in just over an hour. And we think that is a very fair bargain. After all, those 800 normal babies will make 400 normal families.”

Mehrub Moiz Awan delivered a satirical piece, using the Muslim Pakistani society, exposing the paradox of religious fundamentalism and patriarchy. Her piece encouraged participants to contemplate the multifaceted forms of discrimination faced by the transgender community as a prerequisite for achieving the feminist future the forum envisions.

Her dark humour emphasised that our diverse movement must persistently reveal the systemic abuses faced by women and the trans community, including double standards, neglect, and existential threats.

(View Mehrub’s speech copy)

Jac sm Kee, Numun Fund / Malaysia

“We should all be movement weavers because the work of feminist tech activism is necessarily the work of multiple movements. We should put ourselves in those spaces and figure out what those connections are.”

Jac sm Kee delivered their speech with a focus on the feminist ways of knowing and being, specifically the feminist politics of technology. Jac argued that the current feeling of alienation of people towards technology is because of the current colonisation of technology, which increasingly marginalised the people of the Global South.

Jac advocated four ways in which feminists should imagine the world they envision: reclaiming the people’s collective knowledge and histories, engaging critically with technology, leveraging it in movements, and using imagination as a powerful tool for change.

APFF Plenary Bonus

(Text by Mark Vincent Baracao | Photos by John Black, Ronnachai, Shwe Paw Mya Tin)