Opening Remarks
Power and Privilege – The Invisible Majority
Dr Farhat Mantoo, Executive Director, MSF South Asia
In her opening remarks, Dr Farhat Mantoo underscored the shared responsibility to uphold humanitarian values and emphasised how true transformation comes from being a catalyst of change, empowering civil society, and amplifying issues that often go unnoticed. She further went on to acknowledge global crises in Afghanistan, Sudan, Rohingya Exodus, Ukraine, and Gaza, highlighting the need to remain vigilant and not become desensitised to these crises. Dr Mantoo mentions the growing invisibility of various humanitarian crises resulting from public fatigue from constant exposure to distressing imagery and information. These crises also have a disproportionate impact on women, with over 3.9 billion women worldwide often finding themselves in vulnerable situations, caught between conflict and inadequate policy responses. Representing MSF, Dr Mantoo highlighted its agency and privilege in the humanitarian space while highlighting the need for collaboration with other humanitarian ecosystems to derive impact.
Keynote Address
Gender, Protection and Reproductive Rights
Dr Radhika Coomaraswamy
Dr Coomaraswamy starts off by discussing the challenges faced by women in conflict zones, from being targets of sexual assault in the form of rape and sexual slavery to facing the critical shortage of reproductive health services due to the disruption of healthcare services. Alongside disruption to basic facilities to live a comfortable life, they also face economic instability due to limited employment. This, alongside the excessive displacement, often leaves them in psychological trauma; PTSD, depression, and anxiety then become everyday battles. This displacement in itself makes these families refugees in either urban areas where they are subject to trafficking, exploitation, and vulnerabilities, or to refugee camps where their quality of life is severely hampered. Dr Coomaraswamy warned that losing sight of the understanding that international humanitarian law is fundamentally designed to help vulnerable groups could have catastrophic consequences for global humanitarian efforts. One of the central themes of her address was maternal mortality, which she described as a critical indicator of a country’s development and healthcare infrastructure. She mentions how the adoption of international frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was essential in laying the groundwork for reproductive rights as a matter of gender equality and how their influence in national courts has led women to lead improved lives.
Closing Remarks
Dr Unni Krishnan Karunakara
Dr Unni Krishnan Karunakara presented a comprehensive analysis of the significant challenges facing the global landscape today. He described the current environment as a post-liberal world characterized by apocalyptic nationalism, ethno-religious militancy, democratic backsliding, declining multilateralism, and retreating globalization. He went on to highlight that liberal values, including human rights and secular democracy, are no longer dominant forces in shaping societal and political structures. The rise of national security concerns and the process of securitization have resulted in the erosion of civil liberties and the emergence of authoritarianism. Further he identified several global challenges as “wicked problems,” which include climate change, migration, universal access to affordable healthcare, and social justice. These issues are complex and multifaceted, often resisting straightforward solutions. Humanitarian agencies face a critical dilemma: whether to exit hostile environments or transition from merely bearing witness to providing services. Dr. Karunakara expressed that this shift often leads to a departure from moral humanitarianism towards a more technical approach, which can sacrifice core humanitarian values.
Through Her Eyes: Understanding Women’s Vulnerabilities in Migration
This discussion highlighted the need for a multi-faceted approach to women’s empowerment in migration contexts. This involves engaging both men and women, implementing long-term capacity-building initiatives, and strengthening legal and advocacy frameworks. Addressing deep-rooted societal norms and ensuring sustainable investments in women’s leadership are essential for advancing gender equality and breaking cycles of abuse and disempowerment. Personal testimonies of displaced women were shared to exemplify the struggles of women over just statistics. The disproportionality of the effects of war on women and the lack of adaptation of humanitarian intervention according to gender needs were discussed as factors that contribute to prolonged conflict. Additionally, factors such as underreporting of sexual violence, The lack of integrated health policies, normalization of abuse, lack of sustainable living, The decreasing availability of funds for organizations working in the GBV and refugee support sector, and lack of power and agency in refugee women. Key action points on combatting the same issues were also discussed, ranging from incorporating women’s perspectives in intervention methods, addressing gender-specific risks, enhancing community involvement to address mental health needs, and creating safe spaces to support refugee women.
Convergence for Change: Dynamics of Regional Solidarity
It focuses on the significance of regional solidarity within South Asia so that it operates as a cohesive geopolitical unit characterized by strong economic complementarities among countries, deep-rooted historical and cultural connections, and significant ecological interdependence. Several obstacles to dealing with these regional disparities were also identified, particularly political asymmetry created by India’s dominant economic capabilities and resource endowments. Challenges faced by humanitarian organizations like MSF to cater to the diverse population of South Asia, especially with the shrinking space for open expression and solidarity, particularly regarding the movements of people across borders in countries like Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia, were discussed. The need for solidarity to address the situation in states such as Afghanistan was also established alongside a call to action for all member states of South Asia, including the promotion of bilateral engagement, enhancement of civil society advocacy, promote inclusivity, and building an ecosystem of support, among other things.
Boundaries, Blind Spots, and Breaking Points: Building a Better World for Women
Lina AbiRafeh delivered a powerful speech addressing the challenges and responsibilities faced by global communities in times of crisis. Her remarks emphasized the urgent need for collective action, the deconstruction of power structures, and a focus on forgotten emergencies, particularly concerning women’s rights and global governance. A central theme of AbiRafeh’s message was the need to deconstruct power dynamics, pursue decolonization within humanitarian work, and critically examine the power dynamics in environments, prompting questions about who is present, who is absent, and the significance of these absences. Further, she mentioned the significance of ‘forgotten emergencies’ using Afghanistan as a poignant example. She went on to describe the despair of women in Afghanistan and the situation of Feminist Activism in the Arab Region. In addressing these issues, she cautioned against tokenism and superficial engagement, urging to flatten governance structures and reduce top-down decision-making processes. AbiRafeh recognized the importance of empowering young voices, particularly young women facing marginalization, and called for self-reflection within organizations and asking themselves whether they genuinely listen to those carrying the burden of humanitarian work.
Structural Inequity: Access to Medical Treatment in an Unequal Health and R&D System
This panel discussion focused on the critical impact of structural inequity on access to medicines and treatment within the context of global healthcare. It underscores that access to life-saving medicines extends beyond mere scientific advancements or pharmaceutical availability; it is deeply intertwined with the socio-economic and political frameworks governing our world today. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by systemic disparities and inequalities rooted in gender. These inequities significantly hinder access to medical treatment, exemplifying a broader issue within healthcare systems. The session explored various manifestations of these inequities, including healthcare underfunding in low-income countries and the ethical, legal, and practical challenges arising from the inaccessibility of life-saving medicines for those who need them most.
Reclaiming Spaces: Collective Action to Safeguard Civil Society
This conversation addressed the critical issue of the loss and decline of civic space in South Asia, highlighting the urgent need to address the challenges in regaining fundamental rights. Key topics included the essential aspects of freedom of expression, assembly, and association, which form the cornerstones of civic space. The discussion sought to engage participants in a dialogue about the barriers to civil liberties and the strategies needed to overcome them, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in the pursuit of democratic values and human rights.