Honor Killings

By John Wright Lauren Langen Cathey Silmone Katie Truax

Zahida's brother brutally attacked her because he alleged she had been unfaithful and brought shame to the family. He cut off her ears, tongue, and nose, gouged out her eyes, and left her for dead.

Some women are burned alive by their families to regain the family honor

These are women who Allegedly dishonored their families.

The Practice of Honor Killings

Honor killings refers to the murder of
women by family members or husbands as a means of retaining family pride.
suspicions of infidelity, promiscuity, flirting, desire for divorce, and marrying someone of their own choice.

Reasons for honor killings include:

Honor killings are not sanctioned by

Islamic law or religion.

Honor Killings as a Global Problem

Large number of cases are reported Nonetheless, the issue is a global

mostly in parts of the Middle East and South Asia one where other cases have been reported in Bangladesh, Great Britain, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Pakistan, Morocco, Sweden, Turkey, and Uganda.

Cultural Defenses

Idea of tradition and keeping up with the

tribal beliefs of the role of women in society

The strong emphasis on family relationships Women seen as property in the Koran

Belief that the demands of westerners

deny the different cultural traditions of those practicing honor killings

What is being done?

In Jordan, attempts at reforming the

countrys penal code that exonerates or lessens the punishment for honor killings, have been made.

UN Resolution

CEDAW

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Discrimination against women violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity, is an obstacle to the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries

Jordan

Jordan ratified CEDAW on July 31, 1992. Some of Jordans reservations include: Women do not have equal rights with men over the nationality of children. Women do not have the right to choose their residence and must live with their husband Wives do not have the right to choose the family name or their own occupation

Articles in Violation of CEDAW

Article 1-Does not allow discrimination in any other field meaning personal/family life. Article 2(c)-Women are to be protected of discrimination in law and the judicial system are to give equal rights to men and women. Article 2(g)-The country must change all discrimitory laws against women. Article 2(f)-The country must change any customs or traditions that discriminate against women.

Articles in Violation of CEDAW

5(a)-The country is to change discrimination against women by educating society. 15(1,2)-Women and men are to have equal opportunities under the law. 16(1)-Women shall not be discriminated against in their family

Violations of CEDAW

Article 340 of Jordans Penal Code violates CEDAW because it allows men who commit honor killings a lessened prison sentence or not even one at all. This is discrimitory because:
There is no law that allows women to kill men based on honor killings. It promotes and accepts the killings because men will not have to serve as much time in jail.

Violations of CEDAW

Article 98 of Jordans Penal Code states that, he who commits a crime in a fit of fury caused by unlawful and dangerous act on the part of the victim benefits from a reduction of penalty.
This is discrimitory because:

It is used by men to say the loss of their honor caused them to be enraged and commit the murder, even though most honor killings are premeditated crime.

Violations of CEDAW

Jordans Government violates the CEDAW by not reporting to the Committee the discrimitory practice of honor killings that is required
November 10, 1997 report stated that no practices based on gender-based inferiority or superiority exist.

However, officials from CEDAW did not question Jordan about Honor Killings or tell them they were in violation of CEDAW by Articles 340 and 98, despite knowing that honor killings were taking place due to media attention.

How would Sophie Scholl or Martin Luther King approach this problem?

Sophie Scholl A German who was against Hitler. She didnt agree with what he believed. I think she would have made fliers of some sort to help with this. She would of helped to make a difference, I think if she tried she could get people to agree with her fliers.

Martin Luther King He had a comprehensive view of human nature, that we are spiritual, human, and animal. I think he would of made a speech saying if this can happen to a woman, then it should be able to happen to a man. If this was happening to a white it should happen to a black as well.

How Successful would their foundational philosophies be in reducing the problem

Sophie Scholl and Martin Luther King They wanted their own rights and authority, and should live their own lives with their own choosing, without breaking the law. Being successful doesnt necessarily go with changing ones mind, but stopping the problem entirely.

How successful would their foundational philosophies be in reducing this problem. Cont

Sophie Scholl
She fought for what she believed in, and I believe she would have made the same effort with this problem.

Martin Luther King

I think he would have been a big success with this. With his I Have A Dream speech being a big success, I think he would have made a big success with this too.

Can Anti-foundational Philosophies be used for changing cultural practices that many consider to be violations of Fundamental Human Rights?

In other words can we have Ethics without Principles?

Anti Foundational Philosophies

Anti: One who is opposed Foundation: A basis upon which something stands or is supported Philosophies: a critical study of fundamental beliefs and the grounds for them

What does this all Mean?

Anti-Foundational Philosophies according to Websters Dictionary is a critical study of fundamental beliefs which is opposed to and idea upon which something stands or is supported.

Example of an Anti-foundationalist and his teachings

Dr. Richard Rorty

Philosophers who, like myself, eschew this distinction must abandon the traditional philosophical project of finding something stable which will serve as a criterion for judging the transitory products of our transitory needs and interest.

In other words Dr. Rorty says he must abandon the search for something stable (a foundation) by which to make his decisions upon.

Example of a Foundationalist and his teachings.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his Letter from the Birmingham Jail

An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all.

It is clearly shown Mr. King is laying down a foundation by which he is going to base his decisions on what laws to obey or disobey. The standard he uses is the Law of God, and the Law of Nature

Fundamental Human Rights

Fundamental: Basic Essential Human: any species of primate mammal comprising all living persons and their recent ancestors Rights: qualities that constitute what is correct, just, proper or honorable What does this Mean?

Fundamental Human Rights: The basic, essential qualities that constitute just, proper or honorable treatment to any species of primate mammal, comprising of all living persons and their recent ancestors.

Can Anti-foundational Philosophies be used for changing cultural practices that many consider to be violations of Fundamental Human Rights? No

Can we have Ethics with out Principles

Principles: a rule or code of conduct, a general or fundamental law, doctrine or assumption Ethics: discipline dealing with good and evil and moral duty

There is no way we can have Ethics without Principles, without one another, How can we have a discipline dealing with good and evil and a moral duty, if we dont have a code of conduct or a basic, essential foundation by which to base good and evil? It cannot exist.

What are the advantages of an AnitFoundationalist approach?

An Anti-Foundationalist can sit the fence and never have to take a side. Not having to have a definite answer for a question or problem is the scapegoat by which they live their lives.

Works Cited
Honor Killings. American University International Law Review; Washington College of Law America 2001.

University.

Katz, Nikki. What You Need to Know About Honor Killings.

Honor

Killings. Women's Issues. About.Com; 4 November 2003. accessed 11 February 2004.

http://womensissues.about.com/cs/honorkillings/a/hon
orkillings.htm

King, Maritin Luther. Letter from Birmingham Jail. 16 April 1963.

Works Cited

Mayell, Hillary. Thousands of Women

Killed for Family

"Honor". NationalGeographic.Com; 12 February 2002. National Geographic Society. 2004. accessed 11 February

<http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

news/2002/02/0212_0202

12_honorkilling.html>.

Rorty, Richard. Philosophy and Social Hope: Relativism: Finding and making. Penguin Books, 1999

Works Cited

Websters Dictionary of the English Language: Copyright by

Merriam-Webster,

Incorporated 2001 Edition

United Nations Office of the High Commissoner for Human

Rights. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women. 3 Sept. 1981. 11 Feb. 2004. <http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/e1cedaw.htm