Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS -- Neither Whores Nor Submissives) Organizes a Rally to Honor the Life of Patricia Cetout

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS – Neither Whores Nor Submissives), an international human rights organization located in Paris that advocates on behalf of women’s rights as universal human rights without compromise, organized a rally in cooperation with the friends and family of Patricia Cetout, a young woman of 27-years-old, who was brutally strangled and beaten to death last month in a suburb of Paris by a man whose sexual advances she had refused.  Patricia left her home in Martinique and moved to France to pursue education and employment opportunities.  The rally took place at 3 pm on Saturday, March 27, 2010, in front of the apartment building where Patricia lived, 34 rue Jules Ferry in Choisy-le-roi.  A crowd of approximately 250 mourners, including family, friends, activists, government officials and civic society leaders, donned t-shirts with Patricia’s picture and paid their respects in honor of her young life.  The mourners left flowers on Patricia’s doorstep and moved the crowd with heartfelt words.  

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS) fights on behalf of women everywhere in support of secularism, gender equality and gender desegregation to defeat violence perpetrated against women and discrimination.  NPNS condemns cultural relativism and obscurantism.  The grassroots feminist movement was created as a ferocious response to the egregious violence being perpetrated against the women and girls of the cités and quartiers of the banlieues (the ghettoized suburban housing projects surrounding France’s major cities, which are primarily comprised of marginalized Muslim immigrant communities).  The femmes des quartiers (women and girls descended from Sub-Saharan and North African Muslim immigrant families) continue to lead the fight for women’s rights and the full recognition of women as human beings with inherent dignity.  

Life in the Burbs

Here are some amazing and revealing pics from one of the ghettoized housing projects in a Parisian suburb.  The people waiting in line are waiting to receive food donations.

This is a housing project in Meaux.  Ni Putes Ni Soumises led a march and rally there in honor of a woman, Kavidha Bala, who was burned alive by her husband, in front of her eight-year-old daughter, in the middle of this housing project in November 2009.

A number of young women approached me while I was there and asked me if she survived or no.  Kavidha still remains in a nearby hospital and clings to life.  She is a survivor and a fighter.  Over 70% of her body had been burned.

Her husband is a much older cousin of hers.  Kavidha is an immigrant from India.  Her husband traveled to India and married her there, before bringing her to France with him.

Kavidha has been in France for many years now.  She has learned the French language and how to read and write in French.

During this time, her husband abused her.  Neighbors frequently called the police.

Finally, Kavidha managed the strength and resolve to separate from her husband.  They had been separated for several months when he set her on fire.

Because Kavidha and her husband are close relatives, and given the conservative and religious nature of the family, the family has been trying to keep the situation quiet.

Ni Putes Ni Soumises will not allow Kavidha to be silenced.  We will rise up in her honor and take to the streets, demanding human dignity for her and all victims of gender violence.

The Fight Against Violence Perpetrated Against Women has been named the Grand National Cause of France for 2010.

A woman approached our group and chastised us in Arabic, indicating that a woman's responsibility is to obey her husband and remain confined to the home, if he so desires.

As we left the housing project in Meaux, a group of young men engaged us in conversation.

They denied that violence against women was in any way a significant problem in either the projects or in France.

Our fight continues.

Ni Putes Ni Soumises Leads a Debate about Employment Opportunities for the Young Women of the Housing Projects

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS -- Neither Whores Nor Submissives) led a debate on Friday, March 19, 2010, in Melun, France, following an Employment and Social Cohesion Forum.  The focus of the debate was on employment opportunities for the young women living in the ghettoized suburban housing projects surrounding France's major cities.

Ni Putes Ni Soumises is an international human rights organization that advocates on behalf of women's rights as universal human rights without compromise.  They condemn obscurantism and cultural relativism.  Ni Putes Ni Soumises was created as a ferocious response to the egregious violence between perpetrated against the women and girls of the quartiers (housing projects).  The cites or quartiers populaires in the banlieues (suburbs) of France are primarily comprised of marginalized Muslim immigrant communities.  The women from these communities rose up together to fight against gender violence and discrimination.  The femmes des quartiers continue to lead the fight and the movement.

Support Ni Putes Ni Soumises!  Stand up for women everywhere!  Join us!

Ni Putes Ni Soumises Holds a National Council Meeting

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS -- Neither Whores Nor Submissives) held a National Council Meeting yesterday, March 25, 2010, at their nerve center in Paris, France, la maison de la mixite, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris.

NPNS is an international human rights organization that advocates on behalf of women's rights as universal human rights without compromise.  They condemn obscurantism and cultural relativism.

Stand up for women everywhere!  Support Ni Putes Ni Soumises!

Here are a few pics from the event:

Ni Putes Ni Soumises Attends an Employment and Social Cohesion Forum in Melun, France

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS -- Neither Whores Nor Submissives) attended an Employment and Social Cohesion Forum in Melun, France, on Friday, March 19, 2010.  Sihem Habchi, the President of Ni Putes Ni Soumises, met with many government officials and civil society organizations.

Here are a few photos of the well-attended event:

Ni Putes Ni Soumises Organizes a March for Kavidha

Ni Putes Ni Soumises (NPNS – Neither Whores Nor Submissives) organized a March on Friday, March 19, 2010, at 12 pm in Meaux, France, a suburb of Paris, to honor and remember Kavidha Bala, the young woman who was burned alive by her husband in front of her eight-year-old daughter in November of last year.  Sihem Habchi, the President of Ni Putes Ni Soumises, and Rachida Benahmed, the leader of the new Meaux branch of NPNS, led a march through the housing project in Meaux where the family resided and the horrific attack occurred.  Approximately two-dozen women’s rights activists with NPNS were on hand as Sihem placed a wreath at the very spot where a young mother nearly lost her life at the hands of her husband.  Kavidha was severely injured in the attack and remains hospitalized to this day.  Kavidha had separated from her husband after having suffered years of physical abuse.  Kavidha is originally from India, which is where the couple married before he brought her to France.  Kavidha’s husband is her older cousin.  Immediately after the wreath ceremony and statements by both Sihem and Rachida, the group held a discussion in a nearby community center.  As the group of activists departed the housing project, a group of young men engaged them in conversation.  The young men claimed that gender violence is not a significant problem.  Violence perpetrated against women has been named the Grand National Cause of France for 2010. 

Ni Putes Ni Soumises is an international human rights organization that advocates on behalf of women’s rights as universal human rights without compromise.  The movement was created as a grassroots response to the egregious violence that was being perpetrated against the women and girls of the cités and quartiers populaires of the banlieues (the ghettoized suburban housing projects surrounding France’s major cities that are primarily composed of marginalized Muslim immigrant communities).  In 2003, after a young girl was burned alive in a suburb of Paris, Fadela Amara and others led a march across France, which culminated in a 30,000 strong protest in Paris demanding action and change.  The femmes des quartiers (the women of the housing projects) continue to lead the movement.