We have fought and are fighting discrimination not only against women but against all human beings, and have actively joined in the struggle against the unequal administration of justice, against torture, terrorism, hijacking, apartheid and many other problems.
In 1956, the women of Haiti could not vote. We went to Haiti, held public meetings and as a direct result of our efforts, the women got the right to vote shortly after we left.
In 1960 the laws affecting women in Thailand were antiquated and oppressive. We were asked to come to Thailand, to hold meetings there to help the women in their struggle for equality. Through the constant pressure of our Thai-members, in 1974, laws were finally passed giving women full equality and mandating that all existing laws discriminating against women were to be abolished within two years. A drafting Committee on Family Law comprised of six men and six women was also set up. Three of the women on that committee are our members. Another of our Thai-members is now a senator.
In 1971 at our Congress in Chile, the Latin American Women asked us to adopt resolutions for rectifying the many iniquities in their laws under the principle of “Patria Potestas” giving almost absolute power over the children and their separate property, to the father. We are advised that since then, much has been accomplished in that respect.
Some Delegates at the Convention In Korea Dr. Tai-Young Lee founded the first legal aid clinic to help the indigent and particularly poor women.
In Singapore our members have instituted free legal counseling, have distributed pamphlets about what women should know about the law, in all languages and dialects in use there, and have established a scholarship for handicapped children.
In Iran, our former president Dr. Manoutchehrian, at her own expenses, translated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into Persian and distributed thousands of copies throughout the land. The establishment of family courts and legal aid clinics has received high priority in our members programmes and we are collecting up to date statistics thereon.
In the United States our members have been in the forefront of the battle for ERA, and have held open forums and panel discussions on the future effect of ERA. Dr. Marguerite Rawalt is the chairman of the Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Council.
In Nigeria the drafting committee for constitutional amendment, composed of 49 men and no women, incorporated provisions affecting women’s rights to vote on religious grounds. Our Nigerian members are vigorously contesting these provisions, in line with our policy of supporting the abolition of discrimination against women in religious tenets and tribal laws, wherever found. FIDA Nigeria has recently been honored by the Nigerian Government for their work on the Eradication of Drug Abuse.
In 1991 FIDA Colombia pioneered the political rights of women. Colombia’s national Constituent Assembly, under the clause of Political Rights, approved “the duty of the State to guarantee adequate and effective participation by women at decision-making levels of public administration”.