SPAIN: MOSLEM FEMINISTS ARE NOT CONCERNED WITH THE NIQAB

ISLAM: VEIL A NON-ISSUE FOR MUSLIM FEMINISTS


Barcelona, 3 Nov. (AKI) - The right to wear the face-veil - which has in recent weeks caused growing controversy in Europe - is not the most important issue facing female Muslims.

Discrimination against women within the social and legal fabric of a country, is a far more serious problem, Abdennur Prado, director of an international conference on Islamic Feminism told Adnkronos International (AKI). Shariah law and its influence on Muslim countries' legal systems is the focus of this year's conference taking place in the northern Spanish city of Barcelona on Friday through Sunday, Prado said

"Undoutedly, the country where discrimination against women is worst is Saudi Arabia. Then there are countries such as Iran, where women are forces to observe certain dress codes and endure physical punishments," Prado said.

"Another country where discrimination against women is rife is Pakistan, but some North African countries such as Algeria are also guilty," she added. The congress will take a clsoer look at the legal and social position of women in these countries, as well as in Senegal, Sudan, Indonesia and Tunisia.

While some North African countries, most recently Morocco, have undertaken important reforms of their family law in favour of women, other such as Algeria, have yet to overhaul theirs, Prado noted. "There are those who justify discrimination against women in the name of Islam," she said.

The conference in Barcelona will focus on Sharia (Islamic) law and Muslim countries' laws. "It is one thing for sexism to exist in a country on a social level - as it does in Spain and Italy - and quite another to approve discriminatory laws against women that forbid them to go out and condemn them to harsh punishments such as whipping if they disobey," Prado underlined.

Besides the Shariah, the 400 delegates at the congress will also look at other issues affecting Muslim women such as divorce, sexuality, family planning and poligamy.

"The conference aims to be a tool for women to get closer, for dialogue and understanding between secular, Muslim and Christian feminists. The fight against discrimination must be global," Prado stressed.

The conference, is being attended by some of the most prominent Muslim women intellectuals and women's rights activists, and will also look at the role played by female leaders.


Pertinent Links:

1) ISLAM: VEIL A NON-ISSUE FOR MUSLIM FEMINISTS