Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Organized by
In collaboration with
National Commission for Women New Delhi
Edited by
Dr. Ameena Tahseen
Director, CWS, MANUU
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
DR. AMEENA TAHSEEN
Foreword
PROF. KHWAJA M. SHAHID
6
8
Preface
DR. AMEENA TAHSEEN
Keynote Address
10
16
20
Presidential Address
24
27
46
DR. SHAHIDA
10
11
52
60
1
2
12
93
13
97
14
15
104
114
16
121
17
124
18
127
19
134
Hyderabad)
MS. RUQIA TASKEEN
20
139
21
143
Acknowledgements
It is my prime duty to place on record my sincere thanks for the
faith bestowed on me by Prof. Mohammed Miyan, Former ViceChancellor, MANUU and Prof. Khwaja M. Shahid, Vice-Chancellor I/c,
MANUU, to shoulder the responsibilities of Centre for Womens Studies,
MANUU. I acknowledge their immense support with a deep sense of
gratitude to organize the Colloquium on Mainstreaming the Indian
Muslim Women The Way Forward in collaboration with the
National Commission for Women, New Delhi on 24-02-2015, as a first
activity after taking the charge of director of the Centre.
I acknowledge with appreciation the whole-hearted cooperation
and association extended by the National Commission for Women to
conduct the Colloquium. I place on record my gratitude to Honble
Chairperson, NCW, Smt. Lalitha Kumaramangalam for her valuable
presence as Chief Guest of the programme, and also I am indebted to Ms.
Shamina Shafeeq, Member NCW, for her great efforts to organize the
colloquium and to grace the occasion by participating as a Guest of
Honour.
I take this opportunity to record my gratitude to Prof. Fatima
Alikhan (Former Head, Dept. of Geography, & Director, CWS, OU) for
her remarkable participation to chair the programme and enlightening the
audience with her presidential address. I am also indebted to Prof. Amina
Kishore, (Professor, Abul Kalam Azad Chair-MANUU) for her
thoughtful key note address. She has been always a source of immense
support for me. I acknowledge her support with deep sense of gratitude.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the resource
persons & paper presenters for their cooperation rendered on me.
6
Without their active participation & support it would have not been
possible to conduct the Colloquium and to bring out the papers in the
compiled form. My special thanks to
Dr. Gulfishaan Habeeb, (Associate Professor, English, DDE, MANUU)
for her great support in editing the text.
I want to thank my supporting staff for their cooperation in
organizing the programme and bringing out this proceedings.
Foreword
It is a well accepted fact that Women in general, particularly in India, are
not treated well by the society. Whether it is social status or violence or
remuneration for the services rendered or sexual harassment, the women
are at the receiving end.
discussions and debates to address this issue. These efforts might have
contributed in some improvements, but a lot more is still desired to be
done. In a society, which is historically male dominated; it is a daunting
task to make people understand the importance of due respect and status
to women. A society cannot claim to be civilized or progressive unless it
provides a respectful, honourable and safe place to its women folk. There
is, no doubt that a number of laws and organizations are in place to work
for the welfare of women. It is, however, more important to change the
mindset of the men and also women wherever necessary.
It is very important for self-respect and redemption of the status
of women that they should be provided as good education as is provided
to men. It will be heartening to note that wherever women entered in to
any profession on the basis of their education, skills and knowledge, they
have out-performed the men. It reiterates the importance of education for
women. The educated women will not only contribute to the knowledge
base of the society but will also economically enrich it. I very strongly
subscribe that a woman with economic and financial strength will occupy
a high position in the society which she deserves.
The crisis of values in present day societies can also be taken
care of by an educated and respected woman as a mother, sister, wife,
daughter or in any other capacity. She has to be given a befitting status
independent of her relationship to the men folk.
I feel that Indian Muslim Women are also facing all those
challenges which are being faced by women from other socio-religious
and cultural groups. No doubt there can be certain specific issues to
Indian Muslim Women, but same will be true to the women of other
groups. The need is to tell the society to respect the women and treat
them with equality.
The Colloquium on "Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim
Women The way forward" has aptly discussed the issues related to
women and found a way forward. I am glad that the papers received on
the topic are being printed in the form of a book. The message of the
Colloquium is required to be taken forward. This book is a right step in
the right direction. But the need is to travel much beyond the book to
enlighten the men and women of the street, houses, offices, academic
institutions etc.
Prof Fatima Ali Khan, Mrs Kumaramangalam, Mrs Shamina Shafiq and
Dr. Amena Tahseen Congratulations. The topic and the event are both so
timely and the wording is apt.
A meaningful triangular partnership is visible today: The
academics are sitting together with the governmental agency and the field
specialists at one table. In the discussion of gender issue it is such
partnership that is efficacious and mutually facilitating.
I wish the
woman
in
India,
though
with
some
additional
disempowering factors. What are the demands that any woman may make
to achieve empowerment and to arrive at the mainstream?
Access to Health
Access to Education
Right to Practice their own Religion
Protection under the law of the country
These demands are demands of what we may term as everyday
Feminism. No society and no religion can deny the right mindedness of
these demands. When there is a perceived obstacle to these basic needs
and when the womans right to dignified existence comes under fire that
is the moment where the woman needs the helping hand of the other.
Law, Scripture, custom and tradition all have to be adjusted and amended
if need be to establish justice and equality.
Today we are speaking of mainstreaming the Indian Muslim Women. The
organizers of this event have added an expanding phrase to the theme: the
way forward. It is a good reminder to move on and stopping flogging
dead horses. The idiom has to change from one of closed arguments and
blaming a perceived agent of the ailment. We must speak in terms of
12
positive action, Beyond that, we have to chalk out a follow up plan and
implement it.
Mainstreaming the Indian Muslim woman does not simply mean
increase the numbers of women in the system and creating a visibility of
participation in public enterprises. The Indian Muslim Woman needs to
be empowered as a Woman first and then given some special attention to
her specificity of being a Muslim woman. Her difference must be
honoured and her equality must be assured on all counts. Her community
identity should in no way be a retarding factor in any consideration. This
is necessary because there is a frightening possibility of the oft repeated
formula
of
poor
oppressed
Muslim
Woman
becoming
psychologically accepted reality and the women may get habituated to the
self image of passive victim.
One sees it happening already with women in India. A woman
police officer was recently heard saying she does not like to take late
evening duties because women are not safe on the roads after dark!!
Social consciousness should change. Institutions must allow
space to women and consciously take steps to prevent overmasculinisation of the system. Aberrations should not become acceptable
as norms. We have always said the Education is a strong weapon. I'm
afraid we have let that become a mere slogan. What is important is that
education should seep into the social consciousness of both men and
women. Education should be respected for what it is. There are three
main results of education. It is a builder of personality and a provider of
livelihood. More than this, education gives us knowledgeknowledge of
the Self and of the other.
13
THANK YOU.
15
Address
Ms. Shamina Shafiq
Member NCW, New Delh
16
also, the dialogue is not going to end. I request all the eminent panelists,
all the speakers and anybody for that matter in this house, if you have
solutions place them before us. I dont find many NGOs who are working
especially towards the cause of Minority women be it Sikh women or be
it Jain women. When the Expert Committee of the Minority Women
searched for NGOs working on Jains not even a single organization came
forward which said that it had worked for the women belonging to the
Jain community. We could not found a single organization. So it not just
about one community, it is about several other communities and women
living in those communities. We have to mainstream women living in
those communities.
There are some best practices. Can we share those practices and
save time in reinventing the wheel? When we look towards the South, we
know categorically that we are going to get some good results in terms of
best practices. In Kerala, there are organizations that are working in a
very good functional manner as far the Muslim women are concerned.
We know when it comes to (the erstwhile) Andhra Pradesh, there are very
good organizations. When we talk about the South there is a lot of
seriousness. It is not just one dialogue that NCW has initiated. It is a
series of six dialogues in two months across different states. We are
trying to come out with solid recommendations and best practices which
can then be taken on to the right platform.
18
19
Address
Smt. Lalitha Kumaramangalam
Chairperson, NCW, New Delhi.
The problems of women are similar across communities, across the
countries, across the religions and it does not make any difference
whether one is Hindu or Muslim or Christian or whether you live in India
or you live in Australia or you live in the Middle East or anywhere else.
Women have very similar problems. We have been talking about the
problems of women across communities; its not any religion that
marginalizes women.
religion that mistakes happen and that is a human fault. Again there are
mistakes in practices of every religion. The problem of the non-inclusion
of women is that women are not included in many aspects of life that they
should be included in whether it is education or nutrition. Indian women
dont get the nutrition that they deserve.
educated as much that they should be. In India they dont get recognition
that they work as hard or harder than most of the men in this country
whether it is in the north-east, whether it is in the south, whether it is in
the east of India. There is no financial value put on the amount of work
that women do. Internationally the figure is that the women do about
70% of the work and they get hardly 1% of salary earned internationally.
Also they own less than 10% of property again throughout the world.
India is no different.
20
22
Presidential Address
Prof. Fatima Alikhan
Former HOD
Dept. of Geography, OU
fatima.alikhan@gmail.com
I personally congratulate the Organizers, Centre for Womens
Studies, MANUU and National Commission for Women for conducting
this Colloquium on such an important topic.
In today's discussion a lot of points have been raised, and I hope that
the organizers would make a summary of some of the issues and
document it because these were important issues. One thing which has
been said many times is that, these issues are universal to women across
the world. But then there are also some specific issues within each
religious community. Every religion has given rights to women. Islam
there is no disputing, has given many more rights to women than to men,
but then we have to introspect as to what happened with Muslim women,
what happened that we are considered to be oppressive to our women.
Somewhere along the line these wonderful ideas that were propagated by
Islam have been subverted, hijacked, whatever you want to say. So we
need to look within the community. There are issues that need to be
addressed within the community. There are issues that need to be
addressed by civil society, there are issues that need to be addressed by
the Government.
24
26
A result
28
29
At
Hindu
Illiterate
Literate
Muslim
Christian
Sikh
Jain
Buddhist
Other
59.3
60.5
32.9
38.9
6.8
44.7
70.3
5.4
9.5
7.5
3.0
2.5
10.8
6.2
School
13.0
14.5
15.4
18.1
22.6
14.6
8.5
School
8.3
6.1
13.1
9.8
14.3
13.2
8.8
7.2
5.6
14.6
16.4
23.4
8.9
4.0
Higher Secondary
6.8
3.5
16.7
13.8
30.4
7.9
2.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Primary
Complete
Middle
Complete
At middle to senior
10
11
education system has been polarized in the long past with the
concept of Deeni Madrasa education System. Although we cannot
compare Deeni
Madrasa
education
system
with
Modern
34
41
RECOMMENDATIONS:
At the outset the result of this study shows an identical change in mindset
of young generation Muslim girls. To promote this tendency, it is very
necessary to take measures at various levels. The Muslim community, the
State, the Social and religious organizations and the educated &
successful Muslim women should come forward to speed up the
transformation process regarding women education, for a better results.
To promote the attitude which is been urged in the Muslim Girls towards
importance of modern and higher education needs many more important
interventions.
It became necessary to change the traditional perception at large
towards the education and development of women in Muslim
community. Their skills and ability must be developed to meet
the challenges of the contemporary era.
Law and order must be strengthened to eradicate the communal
sensation and atmosphere so that, Muslim Girls/women get
secured atmosphere and they can pursue their education easily.
As per the constitutional rights, made on the the basis of
Equality and Social Justice, the Muslim Women must get all
the opportunities of education and development on par with
other women belongs to different communities.
Other than General provisions, special facilities must be
provided to Muslim women as considered them educationally
and economically most deprived or backward community of
India .In terms of Madrasa Girls, they are receiving very
limited facilities by the SSA Programmes. It is not enough to
promote or fulfil their desire towards Higher education or to
include them in Mainstream education system. Tutorials in
Madrasas, (where the number of students are more), should be
42
established for the bridge courses and to prepare them for other
parallel education.
Medium
Junior
and
Degree
colleges
and
free
development
training,
educational
awareness
/ professional education
44
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Zoya Hassan & Ritu Menon 2005, Educating Muslim Girlspp 72.
6.
7.
8.
9.
46
have in fact denied them their rights as is enshrined in the holy Quran.
The laws have not been reformed either for the fear that this amounts to
interference with the Divine thus making them immutable and hence
follow (Taqleed) the same strictures which were introduced fifteen
hundred years ago, or for sheer ignorance. Qurans mandate of justice,
benevolence and compassion although inviolable as values, do undergo
changes in expression and application from one age to another,
(Engineer: 1999). The progressive thinkers in the community, on the
other hand, feel it necessary to make use of the provision of the Ijtehaad
to reinterpret the law in the light of the Divine, as is necessitated by the
changing socio-cultural and political milieu. Hence, Muslim feminists are
trying to deconstruct the Muslim conceptual structures which are
products of androcentric culture and patriarchal structure of the Muslim
society during 8th and 11th century A.D.
Religion in India shapes social change and political order in
complex ways that are often misunderstood. Religions role in social
change is linked to particular configuration of state authority, religious
ideology, and institutions. Religion may promote democratization or
challenge liberal conception of rights and equality. It appears Islamic
revival does not necessarily repress women but empowers some of them,
granting a more public role in the religious community and providing a
platform for launching critical discussions on religion, rights and
nationhood. On the other hand, religious institutions can usurp
democratic state authority to promote their own agendas even in a
pluralist system like in India.
48
In a communally
charged society, it becomes much more difficult for the forces of reform
to triumph. But the Muslim women are no more mute witnesses to all the
unfair practices being followed in the community in the name of religion.
49
What is to be done?
Quran does not make derogatory reference to women; she is kept always
in an exalted position, be it as a daughter, wife or a mother. Her rights
override her responsibilities. Under the prevailing situations, it is
Imperative for Indian Muslim women to reclaim their right to
religious knowledge, enter the discourse on the shariah and
challenge their historic marginalization from religious knowledge
as well as its discriminatory interpretations.
Muslim women should learn/ be taught Arabic language to be able
to understand the TEXT in its spirit.
The Muslim community should assume the onus of transforming
from within Muslim Personal Law.
The National/State Commissions for Women should play a
positive interventionist role in reaching these women who are
affected by poverty, lack of knowledge of skills, and resources,
with the help of agencies who are dedicatedly working to bring
them out of the clutches of poverty, hardship and marginalization.
Programmes for their up-liftment should be framed with the
suggestions from the community/women concerned, instead of
forcing upon them what the Commission think is appropriate.
The Muslim Seminaries, Ulemas, Personal Law Board should
make concerted efforts to bring in positive reforms in Nikahnama
to safeguard the Muslim women from a life of destitution.
The Quranic mandate of justice, benevolence and compassion
although inviolable as values, nevertheless undergoes changes in
expression and application from one age to another. One needs to
50
51
The two photographs showing the Panellists and the audience at a Panel
Discussion on Indian Women: Challenges and Discourse are more
evocative than my full paper can get.
The Panellists are all Hijab / Pardah observing women and so is everyone
in the audience. My point: Why is there no non-Muslim among the
women? My other point: Why is there no man? As long as we restrict the
discourse to the Muslim Women in isolation, not much can be gained. It
is important that there is a dialogue across gender and religion. Only then
the issues affecting the Muslim Women can be seen in the right
perspective. As long as inclusiveness is not a part of society, no
community can make much progress.
A major hurdle that prevents the mainstreaming of the Indian Muslim
Women is the xenophobia that prevails in the mainstream society. Even
though centuries have elapsed since Muslims first set foot on the Indian
soil, a sense of xenophobia is still clearly perceptible in the Indian
mainstream society. Muslims are relegated to the fringes or treated only
as a stereotype. Though the Indian society has been quick to adopt the
western dress sense, the burqa and the hijab (which characterize the
Indian Muslim women) are yet to find acceptance in society. Just as when
Indian women took to two wheelers and to jobs without giving up the
usual attire be it saree or shalwar kameez, similarly mainstream society
should not expect Muslim women to give up their attire or their religious
identity as they make inroads into Indian mainstream society.
The prevalent xenophobia prevents justice to the Indian Muslim women
thereby preventing them from mainstreaming. The portals of justice need
to be sensitive to the needs of the Muslim women in India who suffer
from defamation, discrimination and disparaging comments. Legal
awareness will go a long way in mainstreaming the Indian Muslim
women. Way back in 1889, when Cornelia Sorabji became the first
Indian woman to study law at Oxford University, she left no stone
53
While the NCW Report refers to serious prejudices, I would like to point
two very basic issues. For every Rani Jhansi taught in schools, is Razia
Sultana also taught? For every Meena, Radha, Archana in the language
books is there Fatima, Sameena, Rehana? The exclusion politics in
syllabus formulation and the cultural insensitivity need to be replaced
with the contribution of Indian Muslim women in various fields of life.
I further wish to state that the prejudice against the Muslims is
ubiquitous. One finds it in cinema and the print and electronic media. The
Muslim is not always depicted in positive terms. It is the religious
fanaticism that is highlighted and the presentation of situation and
character is too often biased and aimed at projecting a backward and
unprogressive image. Munjial and Kaushik state: That Islam treats
women better than many other religious traditions or legal systems, was
never brought out in any media analysis. The only thing projected in the
media was that Islam metes out worse treatment to women
(Mainstream). The television in India also relegates a complete section of
the society to the background. Muslim representation is minimal sand it is
noticed that only Urdu Channels/newspapers mostly cater to the Muslim
needs and issues.
The prevalent sense of prejudice against the Muslims in India has
not been lost on Jaffrelot and Gayer (2012):
Numbering more than 150 million, Muslims constitute the largest
minority in India, yet suffer the most politically and socio-economically.
Forced to contend with severe and persistent prejudice, Indias Muslims
are often targets of violence. (Muslims in Indian Cities)
It is important that the majority mainstream society in India sheds its
fear/prejudice of the Muslims. The Muslims are an integral part of India
and are here not to supplant but to supplement. A complementary move
toward one another will go a long way in nation building and in
mainstreaming the India Muslim women. The Muslim women are
56
Education,
employability and
served as Governor of Tamil Nadu); Sania Mirza and Nikhat Zareen (in
Sports); Sayeda Saiyidain Hameed (first woman Chancellor of MANUU
and former member NCW and Planning Commission); Najma Heptullah
(Union Minister); Syeda Anwara Taimur (first and only lady Chief
Minister of Assam); Mehbooba Mufti (Chief of a Political Party);
Gowhar (winner of Big Boss 7); Ruveda Salam and Sarah Rizvi (IPS) and
countless others.
The Muslim women have never been prevented from mainstreaming by
their religion. Right from the days of the Prophet Muhammad (saw)
women have been in sphere of activity. It is interesting to note here that
the worlds oldest continuously operating degree granting University
recognised as such by UNESCO and the Guinness Book of World
Records is Al Qarawiyyin University which was founded way back in the
9th century by a Muslim woman, Fatimah al-Fihriyah. Closer in 2006,
Anousheh Ansari became the first Muslim woman in Space. Young
Indian Muslim girls are today trained in martial arts as seen in the picture.
Urdu University has also contributed to the mainstreaming of Indian
Muslim women. The mandate of the University is to provide focus on
women education apart from other objectives. As on date there are 18
Indian Muslim women heading at various levels; more than 40 Muslim
women employees with doctorate degrees (several Muslim women have
also been awarded Ph.D and M.Phil degrees by the University); 10
Muslim women with UGC Major/Minor Research Projects; 3 Muslim
women on the Executive Council; 11 Muslim women on the Academic
Council; there are on an average 1/3rd Muslim women students in the
regular mode while in the distance mode the Muslim women nearly equal
the men students and there is adequate representation of women on the
University Committees. (Source: NAAC Self Study Report 2015 and
University Dairy 2015).
58
To sum up, the following solutions are suggested for mainstreaming the
Indian Muslim women: alleviation of poverty; inclusive policies; access
to
education;
empowerment;
legal
awareness;
employment
59
This paper in this context attempts to argue that interest free micro
finance promotes economic empowerment of excluded Muslim women
which in turn help them to acquire the capabilities and assets so that they
get out of the clutches of poverty.
2.0 Economic Empowerment of Women: The Concept
Empowerment is the process by which the powerless gain greater control
over the circumstances of their lives. It includes control over resources
(physical, human and intellectual) and over ideology ( beliefs, values and
attitudes) ( Batliwala ,1994 ) . It means not only greater extrinsic control
but also a growing intrinsic capability, greater self-confidence and an
inner transmission of one's consciousness that enables one to overcome
external barriers to accessing resources or changing traditional ideology.
Empowerment is about the transformation of power relations between m
en and women at four distinct levels, namely, the household/family, the
community, the market and the state. Such transformation, viewed in
different contexts of power, includes access to and control over material;
and other resources (economic, legal, institutional and social) as well as a
possible and measurable change in self-perception and confidence
(England P., 2000).
61
62
between the objectives of Islam and the avowed aims of best practices of
Micro Finance (Obaidullah 2007).
The Islamic approach to economic empowerment is free from riba,
gharar, jahl and darar. Zakah and sadaqah as instruments of charity
occupy a central position in the Islamic scheme of poverty alleviation.
The literal and simple meaning of Zakah is purity. The technical meaning
of the word designates the annual amount in kind or coin which a Muslim
with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries. Awqaaf
institutions (charitable trusts) were philanthropically endowed as a
principal-preserving, usufruct-delivering, society-welfare asset. Initially
consisting of donated durable assets (traditionally land and buildings), the
trusts have evolved and are being used as a socio-economic tool for
religion, education and public service provision.
The approach in the present study is to focus on economic empowerment
through Islamic micro finance as a system based on ethical shariah
principles to assess its
impact on
Hyderabad.
3.1 Models of Islamic Microfinance for Economic Empowerment:
Islamic Micro finance provides an innovative interest-free alternative to
conventional micro-finance. It is based primarily on the profit-sharing
principles of equity based finance. It has the potential to convert dead
capital into income generating assets to financially and economically
excluded people of the society. Interest free financial services enable poor
Muslims to use profitable business opportunities and raise earnings.
Conventional financial markets often serve poor people badly. Since
marginalised
64
b. Micro-Savings
Micro-savings is a critical financial service for poor and excluded
households. Poor people want secure, convenient deposit services that
allow for small balances and transactions and offer easy access to their
funds. These deposits that may take the form of wadiyya, qard-hasan and
mudaraba: Deposits in the form of wadiyya, qard hasan and mudaraba
have their parallel in savings, current and time deposits respectively and
are a regular source of funds for Islamic microfinance institutions,
especially those in South-East Asia.Wadia is an Islamic deposit. Under
this mechanism, the deposits are held as amana or in trust and utilized by
the microfinance institution at its own risk.
c.
Micro-Credit Micro Credit is Islamic alternative to interestbased conventional loan which is trade based or lease-based that
permits the ownership and/or use of commodities or physical
assets needed for productive enterprise while deferring the
payments to future time periods. There are several such products
developed by mainstream Islamic financial institutions involving
murabaha, bai-muajjal, ijara, bai-salam, bai-istisna, bai-istijrar
etc. Bai muajjal is a sale where payment of price is deferred to a
future date. Often it includes features of a murabaha, which
implies a sale on a cost-plus basis. Bai muajjal simply implies
deferment of payment of price irrespective of whether the cost
and mark-up are known to parties or not. In a murabaha, both
parties to the transaction must know the cost and the profit or
mark-up. Ijara in simple terms implies leasing or hiring of a
physical asset for a known time period. Bai-salam is a deferred
delivery contract. It is essentially a forward agreement where
delivery occurs at a future date in exchange for spot payment of
price. Bai-Istisna is a contract of manufacture. A seller under an
istisna agreement undertakes to develop or manufacture a
commodity with clear specifications for an agreed price and
deliver after an agreed period of time. Bai-Istijrar takes place
when the buyer purchases different quantities of a given
commodity from a single seller over a period of time. In other
words, the seller delivers the total quantity of commodity
65
d.
66
Financing is provided using a combination of for-profit debtbased modes, such as, bai-muajjal, ijara, salam, istisna or isijrar
or equity based modes, such as, mudaraba or musharaka or
declining musharaka;
Group members pay back their debt; and/or perform and meet
the expectations of equity providers and, in turn, are provided
higher levels of financing;
micro-insurance
against
unforeseen
risks
and
extending credit facilities to the poor that loans would not be repaid .As a
result poor borrowers face high transaction costs when they sought loans
from formal financial institutions. The costs included time, travel and
paperwork involved in obtaining credit.
67
69
2.
3.
4.3 Hypothesis
In order to conduct the impact assessment of Islamic micro finance
on economic empowerment, the following two hypotheses are
developed:
1. The provision of Shariah based Microfinance has a positive
impact on clients at
Enterprise Levels:
a.
Increasing profit
b.
Increasing production
c.
d.
70
Increasing income
b.
Increasing consumption
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Increasing savings
h.
Enhancing empowerment
The other limitation of the study is time and financial constraint. Because
the study is time and finance bounded as compared to the wideness and
intensiveness of the work. There is also the problem of getting reliable
information from respondents. Due to absence of a baseline survey
before the implementation of the program, respondents may not recall
the situations before taking loans properly.
Despite the above limitations, the random samples selected from the clients
of Islamic welfare Society are considered sufficient enough to represent the
marginalised Muslims of Hyderabad. It is believed that, the random samples
helps to make reasonable analysis and conclusion on assessing the impact of
microfinance services on poverty reduction in both Charminar and
Mallepally areas.
4.6 Organization of the Study
This research paper is organized into seven sections. The first ,second and
third sections deal with background, the concepts of economic empowerment
and Islamic micro finance .The fourth section deals with framework of the
study such as statement of the problem, objectives of the study, hypotheses,
significance, limitation and conceptual framework of the study. Whereas
section five describes the research methodologies applied in the study.
Section six is focused on the major findings of the study. Section seven is
the conclusion and recommendation part of the study.
4.7 Field of the Study
Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, is the field for this
study. This city is the fifth largest city in India with a history of ancient
civilisation and culture. Hyderabad is nearly 400 years old and is noted
for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills
and lakes. It is perched on the top of the Deccan Plateau, 1776 ft., above
sea level, and sprawls over an area of 100 Sq. miles. A multitude of
influences have shaped the character of the city. Its palaces and buildings,
72
questionnaires,
focus
group
discussions
and
73
staff
was
74
their
problems,
comments
and
provide
some
Each group discussion had seven to ten participants. To reduce the risk
of biasedness, male and female clients had separate group discussions.
Among five group discussions one female and two male group
discussions were conducted in Charminar areas and the remaining one
female and one male group discussions were conducted in Mallepally
areas.
Discussions with key informants such as some clients of Islamic welfare
Society, employees and branch managers and Islamic welfare Society
officials were conducted to collect qualitative information.
Secondary data were obtained from documents, reports, journals,
proceedings, bulletins, Internet, periodicals, various books and other
relevant materials.
5.2 Sample Design
A case study design is used in the study as the Case study design helps
to examine the detailed features of the institution. The study has used
two groups of samples namely, experimental group and control group.
Control group was used to avoid the problem of intervening variables
(variables that are affecting the output of the research other than
independent variables). This control group is randomly selected from the
list of people who are in the training phase, which would be clients of the
Islamic welfare Society n the near future or incoming clients.
Experimental groups are randomly selected from the list of Islamic
welfare Society active clients and ex-clients (dropouts). The sample
75
frame of the study is the entire people found in the list of Islamic welfare
Society Shariah based microfinance institution.
Probability sampling technique or simple random sampling is used in
the study. Probability sampling ensures sampling units a known, nonzero and equal chance of being included and hence representativeness.
In this technique sampling units are stratified depending on the branch
category or grouping of the institution. Determining the appropriate
sample size is important in research undertaking. Thus, sample size
depends on the total number of population, the level of confidence and
the maximum deviation from true population that can be tolerated in the
study. Depending on this, there are various sample size estimation
methods. Among these the method or model used to determine the
desired sample size with the population of above 10,000 and sample size
of above 30 is formulated as:
n = z 2pq d2
where:
n = sample size (when population is greater than 10,000)
z = the standard normal deviation usually set at 1.96 which corresponds to
the 95 percent confidence interval
p = proportion in the target population estimated to have a particular
characteristics
q=l -p
d = degree of accuracy usually set at 0.05 or occasionally at 0.01.
Islamic welfare Society has branch offices operating in both Charminar
and Mallepally Fort areas. Two stage sample design procedures were
employed for the survey. The first stage is the selection of sample
branches of the Islamic welfare Society. Both the branches are
purposefully selected as they lie in the Old city area and have many
similar characteristics of marginalised muslim community. The second
stage is selection of sample respondents from the selected branches.
76
Incoming
clients(n=
46)
Percent
Charminar
Mallepally
Total
42.2
57.8
100
73.9
26.1
100
85.7
14.3
100
The sample survey result also indicates that an average of 4, 3.6, and
3.9 children for active clients, ex- clients and incoming clients
respectively. However, Mallepallyclients have relatively more children
than Charminar clients. All sample clients both in Charminar and
Mallepallyarea have below the national average children size.
With regarding to the number of dependents, experimental groups
have less number of dependents than control groups on the average
after taking loans. Furthermore, the number of dependents is reduced
after taking the loan in experimental groups.
78
Table 4 gives the detailed profiles of the respondents in the study. The
sample is composed of active clients, ex-clients and incoming clients. In
ex-clients and incoming clients, the majority of respondents are
females. In active and incoming client respondents, the majority are
male-headed households (57.1% and 51% respectively) while 57.1% of
the ex-clients are female-headed households. About 82.1% and 85.7%
of active clients and ex-clients who filled the questionnaire are
household heads.
The table reveals that average household size of experimental groups is
more or less similar (5 and 4.5) before and after taking the loan. While
the average household size of control group (incoming clients) is
slightly greater (5.9) than the experimental groups category. The average
household size of Charminar clients is slightly higher than the
household size of Mallepally clients before and after taking the loan in
experimental groups. But the reverse is true in control group category.
Table 4: Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
Active clients (n=84)
Ex-clients (n=7)
Incoming clients (n=49)
Charmi
nar
Averag
e
Mallepall
y
Average
Age
35.4
No. of
children
3.7
Grand
Mallepal
ly
Average
Gra
nd
Ave
rage
Charm
inar
Avera
ge
Mallepal
ly
Average
Grand
Avera
ge
Charmi
nar
Averag
e
37.8
36.6
29
45
37
31
32.7
31.8
4.4
2.8
3.4
3.6
4.2
3.9
5.1
5.1
5.1
4.5
5.8
5.9
5.2
4.9
5.1
4.5
Averag
e
Household size:
Before
Loan
After
loan
No. of dependents
79
Before
Loan
After
Loan
3.6
3.6
3.3
3.7
3.9
3.8
3.3
3.8
3.5
2.3
3.2
Responses
Charminar
Yes
83.3
85.1
84.2
No
No answer
5.6
11.1
15
-
10.5
5.3
Husband and I
55.6
45
50
Mostly I
2.6
Only I
16.7
35
26.3
No answer
27.8
15
21
Husband and I
55.6
45
50
Mostly I
11.1
7.9
Only I
22.2
40
31.9
No answer
11.1
10
10.5
50
45
47.4
Mostly I
5.6
2.6
Only I
27.8
45
36.8
No answer
16.7
10
13.2
Yes
89. 5
94.7
92.1
No answer
10.5
5.3
7.9
90
89.5
Mallepally
Total
dd confidence in your
ecision making
Highly confident
our level of self
confidence
80
No confidence
5.6
2.6
No answer
5.6
10
7.9
Table 5 indicates that out of the total respondents the majority of women
(85%) took loans after they got marriage. Among these, Mallepally clients
are slightly higher than charminar clients in taking loans after marriage.
About 50 percent of respondents reported that, the decision to take the
loan is jointly made by the husband and wife. Joint decision-making is
better in charminar household (55.6%) than Mallepally households (45
%). Besides, 26.3 % of the respondents reported that only the wife makes
the decision on the loan. About 50% of respondents indicated that the
decision to use the loan and 47.4% to use the business profit is jointly
made by the husband and wife, while only wife makes 31.9% of loan
usage and 36.8% of business profit decision. No one reported that
husband as the only decision maker on the loans in the household both
in Charminar and Mallepally households. This indicates that women
have at least equal or more power than their husbands in the decisions on
the loan. Out of the total sample respondents, more than 92 %
confirmed that the participation in Islamic Welfare Society program
raised their confidence in decision-making. Similarly about 90 % of
respondents reported that they have higher level of self-confidence after
taking the loan. The findings of the study revealed that Islamic Welfare
Society program enhanced women's participation in decision-making and
increases their self-confidence. However, after the loans from Ar Rehma
Foundation
respectively. In
Relation of co-workers
82
Yes
37
No
63
Family
member
64.5
Hired
laborer
Others
22.6
13
Yes
27.3
No
72.7
Yes
54.5
No
45.5
Yes
94.7
No
5.3
No change
13.9
Increased
86.1
Decreased
2.7
No change
18.5
Increased
93.8
83
Training taken
Type of training
taken
Number of trainings
taken
Yes
91.7
No
7.1
No answer
1.2
loan utilization
52.4
Skill development
26.2
saving
11.9
No answer
9.5
Once
17.9
Twice
11.9
Three times
28.6
33.3
No answer
8.3
84
activities.
Sample
clients
are
asked
whether
Quality of supervision
Yes
92.9
No
4.8
No answer
2.4
Satisfactory
79.8
85
Number of
supervision per one
loan Cycle
Not satisfactory
8.3
No answer
11.9
None
3.6
Once
19
Twice
4.8
Three times
16.7
27.4
Conditionally
23.8
No answer
4.8
Responses
Pe
Yes
rce
37
nt
86
No
63
Relation of co-workers
Family member
64.
Hired laborer
5
22.
Others
613
Yes
27.
No
3
72.
Yes
7
54.
No
5
45.
Yes
5
94.
No
7
5.3
No change
13.
Increased
986.
Decreased
1
2.7
No change
18.
Increased
593.
8
in
Mallepally
households
than
Charminar
3.
88
opportunities
for
their
families
and
the
7.2 Recommendations
Although Islamic Welfare Societies have a positive impact on the socioeconomic inclusion of the marginalised Muslims of Hyderabad city yet
following recommendations are presented for the socio-economic
inclusion of Muslim women:
1.
3.
4.
90
Finance.
Akhtar, M R, (1997). Partnership Financing of Microenterprises.
International Journal of Social
Economics.
Harriet Presser
And
Gita
Sen,
Processes.
York: Oxford.
Marriage?
Affairs, N Delhi.
Better
Practice, IN
HULME
&
YORK
Paper,
Development Programme.
Obaidullah, Mohammed, (2007). Islam, Poverty and Micro Finance "Best
Practices. IRTI.
92
OECD (2010), Accelerating Progress towards the MDGs through ProPoor Growth: Policy
November 5, 2012 IBN Live reported that police arrested three people
including bridegroom and a Muslim Cleric who used to arrange
Marriages.
94
It has to be understood very clearly that contract marriages are UnIslamic. The corrupt Qazis are ever ready to bend the shariat rules for
monetary gains. This can be stopped by only breaking the nexus between
the brokers, the guest house owners and the Qazi.
The Waqf Board has to exert moral pressure and crack the whip
against such Qazis.
In 2004, Waqf Board issued guidelines to Qazis not to straight away
perform marriages involving foreign nationals specially those of gulf
countries. They were asked to alert the Waqf Board when they approach
to perform such marriages but these guidelines remain on paper only.
Under the jurisdiction of Hyderabad city Waqf Board, there are 18 Qazis
and they appoint Naib Qazis who look after the Nikah and Divorce
process. The rising dowry demands of local boys and extreme poverty
are the main reasons. The girls have a series of Contract Marriages to
fund their own genuine Marriage. In most cases, the incidents are not
reported: only when there is a rift over payments, cases come into the
light of media.
Conclusion:
It is nothing but trafficking under the garb of marriage. There is a need to
look into this issue from the point of human trafficking rather than a case
of marriage of foreign nationals.
Suggestions
State Govt. should also have a keen eye on the activities of Qazi
and if any Qazi id found to be indulged in the illicit protect,
either directly or indirectly he should be terminated from his
services and punished severely.
Since the main cause of this practice is poverty & illiteracy, the
NGOs can support such families by providing training in
vocational trades, so that the women/girl/other members of such
families become self employed & improve their financial
conditions.
women
continue
to
confront
discrimination,
97
98
100
102
103
106
Marriage
began to the considered as final and binding for a woman, and she
virtually lost the freedom to divorce and her seclusion behind the veil got
sanctified in the name of religion. In the matter of inheritance too, the
regional and customary laws began to prevail and the Muslim women
became a non inheritor like other women. In this way, she became a
victim of socio-cultural irony. While in theory she was supposed to enjoy
the rights enjoined by the Quran, in reality she was never allowed to
enjoy them both by local custom and the patriarchy.
An important
question that arises is why did deterioration creep in the Muslim society
and even gain ascendancy over Quranic laws, and bring about a similarity
between Hindu and Muslim women, especially in a period when there
was political supremacy of the Muslims.
This was no ordinary socio-cultural transportation; rather, it was
motivated since it was in the interests of the Muslim male. In doing so
the Muslim male was able to establish egalitarian man- women
relationship & in India at least, never made any serious effort to loosen
his grip. The Muslim women on the other hand, having been pushed into
seclusion and segregation, could never secure a platform from which she
could exercise her rights and fight for regaining the lost privileges or seek
improvement in the context of continuously changing conditions.
107
Another setback to Muslim women arises from the fact that Indian
Muslims now live in a society where there still exist forces that are not
quite willing to grant women the equality that they should get. Traditional
prejudices and world-wide views persist. Vested interests continue and
will not easily let go their dominance and privileges and it seems that the
biggest stumbling block to the emancipation of women are men. Some
attribute this irony to the phenomenon of purdah, holding that her
seclusion, isolation and segregation have nullified the rights that have
been granted to her. Many Muslim sections have supported the very
wrong concept of purdah as seclusion and segregation where as in reality,
purdah is observed to safeguard ones chastity and dignity and to protect
oneself from evil onlookers. It does not in any way segregate women
from development and empowerment.
A new book of Zoya Hasan and Ritu Menon (Unequal citizens: Muslim
women in India; Oxford University 2004) presents the results of a
national survey covering around 10000 Muslim and Hindu women. This
is the first such survey of this magnitude covering the whole country, and
obviously therefore, the findings deserve attention. But perhaps even
more interesting than the results themselves are the insights that are
drawn in to the interplay of various factors that determine the conditions
of Muslim womens lives. Of course, there are some easily predictable
conclusions, especially with respect to economic status, the low status of
Muslims is now well-known, and they are disproportionally represented
among the poor and have the lowest per capita income indicators. This is
ascribed not only to the lack of access to ownership but also to poor
educational attainment and occupational patterns which show clustering
in low paid activities, as well as the concentration of the Muslim
population in the economically backward regions of the country.
108
110
3.
4.
112
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Zoya Hasan and Ritu Menon, 2004, Unequal citizens: A study of
Muslim women in India,OUP, New Delhi.
113
114
116
2.
119
3.
4.
5.
120
out punishments that are true deterrent like life 50 years imprisonment.
Muslim women who are divorced are rarely paid adequate
meher or maintance for 3 months.Perhaps when she got married her
121
parents must have given her husband 1 lakh and Jehez of bedroom
furniture, cooking vessels, gas and a scooter, all this in the lowest rung,
we can imagine with what difficulty the parents must have organized all
this. If instead they had done a back ground check and made their
daughters educated and employable, it would have been a different
story. A woman should be taught her rights given to her by the Indian
constitution; not only should she know how to use the Indian civil code
but know the rights bestowed by Islamic sharia. A prominent advocate
and social activist Mr Shafiq Mahajan in a recent statement said that the
mullas should consider giving the divorced women 20% of their wealth
i.e: property/provident fund/ salary/daily earnings. This should be
thoroughly processed by the ulemas and the judiciary.
A very sad state of affairs is the hidden shame of incest that is
rife in the slums as the small living spaces. The sad part is the mothers
stay silent to protect the men. The only way is to teach the children
what a good touch and a bad touch is and to make them to be a confident
/ a best friend and the teachers should be sound boards. The time has
come that women have to help themselves nobody can live in an ivory
tower and each one has to help another to survive to live an isolated
selfish life one is undermining the human spirit the more people you help
the more you grow as a humane
person.
woman who earns a viable income has the confidence to take on the
world as everything boils down to economics, she gains respect and
becomes a formidable entity.
122
JAI HIND
123
124
125
128
percent)
Female literacy :
5, 54, 01,
067
and the rural literacy is:
67. 62%
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Empower NGOs
Recommendations:
Therefore
Awareness Programmes:
131
education centre where they are taught to write their names, made
acquainted with alphabet and figures and taught signature so as to
avoid exploitation and forgery against them. Women who are
involved in family life do not come to night schools, since they
prefer to sit in front of TV and get entertained. Therefore some
morality based entertainment activities that boost their knowledge
shall be introduced in these centers to attract all age group people
irrespective of age & gender.
132
133
Ruqia Taskeen
Senior Teacher &
State Resource Person, Hyderabad. Telangana.
rafiuddinruknuddin@yahoo.in
We do not study and take notice of those bright and distinct foot
prints that we see on our way as the relics of our glorious past. An
agonizing fact is socio-economic condition of the heirs of those relics is
either partially or completely seized up after Independence, which in turn
bribed them to educational backwardness. The question Mainstreaming
the Indian Muslim Women can not be answered until the educational
backwardness is completely eradicated from the life of Muslims. The
strength of determination and conviction is needed to be provoked.
Particular surveys, studies, observations and monitoring report
of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan since 2004 and onwards show the agonizing
fact behind the drop out of Muslim girls during the mid-way educational
process. It shows the major minority of the nation is in distress. A
survey by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) official shows that Muslim girls
education facilities are at the lowest. The prejudice, urbanization leads to
sophisticated modern life, leads to drop out of Muslim girls. Hyderabad
an emerging cosmopolitan city has 42% of Muslim population. The city
has no proper access for the education of girl-child. By September 2014
it has been identified that 35% of Muslim girls are drop outs.
Constitutional rights executes that every child has right to attain
education either in the regional language or in his own mother tongue. It
134
is a point of concern that greater part of the major minority of the nation
is still deprived from attaining education on proper access in their own
mother tongue among them Muslims.
MHRD norms state that primary school must be located within
the radius of 1km, upper primary at 3 km and high school must be within
the radius of 5 km of habitation. Even when school is established in
catchment area, regional language becomes the criteria, failing to fulfill
the educational needs of a particular community. By 2013-14 maximum
number of upper primary schools have been merged with high schools
which again are located at the radius of 5 km and beyond or at scattered
places, does not exist in the habitation. This Results in 17% drop out at
upper primary and 18% at primary school level.
Government amenities such as Books, Uniforms, Mid-Day
meals etc., are the key factors to enhance the pace of retention in the
government schools. Anxiety, lack of interest, Discouragement, loss of
self confidence is being created in the students by delayed provision of
books and other amenities.
Following custom and culture is the fundamental right.
Uniforms and Mid-Day meals which are being provided reflect other
customs and traditions. When students are forced to avail the provision,
clad the uniform, they drop the education at the mid of the educational
process and Muslim girls cannot clad other traditional dresses. It is ones
own life; a child has the right of likes and dislikes. Provision of uniforms
as per the culture lead to flourishing self confidence and discipline among
the students.
135
136
Equality and
Each
138
remarks and orders women such as - produce more children, wear such
and such type of clothes, do not move out during evenings alone etc.
These men do not look and treat women as human beings; no one talks
about solving the problems of victims of rape, sexual harassment, acid
attacks etc. This kind of mindset has to be changed and treat woman if
not as equal atleast as human beings.
Coming back to the topic we are discussing about mainstreaming of
Indian Muslim women, being an activist I have observed that the main
hurdle for Muslim women to move ahead is poverty. The main reason
for this is the discrimination towards the Muslim community at all levels
and sectors. It is common even at the higher educational institutions.
Take my own example, I had got admission in Ph.D at EFL University,
the administration denied leave and cancelled my admission without
intimation to me, even after courts interim order to put on hold the
admission (I work in the Library at EFLU and had applied EOL to pursue
PhD) and request to keep my admission in abeyance. In spite of these
kinds of hurdles, Muslim women are struggling hard from all aspects to
move ahead especially in the areas of education and employment.
Parents awareness to educate girl child has also increased and they are
encouraging their daughters and sending them to schools and colleges.
Muslim women are allowed to get higher education being in burqa; some
have opinion that this is a hurdle, but by all means this is taken as an
opportunity by Muslim women to gain education and employment. Even
though burqa is not a hurdle for Muslim women they consider it is their
identity and part of culture, the other part of the society have problem
with it, why?
After availing higher education, Muslim women are reaching at higher
levels. Many are politically active, are teachers, doctors, engineers,
architects, fashion designers, interior designers and many are activists as
140
well, which is inspiring women at grass root level and those women look
at these women activists as their role models and are moving ahead.
In this era of media and technology, no one can stop women from
acquiring knowledge. Muslim women are themselves coming forward in
various fields and struggling hard to be in the mainstream. Some
aspire to have own business, some aspire to be enrolled in government
sector as well as in various other sectors. In such circumstances it is the
responsibility of the government to provide all facilities so that the
Article 21 of the Fundamental Rights can be implemented in its real
spirit, i.e. Right to Life with Human Dignity which means safety and
security. For example: If a woman is working in Media/IT sector/medical
sector and returns from work at late night she should be able to reach
home without any fear and without depending on others; only then the
real spirit would be fulfilled and women can be empowered in the real
sense.
Comparing
present
Muslim
women
with
earlier
women,
the
family. In those bad times, the women of these youths sisters, mothers,
wives all came out and fought for the release of their kin. When we held
press conferences, demonstrations, public meetings etc. they raised their
voice against police atrocities and demanded justice for their innocent
kin. They fought to the extent that they succeeded in acquittal of false
charges against the youth, and later the government tendered an apology
to the whole Muslim community for the wrong deeds of their police
personnel.
I would like to conclude that accusing Muslim community for the
backwardness of their women is injustice; the other part of the society
which does not recognize and isolate Muslim women from the
mainstream is the major reason that they are not visible in the
mainstream. Because of discrimination at sociocultural and political
level, the contribution of Muslim Women is not completely visible. Until
and unless such kind of double standard prevails, justice cannot be done
towards Muslim community and Muslim women will not be visible in the
mainstream. The only solution is to end the discrimination. It should be
remembered by one and all that women rights are human rights.
142
Introduction:
Empowerment is a process aimed at changing the nature and direction of
systematic forces which marginalize women and other disadvantaged
sections in a given context. Countrys overall development depends
greatly on the inclusion of women in its development process. Hence
bringing women into the mainstream of development has been the major
concern of the government ever since India became independent. The
subjugation or subordination of women in all spheres of life, the problems
faced by them, empowerment of women, have been the subject of much
debate. India is one of the largest democracies in the world having one of
the largest minorities. A number of reports concluded that Muslims are
the most deprived and marginalised communities in India. Given that the
Indian Muslim women are called minority within minority; being a
woman on one hand and a Muslim minority on the other, the Muslim
woman faces cumulative and multiple exclusions. As stated by Hajira
Kumar in her book, Status of Muslim Women in India, The problems
and issues concerning women are like an octopus, with its many flexible
arms which entrap and suffocate its victim. In case of Indian Muslim
Women, these problems are multiplied. This is so because they share the
general problems which other Indian women face and at the same time
have their peculiar disadvantages. Muslim women are discriminated,
marginalised and oppressed because of various gender divide issues.
143
identified by one and all as the single most important cause for
backwardness of Muslim women. There is tendency to hold back the girl
child at home to help in domestic chores and to take care of infants while
elders go out to work or in the belief that what will the girl do with
education? To remove the scourge of illiteracy among the Muslim
women, special campaigns to motivate the parents to send their children
to schools need to be launched. Education is the greatest and only weapon
through which Muslim women can rise up to claim their rightful place in
their society.
2.
Muslim women should know that they have been guaranteed certain
rights by the constitution of India which includes, Right to equality, Right
to freedom, Right against exploitation, Right to freedom of religion,
Cultural and educational rights, etc.
Rights given by Islam
The issue of women in Islam is a topic of great misunderstanding and
distortion partly due to misconceptions and partly due to misbehavior of
some Muslim men which has been taken to represent the teachings of
Islam. A big gap exists between the true teachings of Islam regarding
women and their projected image in the media. Unfortunately most of the
Muslim women themselves do not know what exactly are the rights
bestowed to them by their religion. The rights of women in Islam can be
discussed under the following headings;
1.
Economic Rights: More than 1,300 years before the west gave
146
support during the waiting period and thereafter; if she is pregnant, then
till childbirth. If she has any children she is entitled to child support.
3.
Legal Rights: Men and Women are treated equally under Islamic
law.
6.
Political Rights: Both men and women are allowed and should
Muslim
womens
empowerment
requires
strategic
2.
3.
148
4.
Muslim women.
5.
education.
6.
religious rights.
7.
Last but not the least! Sensitize the community about Muslim
men's role in Muslim women's issues. It may look strange but it is more
important to sensitize men on rights of women than to make women
aware of their rights; as it is the men who violate womens rights. We
should not forget that women's rights are not just about women; they are
also about men and their attitudes.
Suggestions
Gender sensitive dailies or weeklies on the lines of Khabar Lahariya and
programmes along the lines of Satyamev Jayate need to be launched to
create awareness among Muslim women regarding importance of
education, to make them aware of their constitutional, legal and religious
rights, to motivate them to participate in the development of society, to
create awareness among the people to shed the patriarchal mindset that
subjugated Muslim women and to sensitize the society on Muslim women
issues.
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