[fund] promotion and application of religious laws

Nigeria: Amina Lawal haunts Yar’adua

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’adua is now confronted with his past and the role he played in the sentencing of Amina Lawal Kurami to death by stoning by a Sharia Court in 2002.

Malaysia: Polygamy is everywhere!

Most of those who are involved in polygamous relationships are often in denial, says Indonesian film director Nia Dinata.

Tajikistan: Polygamy research

This report focuses polygamy in Tajikistan. The research was carried out by the women’s NGO “Traditions and Modernity” within the project “Providing Support to Women and Reduction of Violence Against Women in Tajikistan” supported by SDC.

Malaysia: Stop snooping around for khalwat couples

State religious authorities must stop spying, snooping and the practice of looking for couples to be charged with khalwat (close proximity). Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said such practices were against Islamic principles of privacy and were trespass.

Somalia: Somali region to switch to Sharia

This news leads to the question of what will happen to Somali women and women's organizations, their crucial projects — education, health, income-generation - as well as women leaders themselves?

Dossier 27: Les tribunaux de la Charia aux Philippines : femmes, hommes et droit personnel musulman

Le mouvement indépendantiste né en 1967 dans certaines régions musulmanes de Mindanao a conduit à l’autonomie des musulmans dans quatre provinces de Mindanao, suite à la promulgation de la Loi organique de 1989 et au référendum tenu en vertu de la Constitution de 1987. En 1996, un accord de paix est signé entre le gouvernement de la République des Philippines (GRP) et le Front de libération nationale Moro (MNLF). Cet accord prévoit, entre autres, un processus d’autonomie dans les régions identifiées dans l’Accord de Tripoli.

India: Imrana's dilemma

The pronouncements of Muslim clerics following the conviction of Imrana's father-in-law for rape are revealing in many respects. After Imrana's alleged rape, Muslim clerics held that there had been no rape and she continued to be her husband's wife.

UPDATE: Iraq: Campaign to affirm Personal Status Law and remove Article 41 from the constitution

We have received the following information from Iraqi friends who have initiated a campaign now that the constitutional committee has been formed. Their demands will be sent to the committee, to urge them to affirm the Personal Status Law and to remove Article 41 from the Iraqi constitution.

Indonesia: Narrow-mindedness versus diversity

The introduction of Sharia-based regional laws in several Indonesian provinces has aggravated the sociopolitical climate in the world's most densely populated Muslim country. Yet it has also aroused resistance.

Kashmir: Women "police" behaviour

In this disputed region of Indian-administered Kashmir, the Daughters of Islamic Community, or Dukhtaran-e-Millat, play the part of an all-female Taliban.