Women’s rights to property and inheritance of land, a project with Mutawinat Benevolent Company, Sudan

This project, implemented by Mutawinat Benevolent Company(Mutawinat), sought to secure inheritance rights of Muslim women, which are generally denied in customary practice, even though their rights are recognised in Muslim laws. The project addressed the lack of public awareness of such rights and the stigmatisation of women who demand their inheritance. 

Mutawinat adopted a strategy that included the following aspects:

1. Justifying women’s claims in civil laws and Muslim laws
2. Supporting women’s cases in civil courts and Muslim courts or with land allocation authorities
3. Compiling arguments for progressive interpretations of Muslim laws, includng recruiting an imam[1] as an ally
4. Dissemination of information, especially success stories about women who gained rights to inheritance and property
5. Establishing gender-equitable understanding for changing specific customary laws
6. Running a campaign using the media (TV, radio and newspapers), pamphlets on women’s inheritance, articles and other publications, as well as in public debates and discourses

Mutawinat provided legal aid (including counselling, testimonies and other services), raised awareness through the media, organised workshops and disseminated information.

Website: http://www.mutawinat.org/en.html