The ugly side of Kashmir, Do We Respect Women?

In a bizarre incident, first of its kind in Kashmir, a father of a four year old girl, from north Kashmir was found guilty of murdering his daughter, Muskaan. The motive behind the murder is a gruesome case of honor killing.

“Khale shaakhein bula rahie hain, 

Phuloo awao, kahan gaye ho…” Ahmed Mushtaq

The father on questioning confessed his crime and the reasons behind the murder. He admitted that his suspicious about him not being the biological father of the girl grew as the girl was born before nine months of their marriage. As such over a period of time; he had developed hatred for her. The other motive of killing had been greed as his wife happened to be a Panch member. He planned the murder in such a way that the blame of the killing will fall on militants and he could demand cash compensation from the government in return.

Women 'banned from shopping alone' in northern Pakistan: A Reflection

"We have decided that women will not visit bazaars without a male relative," the cleric, Maulana Mirzaqeem, was quoted as telling AFP news agency.

"Those who will visit markets without male relatives will be handed over to police.

"They spread vulgarity and spoil men's fasting in Ramadan."

(quoted from BBC 20 July 2013)

If we look at the quotation above it is obvious that idea of banning women in public was inspired by misogynistic views. Women were accused as source of “fitnah” (chaos) or moral degradation of men in Karak District in Pakistan. Though culturally women in Pakistan’s tribal North-west cover their heads and bodies, but it is still not enough. Why are men afraid of women in public without accompaniment? 

Firstly, in patriarchal society, people believe the division of labor is natural inspired by religious teaching. Moreover, it is strongly believed as religious teaching that has tied women must be responsible for do households and men are in charged as head of household, who most of the time dealing with public sphere. The rigid division of labor is misleading to restriction of women going to public. As a result, we found many Muslim women are not confidence dealing with social life and are often targeted by men in sexual assault, rape, harassment, fraud and only on be passive object. 

Secondly, men are feeling threaten because of socio, economic, religious and cultural pressure that always position men in advantage situation as “unquestioned power”. Unlike women, men are more enjoying privileges in the community as public adventurer. While women are likely playing disadvantage actors, who often suffering from violence against women, lack of education, less payment, and often neglected from decision making process in the community and national level. When globalization is open access for women, men who think narrowly perceiving that increasing women in public will increase more competitor. Currently, girls are more committed to education and pass with high score, who will have better chance to get prestigious job. While, men are not well prepared for facing globalization, keeping dreaming that they are leader forever, and do not need hard effort to enjoy opportunity because the world belongs to men. The situation has changed dramatically, that causes men are not able to compete, then channel their social jealousy to oppressive and violent acts. 

To conclude, banning women in public will increase more resistance among other muslim women living in different part of the world, who many of them already enjoy freedom, so their livelihood has improved. Ironically, when Islamic teaching supports women to enjoy freedom as human being, in contrary the ulama of Karak District in Pakistan is trying to push back women into domestic. Moreover, this attitude will decrade Islamic teaching that always support women’s rights. ***

Source of Photo http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23388205

Expert Group Meeting: Access to Justice for Muslim Women Living in Conflict Affected Area in Southeast Asia

On 2nd-3rd May 2013, The Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) held two days Expert Group Meeting in Bali by inviting 20 Muslim women living in conflict affected areas in Southeast Asia. The workshop was aimed to facilitate sharing and learning experience among Muslim women from conflict zone to discuss about access to justice. In answering problem access to justice, the workshop linkaged framework human rights, which instruments of human rights such as Covenant on Elimination all form of discrimination against women (CEDAW) and UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) of framework of Muslim family law.Some recommendations from the workshop need to be addressed within and without AMAN network, they are:

# Community level:

1. To remove cultural barriers regarding women’s leadership, victims of sexual violence to speak out and access to economy, social, politics by having intensive dialogue with community and religious leaders

2. To address negative community attitudes (and their consequences) towards victims and survivors of sexual violence by encouraging discussion with religious authorities on the differences between rape and zina (fornication)

3. To advocate not to marry off rape survivors with the rapist, and for women’s access to safe abortion services

4. To build on existing indigenous knowledge and practices that already promote women’s access to ECOSOC rights