Muslim Women Leaders Launch Global Movement to Empower Muslim Women

November 8, 2006

Author: Daisy Khan

Source: The American Muslim

http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muslim_women_leaders_launch_global_movement_to_empower_muslim_women/0011550

Manhattan, New York - Over one hundred Muslim women religious leaders, human rights activists, scholars and artists from around the world will meet in New York City on November 17th to 19th to launch WISE: The Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equity to empower Muslim women to play a greater role in their societies worldwide.

Top leaders will attend, including Baroness Uddin, the first Muslim woman to enter the British House of Lords, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General Dr. Nafis Sadik, Saudi municipal candidate Fatin Bundagji, Malaysian Islamic Feminist Zainah Anwar, author of Standing Alone in Mecca Asra Nomani,” Afghani Presidential candidate Dr. Massouda Jalal, Nigerian advocate in the Amina Lawal stoning case Nogi Imoukhuede, President of Islamic Society of North America Ingrid Mattson, Dubai’ Comic Writer Rima Khoreibi who introduced the Muslim World to their first female heroin and Pakistan’s Mukhtaran Mai, author of the much anticipated In the Name of Honor: A Memoir.

“This is a historical and critical event in the history of Islam,” said Daisy Khan, Executive Director of The American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA), the chief organizer of the event. “WISE will provide a much needed platform for diverse Muslim women to discuss global Muslim women’s issues, assert our rights through the use of and in accordance with Islamic law, and build a coherent movement that empowers and connects Muslim women everywhere.”

On the agenda is the formation of an International Shura Council of Muslim Women. A Shura Council is an advisory council that interprets Islamic law for the political and religious leaders in its region of authority. Also under discussion will be the creation of a global fund to provide scholarships for Muslim women to be educated in Islamic jurisprudence thereby qualifying them to serve on the Shura Council of Women.

The leaders will discuss the major obstacles facing Muslim women and create strategies to address them. They will discuss how to increase women’s religious & political leadership via faith fueled activism, challenging local customs that impinge on women’s rights and develop effective methods to change negative perceptions about muslim women.