Musawah - For Equality in the Family

Musawah is a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family, calling for equality, non-discrimination, justice and dignity as the basis of all human relations; full and equal citizenship for every individual; and marriage and family relations based on principles of equality and justice, with men and women sharing equal rights and responsibilities: Read the Musawah Framework for Action

Musawah declares that equality in the family is necessary because many aspects of our family laws fail to fulfil the Shari‘ah requirement of justice, and do not respond to the lives and experiences of Muslim families. Even laws that are more equitable are under threat. There cannot be equality in society without equality in the family. More

Musawah declares that equality in the family is possible because it is consistent with Islamic teachings, universal human rights, national constitutional guarantees of equality, and the lived realities of women and men. More

	Summary of Proceedings from the February 2009 Global Meeting now available in English, Arabic, and French! This document provides an overview of the Meeting, including descriptions of each of the plenary and break-out sessions. Download it now: English Arabic Français
	New article on Muslim marriage contracts published. Negotiating Bliss, by Musawah Communications Coordinator Cassandra Balchin, looks at how 'progressive Muslims and women’s groups have begun looking at the marriage contract as a practical way of negotiating marital bliss and an end to the presumed dominance of the husband over the wife.'
	New resource by Ziba Mir-Hosseini on Criminalizing Sexuality: Zina Laws as Violence Against Women in Muslim Contexts. This discussion paper, published by the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women and Women Living Under Muslim Laws, shows how zina laws and the criminalization of consensual sexual activity can be challenged from within the Islamic legal tradition.
	Article published on large-scale polygamy study in Malaysia: Stress, quarrels and neglect: the 'normal' polygamous family, by Norani Othman and Masjaliza Hamzah on openDemocracy.net .
	Read the first issue of Musawah Vision, the quarterly update on Musawah issues and activities, in English, Arabic, or French. For more about Musawah Vision, visit the Activities / Events page of this site.
	Musawah presents a statement to the CEDAW Committee. On 4 August 2009, Musawah spoke at the CEDAW Committee's public meeting on a proposed CEDAW General Recommendation on the economic consequences of marriage and divorce. Read the statement.
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