From 13-17 February 2009, Musawah held its first Global Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Approximately 250 activists, scholars, academics, legal practitioners and policy makers from some fifty countries attended the meeting.
The international planning committee of Musawah spent almost two years building a foundation for the initiative by commissioning background theoretical papers to provide the basic grounding to understand why equality and justice is necessary and possible; developing a Framework for Action and principles to guide Musawah's work; consulting scholars, activists and practitioners from over thirty Muslim countries in this process; building a website to promote the Musawah principles and substantive arguments for family law reform; and organising the February 2009 Global Meeting to bring activists, scholars and decision-makers together in a common demand for equality and justice.
The objectives of the meeting were to:
Introduce the movement, its principles, process, objectives, resources, tools and conceptual framework;
Empower women's groups, activists and practitioners through the sharing of knowledge and experiences;
Build support and alliances; and
Agree on the way forward for Musawah.
The Global Meeting Summary of Proceedings provides an overview of the Meeting, including descriptions of each of the plenary and break-out sessions.
Watch the Musawah Opening Video and the 2009 Global Meeting Closing Video below or follow the links to watch them on YouTube.
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The programme combined plenary sessions and workshops focused on why and how equality and justice in the family are necessary and possible. The meeting opened with a gala dinner and celebration with special performances. A Young Women's Caucus met throughout the five days. The Musawah website was launched, and three publications were distributed:
Wanted: Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family, a resource book containing the Framework and theoretical background papers; and
Home Truths: A Global Report on Equality in the Muslim Family, a set of 30 national profiles on legal systems, political systems and social customs related to family laws in Muslim countries and communities.
The programme consisted of a combination of plenary sessions and workshops focused on why and how equality and justice in the family are necessary and possible. Highlights included:
Day 1: 13 February 2009
Opening Event: 'A Feast of Equals'
Welcome speeches by Musawah Programme Director Zainah Anwar and Dato' Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Adviser to the Malaysian Prime Minister on Women and Social Development
Dinner
Multi-media and live performance: 'From Darkness to Light'
Day 2: 14 February 2009
Plenary Session 1: Launch of the Movement – Equality is Necessary, with keynote speaker UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women Yakin Ertürk
Press Conference
Breakout Groups on the Musawah Framework for Action
Plenary Session 2: Equality in the Family is Possible
Plenary Session 3: Equality in the Family is Possible – Text and Context
Optional evening caucuses, films, activities
Day 3: 15 February 2009
Parallel Workshops on Knowledge Sharing towards Equality and Justice
Plenary Session 4: Feminism and Religion
Plenary Session 5: Successful Campaigns and Strategies for Reform
Plenary Session 6: International Networks and Organisations
Dinner hosted by Y.B. Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister's Department
Optional evening caucuses, films, activities
Day 4: 16 February 2009
Parallel Roundtable Discussions towards Equality and Justice
Plenary Session 7: Using Research to Support Proposals for Equality and Non-discrimination
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