In mid 2008, Musawah’s planning committee invited activists and organisations that work on issues related to Muslim families and women’s rights to submit information about the local lived realities of Muslim families and the ways that activists are addressing these realities. The groups reported on why and how equality and justice are necessary in their contexts and possible in their contexts. They also shared information about the resources available for promoting equality and justice in the family.

The information provided by national groups has also been compiled into Home Truths: A Global Report on Equality in the Muslim Family.

• Download the entire report in English (2.56 MB) or in Arabic (2.95 MB).

The full text and downloads for the introduction and 30 countries and contexts are available separately as well:

Legal systems, political systems and social customs related to family laws vary greatly in different Muslim countries and communities. Differences range from the sources of law to the type of legal system to the structure of the government to the court system.

The texts of various family laws in diffferent countries show the diversity of laws in Muslim society. Overviews of different Muslim family laws are available from Women Living Under Muslim Laws, in its handbook entitled Knowing Our Rights: Women, family, laws and customs in the Muslim world (3rd edition). Women’s Learning Partnership, an international network dedicated to women's leadership and empowerment, has compiled a useful chart based on data from the Islamic Family Law project at Emory University.

Just as laws and practices vary from country to country, groups in different countries and contexts are at very different stages and have taken a variety of strategic approaches to advocating for equality and justice in the family (see the paper by Cassandra Balchin for more information). Many are pushing for progressive reform of existing laws or practices. In some, the challenge is to prevent regressive reform proposed by conservative Islamist groups or governments. In Muslim minority contexts, groups are trying to prevent negative practices from becoming legalised or accepted as normal. Home Truths shows some of this diversity and the struggles of women’s groups and others to work for equality in the family.