Discussing Women’s Rights Issues in the U.S. and the U.K with U.K. Government Advisor

On April 12, 2016 KARAMAH met with Ms. Akeela Gheewalla Ahmed, a U.K. government adviser and an activist working on issues of gender equality within the Muslim community in the UK.

KARAMAH regularly meets with delegations from around the world to educate about the just and gender equitable principles of Islam, to exchange ideas and information, and to develop a broader understanding of women’s rights and advocacy efforts around the world.

Ms. Ahmed discussed with KARAMAH the importance of a faith based approach to Muslim women’s rights issues. KARAMAH realized from its inception the necessity to advocate for Muslim women’s rights from within their religion. While secular women’s rights advocates may suggest that women have to choose between their rights and their faith, KARAMAH believes that women do not have to choose one or the other because Islam guarantees women their rights.

Ms. Ahmed and KARAMAH discussed common issues facing Muslims in the U.K. and in the U.S. such as school bullying, and discrimination against women, especially those who wear the headscarf. KARAMAH highlights such civil rights violations through its Muslim American Stories Project (link) and brings these issues to the attention of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Ms. Ahmed also highlighted a recent trend among scholars in the U.K. that discourages women from going to the mosque. Some mosques in the U.K. have a no woman policy, said Ms. Ahmed, while the Prophetic tradition valued and welcomed women’s presence in the mosque. This is an example of how Qur’anic verses are misused against women.

At the end of this meeting, we agreed to work together with Ms. Ahmed to develop a program geared towards community leaders and Imams in the U.K. – the first responders for many families who are facing difficult issues within their marriage or at home. This program would equip them with a gender equitable understanding of Islam and also serve as effective mediators in cases of family discord. KARAMAH has been providing legal training workshops to community leaders and Imams in the U.S. and we look forward to developing a similar program for U.K. imams with Ms. Ahmed.