On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, a delegation of leaders from Pakistan visited KARAMAH for an engaging discussion and workshop. The leaders ranged from program directors to lawyers, all united under the desire to develop leadership with the ability to tackle issues their communities in Pakistan are facing.
The delegates were on the trip to explore new and innovative ways to inspire women and girls to become leaders in various professional sectors. Youth leaders, lawyers, and media professionals were all present on the trip, working to attack the problem of lacking female leadership. KARAMAH works to consistently bring together all of these different sectors to discuss women’s leadership because we’re not in a vacuum. By that, we cannot talk about legal rights if media representation is still lacking. As a result, there is a need to educate. The beauty of such a diverse delegation is that it took into consideration the different themes needed to deliver messages around female leadership. The media professionals, academics, and lawyers were all present, addressing the issue on different levels.
Amongst the legal reform these leaders were seeking, was a reform around marriage and its rights (as well as the lack thereof) in Pakistan. Brought up for discussion was the lack of knowledge around marriage contracts, along with the news that some religious leaders went so far as to cross out significant parts of the marriage contract, while questions of consent were not even being posed to both the bride and groom. Very much a concern to KARAMAH, the issue of marriage factors a huge role in the work we do on a daily basis. It is a consistent topic, from our direct legal services to classes at the annual Law and Leadership Summer Program.
Aisha then asked a provocative question, “When did you start talking about marriage, and what topics began cropping up?” In response, one delegate relayed that, “When I got my puberty, my mother started crying. She said, I got worried that you grew up, and now I have to tell you about the world and marriage.” She was referring to the fear that some Pakistani mothers have surrounding marriage, a fear further compounded by the lack of knowledge for women’s rights in marriage. Another delegate noted, “beyond education, beyond looks, we aren’t learning anything about marriage.” Unfortunately, the problem was revealed to be that we are not looking at marriage from a truly Islamic perspective. Instead, many choose to look at it simply from attraction, rather than how religious a person is.
It is becoming increasingly clear to KARAMAH and those around the world that there is a need to reframe the issues around marriage. Instead of simply seeking to attack the problem at the branches, reaching out and beginning to re-educate will allow us to fight the problems surrounding misinformation on marriage at the core. By beginning to reform culturally-influenced issues around the topic, communities can begin to find clarity and empowerment in both genders.
Each of these delegations proves to remind us exactly what KARAMAH has left to pursue, and why we tackle the issues that we do. The delegations look to KARAMAH because our approach is unique, preferring a frank conversation around relevant, equitable topics rather than simply discussing theory. Our work in the field of marriage, divorce and marital rights is desperately needed, and each time a meeting wraps up, there are always several delegates surrounding our staff, asking for information on the scholarly resources we provide around the topics discussed.
This delegation, just as the ones that come before it, was educating and enlightening for KARAMAH. Speaking with and learning from Muslims all over the world informs our work and ensures that we prioritize our work according to the needs of the community. KARAMAH hopes to continue to expand its network through these meetings.
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