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Monday, 18 February 2008 |
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Faith-based arbitration, where people agree to settle disputes in by the judgement of a religious figure, is a highly problematic form of privatising law: using laws which are not publicly enacted, in forums which are not monitored, with no right of appeal, often within environments where women's rights are routinely subordinated to traditional and patriarchal cultures and beliefs which threaten the welfare of women and children. Arbitration is an acitivity which should be entered into willingly: yet the ability to make an independent choices within a relationship is based in equality within social and economic choices, an equality which is rare in society generally, and even rarer amongst those who cleave to traditional gender roles. Some women face violence for resisting pressures put on them in the name of religion or culture; many others face rejection from the family or community, isolation, financial hardships and other pressures. |
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Women’s rights activist slams launch of first official sharia courts in the UK |
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Thursday, 18 September 2008 |
 Diana Nammi Women of the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation, a London based charity and advocacy group for Middle Eastern women were outraged to learn of the opening of the UK’s first official sharia courts, which became legal under the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) reforms introduced to the civil justice system. These courts will make decisions on matrimonial matters, including domestic violence.
“Sharia law is discriminatory against women,” explains Ms Nammi, who is the Director of the charity, which every year deals with hundreds of cases of domestic violence, forced marriage and honour crime involving women from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Kurdish and Arab countries. “Under sharia law women do not have the same rights to divorce, alimony, child custody and inheritance; in some cases they are treated as the possessions of their fathers and husbands. It is bad enough that there are dozens of informal sharia courts making judgements which are prejudicial against women, but these courts will now be able to make legally binding decisions.” |
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