Women all over Bahrain must be breathing a sigh of relief at the recent campaign to protect and improve female divorcees’ rights to alimony, custody of their children and shelter.
The Bahrain Women’s Association for Human Development wants legislation and society to reflect the Quranic concept of divorce, in which a wife must either be returned to her husband or “released (divorced) in kindness”.
According to an article in Women Living Under Muslim Laws, divorces are on the rise in Bahrain, but for Bahraini women; they often encompass a long, drawn out ordeal, a fight for custody and the risk of ending up broke or homeless.
BWAHD Board member Ebtisam Zaid told the Gulf Daily News:
“They are not doing what the Quran says. It says let her return to her husband or be released in kindness, but a lot of women suffer. We want these cases to be resolved peacefully and responsibly.”
A Sensitive Seminar
The association held a special public seminar on the topic at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, on Saturday January 3rd 2010, which focused on the Quranic concept of divorce.
The seminar was the third in a series of discussions held under the titled: Women: A New Paradigm, which is an initiative focusing on rasing awareness of women’s rights and roles in society.
Retained in Honour, or Released in Kindness
The aim of Saturday’s seminar was to find a meeting point between current legislation and practical applications in divorce, where realistic solutions can reduce social and institutional practices that don’t give women a fair deal.
Religious scholars and women’s rights experts discussed the topic: “Retained in honour, or released in kindness”, before members of the public. The discussion highlighted common problems Bahraini women face in divorces, including gender equality.
Showing that Islam Gives Equal Rights to Women
“What we read in the Quran is not what we see in practice,” said Ms Zaid.
“We need to look at why there is a gap and come up with practical solutions to reduce this gap.”
“We want to focus on women from an Islamic view of the world, we want to show that Islam gives equal rights to women.”
A Giant Leap for Womankind
The project has been designed to benefit all sectors of society and to deal with women’s issues in a new context and a new light. Saturday’s seminar also emphasized best practices implemented in developed countries.
Its organizers hope to see reforms to ensure the equal rights of ex-spouses after divorce. Its mission is to lay down proposals for laws and practical strategies to ensure women’s rights to alimony, custody, and housing, within the context of being “released in kindness.”
What a great idea, and not a moment too soon…