Muslim Divorce Decision – India

An August 2017 decision found it unconstitutional for a man to divorce his wife just by saying – or texting – the word talaq three times. Women activists say this type of divorce is not in the Koran, which prescribes a slow process with mediation; but the patriarchal religious leadership that controls India’s Muslim personal law insists that this tradition is part of religion and cannot be changed. A plaintiff and four women activists discuss the ensuing struggle and how they want it to be resolved.
Speakers:

Plaintiff Afreen Rehman, who was divorced by a letter in Speed Post; Zakia Soman, co-founder of the organisation Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), which has been working on a new draft Muslim family code for years; co-founder of BMMA, Noor Zehan Safia Niaz; Chandrayee Alam, a senior Kolkata High Court advocate who is working for the rights of the Muslim women in the state; Anuradha Kapoor, social activist and director of the organization SWAYAM.

Credits:

Produced by Kalpana Pradhan for WINGS; series producer, Frieda Werden.


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