Universal Human Rights for Women? The State of Women’s Human Rights in Muslim Countries

Moderator: Tereza Wennerholm Čáslavská

Guests: Izzeldin Abuelaish, Freshta Jalalzai, Jana Hybášková, Jana Hradílková

 

 

“I fully believe in the potential of women! It is time for women to take the lead,” introduced the debate by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, peace activist from the Gaza Strip and candidate for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. All of the panelists agreed with him on the need for women to assume a bigger role as leaders and the fact that very few women stand behind wars and conflict. They all concurred on education being imperative among both women and men in Muslim societies, and the importance of teaching people that a woman’s role does not stop at motherhood. Afghani journalist Freshta Jalalzai said that the local and international media could act as a catalyst for promoting education and other initiatives to further women’s rights.

 

The role of religion in society, its influence on women’s rights and the different approaches to interpreting the Qur’an in this context, were topics that sparked the most debate among the panelists. Czech politician Jana Hybášková noted, “Islam says that woman is a lower level of being than man,” and the “Qur’an gives priority to man.” Dr. Abuelaish on the other hand expressed his belief that the Qur’an grants women more respect than men; and that it is the religion’s societal practices which have been deterring women’s progress. Jana Hradílková, founder of NGO Berkat, reminded us that the everyday experience of many women across the Muslim societies is “very hard to communicate to the world,” and though we may never truly know the source of the strife, nevertheless, action should be taken.