Sharia ‘Courts’: Why regulation is not the answer

‘Sharia’ and other religious systems of arbitration are back in the news once again. There appears to be growing recognition of the profoundly discriminatory nature of religious arbitration systems which relegate Muslim and other minority women to second rate systems of justice. But is regulation the answer? A close examination of the workings of ‘Sharia’ Councils and the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal reveal serious failings that flout principles of the rule of law and undermine the rights of women...
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Campaign Success: Nusrat Ghani MP withdraws her Bill which proposed to ban the term “honour” based violence and conflate it with domestic violence

IKWRO are delighted that our joint campaign opposing Nusrat Ghani’s MP’s Bill has succeeded. It has been withdrawn ahead of its second reading on Friday 24th March 2017 following IKWRO’s joint letter signed by 66 experts and survivors explaining why the Bill would put lives at risk. The letter can be seen below. Dear Nusrat Ghani MP, Re: Crime (Aggravated Murder of and Violence Against Women) private members Bill We are writing to you collectively, as specialist Black Minority and...
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Why banning the term “honour” based violence and conflating it with domestic violence will put victims at increased risk

The Conservative MP for Wealden, Nusrat Ghani, has proposed, in a new private members Bill – the Crime (Aggravated Murder of and Violence Against Women) Bill – that the use of the widely used and accepted term “honour” killing should be banned from official publications and that this form of violence against women and girls should be conflated with domestic violence. Both of these suggestions would have dangerous consequences for those at risk of “honour” based violence and...
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Sharia: Public seminar at UK parliament

Public Seminar at UK Parliament on Sharia Law, Legal Pluralism and Access to Justice Sharia Law, Legal Pluralism and Access to Justice is hosted by IKWRO and several organisations and activists to debate and express concerns about the increasing state recognition and promotion of religious-based arbitration and mediation forums, such as ‘Sharia courts’ in the UK. These councils operate as parallel legal systems in which women are treated unfairly, including when seeking divorce or custody over children. The...
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Amina Al-Jeffery: An open letter to Boris Johnson

We the undersigned write further to our to demand in the strongest possible terms that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office brings every possible pressure to bear on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to ensure the safe return of Amina Al-Jeffery to the UK without delay. On Wednesday 3 August 2016, Mr Justice Holman, Judge at the Family Division of the High Court, ordered that by Sunday 11 September 2016 Amina’s father permit and facilitate her return to England and...
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Amina al-Jeffery: Open Letter to the FCO

Open Letter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Boris Johnson Dear Mr Johnson, Re Amina Al-Jeffery We the undersigned write to ask in the strongest possible terms that the FCO brings every possible pressure to bear on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to ensure the safe return of this young woman to the UK without delay. Amina is 21 years old. She was taken to Jeddah by her father in May 2012 because in his terms, she was becoming too Westernised. It...
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IKWRO calls for Amina al-Jeffery to be returned to the UK

Leading women’s rights charity calls on British government to  repatriate 21-year-old Welsh “honour” based violence victim  imprisoned in Saudi Arabia and to extradite her father to the UK to face justice Diana Nammi, Executive Director of the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation is available for interview. On Wednesday 3rd August 2016, in London, Mr Justice Holman, Judge at the Family Division of the High Court, will rule on the case of British national Amina Al-Jeffery, who grew up...
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Boycott of the Sharia law inquiry

IKWRO and others call for a boycott of the Sharia law inquiry. We are writing to you because you signed a letter of women’s rights advocates calling on the Home Secretary of the UK, Theresa May (and soon to be PM) regarding the inquiry into sharia law. We called on the Home Secretary not to have a theological inquiry but an impartial human rights inquiry, to appoint a Judge able to compel evidence to lead it and to stand...
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Campaigners urge government to fully and impartially investigate Sharia bodies

Today, an unprecedented number of women’s rights campaigners and organisations from Britain and internationally, including IKWRO, have submitted a letter to the Home Secretary raising serious concerns about the government’s ‘independent review’ into Sharia courts in Britain. The letter states that the limited scope of inquiry and its inappropriate theological approach will do nothing to address the discriminatory effect and intent of the courts on private and family matters: areas where, arguably, the greatest human rights violations of...
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Funding English lessons will decrease isolation, say IKWRO

Diana Nammi, IKWRO’s Executive Director was one of the women invited by the Prime Minister, David Cameron to speak with him about isolation of Muslim women last week. Diana advised the Prime Minister that the UK government must stop tolerating discrimination of Muslim women and end all barriers to to equality and access to justice and human rights. She urged him to address legal aid cuts and to end parallel legal systems by closing down all religious ‘courts’...
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