MUMBAI: Amid growing demand for more representation for women, a city-based Indian Muslim women’s rights organisation is training women to be qazis, or judges, a role traditionally reserved for men.
The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) is training its first intake of 30 women in Quranic law, constitutional law and gender rights. The first trained batch is expected to come out in the month of April, this year.
They had joined the year-long programme (female qazi) last year, BMMA co-founder said.
The Indian constitution allows Muslims, the country’s biggest religious minority, to regulate matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance through their own civil code.
The qazi, usually a hereditary title, plays an important role by solemnising marriage and finalising divorce and settlements.
“Traditionally, qazis have all been men, and their judgment has never been questioned, even if many are unfair to women,” said Khatun Aapa, a trainee at BMMA said.
“We study what exactly the Holy Quran says about woman in Islam. About the women’s rights and duties,” Aapa said.
The women being trained to be Islamic judges are largely community workers and activists from states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.