Fadlallah calls for reform in religious interpretations in favor or women’s rights

The Religious Shiite Authority, Sayyed Ali Fadlallah noted that any gap in the level of women’s participation is not the result of weakness in women’s capacities, but is mainly due to the constraining traditions, laws and norms. Fadlallah made this important statement during the annual Iftar hosted by the Women Committee of Mabarrat Charitable Association at Al Kawthar Compound and Khadija Al Kubra, located on the airport road. He underlined the responsibility of all of society in encouraging the participation of women in political life of the country. Defending women’s rights is the duty of all societal constituents, including religious scholars and over and above, the responsibility of legislators, politicians and decision makers. Fadlallah called for improving and revising all women-related legislation, religious interpretations and norms, stressing the need to improve laws aiming at protecting women from violence particularly in view of recent cases of wife killings. Fadlallah further urged concerned authorities to develop all means for protecting women and for preventing any possible abuse or marginalization of their rights, most importantly in matters of divorce or custody of children especially given the absence of sufficient sanctioning mechanisms. (Al Diyar, 1 July 2015)