Women’s rights: WRAPA ‘khutba’ to the rescue

In many cultures and societies, women are subjected to all sorts of humiliation, maltreatment and segregation; they are treated with disdain. Many see them as valueless and more of a liability. This, no doubt traumatises them and more often, relegates them to the background.  During the ‘Jahiliyya’ period, there were certain practices in which the […]

In many cultures and societies, women are subjected to all sorts of humiliation, maltreatment and segregation; they are treated with disdain. Many see them as valueless and more of a liability. This, no doubt traumatises them and more often, relegates them to the background. 
During the ‘Jahiliyya’ period, there were certain practices in which the men subjugated the women by mortifying on their gender, thereby trampling their fundamental rights including the right to exist and the right to liberty. There was an era in the Arab world when female children were killed; this clearly was the highest form of brutality against women.
However, with the coming of Islam, some of those things that trampled on the rights of mankind, women in particular, were banned.
Particularly, Islam prohibits the killing of the female child, thereby giving woman her absolute rights to live while stiffer punishment was placed on anyone who killed a fellow human being without a justifiable cause in the side of Allah (SWT). These and many other rights of woman were admonished on strict adherence.
Regrettably, however, it appears the society is now gradually reversing to the ugly ancient habit of denying women their due rights and respect. The society nowadays, unfortunately, despite the level of civilisation seems to be deriving pleasure in nasty atrocities against women. 
Gang rape of women or that of underage female child, molestation and beating of housewives, starvation and all sorts of maltreatment are becoming increasingly common practice in our society today. Divorce with ignominy on the side of the menfolk is also very rampant in our society.
It is against this background that many human rights organisations and women groups emerged with a common goal of salvaging the situation.
This is in addition to a world convergence on the issue of liberalization for the women folk as contained in the Beijing 1995 declaration.
Also worthy of mention is the new project initiated by a non-governmental, non-partisan and non-religious organisation, the Women Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), to mobilise publics against dehumanising treatment being meted out on women.
WRAPA, founded in 1999 by a former first lady, Justice Fati Lami Abubakar, has embarked on a project of sensitization under its Islamic Family Law programme aimed at creating awareness among the populace on the need to preserve the rights of women.  
Already, according to the Secretary General of WRAPA, Hajiya Saudatu Shehu Mahdi MFR, the project, which has the tacit endorsement of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has kicked off, and would be carried out in collaboration with the Chief Imams of the Juma’at prayer mosques in seven  selected states under its pilot project of Islamic Family Law.
The programme was part of the effort by the organisation to address the problems facing women and children, particularly the violation of their fundamental rights.
The pilot states of the project are Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Jigawa.
Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, said a model Khutba (sermon) has been developed which would be delivered regularly by the Imams during the Friday prayers.
The sermons centre on the rights of women,the position of woman in Islam as well as the importance of woman to the community.
Other areas to be covered are the obligations and responsibilities of men in marriage, woman’s right on her guardian, husband’s obligation to provide for a divorced woman as well as the custody of children after divorce, among others.
At the start of the project last Friday, a renowned Islamic scholar in Kano, Dr. Muhammad Sani Ayagi, urged the people to always treat women with respect and dignity, describing their maltreatment as a very dangerous trend that could destroy the society.
Dr. Sani who is also the Imam of the Juma’a Mosque, old Campus of Bayero University, expressed dismay at the attitude of some men, particularly those who raped women and the flagrant violation of the rights of women which have shamelessly become a fashion nowadays. He said a woman is a precious gift to humanity, whose value is immeasurable in terms of her contribution to the development of a society. 
Quoting from the Holy Qur’an and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), Dr. Ayagi, who also teaches at the Bayero University, said the sooner people stopped violating the rights of women the better for sustainable growth and development of the society.
Dr Ayagi, while appreciating the efforts of some groups and individuals towards rescuing society from eminent catastrophe, however,  urged government to quickly wade into the matter.
The sermon was part of the WRAPA initiative with the aim of strengthening the rights of women in the society.
 Indeed such projects as initiated by WRAPA are what ought to have occupied the minds of activists and other CBO’s so that together, we shall salvage our society.
Azare writes from Abuja