Press Releases

International Conference: “Muslim Women in the Midst of Change”

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15th May 2007

MPF PRESS RELEASE : INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE”

Introduction
The status, role and real world situation of Muslim women have occupied a central position in present discussions on Islam and the modern world. This alongside the much questioned capability of Muslims to deal with democratic values and modern day ideas on human rights.

This perception arose because of the actual condition of women in Muslim societies that was contributed largely by local traditions and practices and not due to Islam itself. This however is ill understood by historians, sociologists, feminists, both Muslims and non-Muslims, conscious or unconsciously.

Nonetheless, it has to be recognized that the Islamic position and specific teachings with regards to gender equity, the institution of the family, personal and social behavioural mores do not accord with secular liberalism’s notion of gender equality and individual liberty.

The Muslim Professionals Forum (MPF) as a Muslim NGO that concerns itself with issues relevant to Islam and Muslims in the wider world and also within the context of modern, pluralistic Malaysian society, endeavours to address these issues by organizing an international conference on 1 – 2 September 2007 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Kuala Lumpur.

The theme of the conference is “MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE” and the objectives are as follows :-

  1. To understand the history and evolution of feminist “traditions” within Islam.
  2. To discuss Muslim gender roles from the Quran and Sunnah.
  3. To examine the injustices against women in Muslim societies and recommend solutions.

Participants
This seminar is open to the general public although we expect our audience to consist mainly of young professionals, women’s organizations, representatives from NGO’s, academics and representatives from the various Islamic and governmental institutions in Malaysia. Efforts would be made to attract participants from the Asia-Pacific region.

Contents of the Seminar
The two (2) day seminar will open with a keynote address by the Minister of Women, Family & Community Development, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. There are three (3) plenary lectures and nine (9) workshop sessions.

The plenary lectures will address the general contours and intellectual background of the particular topic, drawing from modern scholarly works, traditional sources and the experiences of modernizing Muslim societies. The titles of the plenary lectures are :

  1. Feminist Thinking Revisited
  2. Islam & Gender
  3. Muslim Women at the Cross Roads – Cultural & Traditional Values vs Religious Imperatives

The speakers assigned for these lectures are distinguished scholars and professionals whose contribution to the field has been internationally recognized.

The workshops and breakout sessions will give the opportunity for participants to discuss and exchange ideas on specific topics, the focus of which will be weaknesses in Muslim society with regards to interpretation of Islamic teachings, the influence of local traditions and cultures, short comings of the Islamic administration/institution that hampered Muslim women from achieving their full potential.

The workshop facilitators who will be guiding the discussions are Malaysian NGO leaders known for their activism and advocacy with regards to Muslim women issues in the local context whereas the international speakers will be the workshop resource persons.

List of international speakers and facilitators

  1. Heba Rauf (Egypt)
  2. Dr. Haitham Khayat (Egypt)
  3. Dr. Sulaiman Dufford (USA)
  4. Assoc. Prof. Harlina Siraj (UKM)
  5. Assoc. Prof. Zaleha (UIA)
  6. Dr. Kamar Ainiah (Lawyer)
  7. Zainah Anwar (SIS)
  8. Roselainy Abdul Rahman (UTM)
  9. Kamaliah Noordin (JIM)
  10. Other speakers To Be Confirmed

The last session of the seminar will be in the form of an open forum where the invited speakers and participants will have the opportunity to express ideas on issues raised in the course of the seminar.

Conclusion
It is hoped that this seminar will raise the level of awareness on this major issue of Islam and society, as well as perhaps offering some solution from this new insight especially for policy makers and government institutions. Putting together an international seminar on this scale is a huge organizational burden. The formal support and financial grant from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development will go a long way towards ensuring the success of the conference.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE : FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

” MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE ”

DATE : 1-2 SEPTEMBER 2007
VENUE : KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTER

OBJECTIVES:

  1. To understand the history and evolution of feminist “traditions” within Islam.
  2. To discuss Muslim gender roles from the Quran and Sunnah.
  3. To examine the injustices against women in Muslim societies and recommend solutions.

Muslim Women in the Midst of Change Flyer/Programme