By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
In 2015, Twocircles.net had reported about an emerging trend in Kerala, where women are given representation in mosque committees. At a time when discrimination against Muslim women is selling like hot cake in media especially in light of the ban on Instant Triple Talaq, more mosques are coming forward offering membership in mosque committees while the mosques, which already have women members, have started to increase representation.
In 2011, women were part of the Mahallu executive committees only at Sivapuram in Kozhikode district while the system was introduced in 2015 at Santhapuram in Malappuram district. Chennamangaloor Mahallu in Kozhikode district joined the new trend in June 2017 by offering seats to three women in 15 members executive committee. Mahallu refers to the area, which comes under the care of a mosque. Both Santhapuram and Sivapuram have increased the women quota. The first has 20 women members in 90-member Council while the latter has allocated three seats for women in 18 member executive committee. At Shanthapuram, six of the 20 women are part of the 31-member Mahallu executive committee.
Women members in these Mahallus are now mainly active in empowering Muslim women in the Mahallu limits apart from various works ranging from family counselling to welfare schemes. Mosques here, according to Shanthapuram Mahallu committee functionary K V Ishaqali, women were elected to the executive committee in order to ensure effective intervention of committees in women and familial issues.
“Unlike men, women have no limitation in working with women. We are allowed access up to the kitchen of every house in our jurisdiction. And women too are reluctant to frankly speak about their woes to the male members of the mosque committees,” P Fathima Teacher, Shanthapuram Mahallu committee executive member.
“We can do justice to our posts as most of us have been given training in counselling and social work,” says C H Thahira, another member at Santhapuram.
Due to the intervention of women members, the three mosques are recording decrease in domestic violence and divorce cases.
The three mosques have also proposed a slew of women empowerment projects after women were selected to committees. “The mosque committee is preparing a three-year plan for women empowerment. And it will be executed by women members,” says Chennamangaloor Mahallu executive member Fathima Kodappana.
Routine household visits are conducted by women groups and they check the condition of women and families in their respective Mahallus.
“Visits help us understand the sufferings of women and teach us how should we act for women and family empowerment,”” says Chennamangaloor mosque committee member K P Shabeeba.
However, taking the cue of the good result Jama’te Islami Hind in Kerala has decided to spread the new trend to more mosques across the state.