Graduate Programs in Sustainable International Development The Heller School for Social Policy and Management Brandeis University The Dilemmas of Muslim Feminism in a non-Muslim country: The Case of Nisa-Ul Haqq Fi Bangsamoro in the Philippines Submitted by Mendry-Ann A. Lim A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree In Sustainable International Development Professor Cristina Espinosa ___________________________________________________________________ Academic Advisor Date ____________________________________________________________________ Director, Programs in Sustainable International Development Date In signing this form, I hereby authorize the Graduate Programs in SID to make this paper available to the public, in both hard copy and electronically over the internet. Student Signature Date TABLE OF CONTENTS i. Cover Page………………………………………………………………………………. i ii. Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………...... ii iii. Abstract…………………………………………………………………………...…….. iii iv. Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………... iv v. Acknowledgements……………………………..….……………………………………. vi vi. Abbreviations………………………………………………..…………………………... vii I. Introduction……………………………..………………………………………………. 1 • Development Question……………………………………………………...………. 2 • Location and Scope of the Case Study……………………………………………… 2 • Contribution to the Development Field………………………………...…................ 3 • Context of the Study…………………………………………..…………. ………… 4 II. Background and Problem Statement………………………………………………..……. 6 • Background………………………………………………..………………………… 6 • Problem Statement………………………………………………..…………………. 9 • Challenges and Opportunities……………………………………………………….. 10 III. Methods…………………………..………………………………………………………. 12 IV. Literature Review………………………………………………………………………… 14 • Gender, Rights, and Islam……………………………………………...……………. 14 • Socio-Cultural, Economic, and Political Impediments for Promoting Gender Justice.……... 24 V. Findings and Substantive Discussion……………………………………………………… 32 • Major Issues in the Literature Review………………………………………..………. 32 • Lived-Realities and Gender Issues of Muslims in the ARMM……………….………. 34 • Addressing the Problems: Multiple Strategies of NISA…………………..………….. 38 • The “Gender in Islam” Approach of NISA…………….……………………..………. 39 i. Qur’anic Study Sessions for Muslim Women…………………………………. 41 ii. Muslim Religious Leaders as Gender Advocates……………………………… 42 iii. Reforms in the Code of Muslim Personal Laws………………………………. 44 • NISA: In the midst of Challenges….……………….………………….………...…... 45 VI. Conclusion and Recommendations……………………………………………………….. 49 VII. Bibliography…………………………………………………...………………………….. 51 ii ABSTRACT This paper is about advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Muslim societies with case study of Nisa Ul-haqq Fi Bangsamoro (Muslim Women for Justice in the Bangsamoro) or NISA, as the first non-governmental organization in the Philippines using the Islamic framework. The Islamic framework is an indigenous alternative to advance women’s rights and gender equality, which calls for re-reading and re-interpretation of the primary sources such as Qur’an and Hadith (the ways of the Prophet) using the universal principles of justice and equality as the foundations of Islam. It affirms the rights Islam gave to women as human beings and affirms that gender equality and social justice are embedded in the Qur’an. Recognizing the roots of gender issues of the Muslims, NISA is tailoring the Islamic framework through training of Muslim religious leaders; empowering Muslim women by engaging and coaching them in Qur’anic study sessions; and building constituency for the reform of the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. NISA’s pioneering work of the use of the Islamic framework among Muslims in Mindanao is a huge step towards empowering women and achieving gender equality among Muslims in the Philippines. However, NISA’s course to advance women’s rights and gender equality is not a smooth process. The organization faces many social, economic, political, structural, and cultural barriers to engage more Muslims, particularly poor women in the advocacy of gender equality. Thus, this paper analyzes, NISA’s experience of using the Islamic framework and the challenges confronted by the organization in the specific context of Muslim Mindanao. This paper also aims to contribute to the limited studies on Muslim women in non-Muslim countries by exploring and presenting the experiences of minority Muslims in a non-Muslim country like the Philippines. iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This paper is about Nisa Ul-Haqq fi Bangsamoro (Women for Justice in the Bangsamoro), referred here as NISA, a non-governmental organization working on women’s rights and gender equality among Muslims in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM Government Website), Philippines. The development question of this paper is “how is NISA tailoring and using the Islamic discourse to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality in the specific context experienced by Muslim women in the Muslim Mindanao region of the Philippines?” and “to what extent is NISA addressing the immediate and strategic gender needs of Muslim women in Muslim Mindanao region?” In order to answer this question, this study will explore in detail the lived realities and gender issues of Muslims in the specific context of Muslim Mindanao region in the Philippines, examine the multiple strategies used and challenges faced by NISA in advancing gender justice among diversified Muslim minorities in the country, and analyze how the social, political, economic, and cultural injustices in the Muslim Mindanao region build obstacles for the engagement of Muslim women towards the achievement of gender justice. Unlike the general population of Filipino women, Muslim women in the Philippines suffer from multiple layers of discriminations and social, political, cultural and historical marginalization and injustices as they are subjected to as minority peoples, as poor women, and as Muslim women. Most of the gender issues faced by Muslim women today revolve on family and marriage issues. Some of these issues include: prevalence of early and forced/arranged marriages; guardian in marriage (Wali), issues on dowry (Mahr); wide practice of polygamy among men; issues of non-provision of nafaqa (support) of husbands to their wives; inequitable rights and responsibilities between husband and wife; reproductive health rights of women; increasing number of cases of violence against women; increase cases of divorce; and loss of inheritance. NISA has identified that the roots of gender-based discriminations and gender inequalities among Muslim men and women in the Philippines lie in the several varying interpretations offered by Muslim leaders on issues pertaining to gender, lack of awareness and skills of women on how to read the Qu’ran using the gender in Islam perspective, as well as some discriminatory provisions found in the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the Muslims. Thus, using the Islamic framework, NISA has instituted three main indigenous approaches suited to its local context and gender issues. First, through the engagement and partnership with the Muslim Religious Leaders (MRLs) in creating a handbook of gender egalitarian khutbas (sermons) to be used by ustadz and imams in Friday sermons, marriage counseling, nasihat, and iv in other appropriate occasions. Second, by engaging Muslim women in Qur’anic study sessions and coaching them how to read the Qur’an using the ‘gender in Islam’ lens. Finally, by campaigning for reforms in the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (CMPL), identifying and removing discriminatory provisions that curtail women’s rights and freedoms. NISA addresses the strategic gender interests of Muslims by offering Muslim women a framework to affirm their rights as provided in the Qur’an and by challenging and tackling the root causes of gender inequity embedded among Muslims, including the local traditions, Islamic teachings, the CMPL, and Philippine government policies which mostly privilege men and discriminate women. The use of Islamic framework by various Muslim women organizations across the Muslim world is deemed as the best indigenous and culturally accepted alternative to the secular westernized approach in demanding for women’s rights, women empowerment, and gender equality. The Islamic framework calls for re-reading and re-interpretation of the primary sources such as Qur’an and Hadith (the ways of the Prophet) using the universal principles of justice and equality as the foundations of Islam. The use of this framework recognizes the important role that religion plays in women’s lives as well as the vital role of religion to empower women. Nevertheless, Muslim women’s organizations also need to ensure not to focus on religion alone as a factor to gender injustices, recognizing how secular rights and other approaches can support and complement each other. Muslim women have diversified intersecting backgrounds and identities such as race, class, and ethnicity, translating into various roles, interests, and needs. In addition, one must also recognize the various social, economic, and political impediments in promoting gender justice among men and women, most especially the poor Muslim minority women who are facing multiple layers of discrimination and marginalization. Using the case of NISA, this paper argues that in some Muslim contexts where the socio-economic conditions are depressing as well as political climate is unstable due to recurring conflicts such as that of the ARMM, Muslim