#IMAMSFORSHE
#ImamsForShe is a global MPV-initiative launched in March 2015 to address misogynist interpretations of Islamic scripture and traditions that have led to human rights violations carried out in the name of Islam against women and girls and the sub-human status of women and girls across Muslim-majority countries and within Muslim communities in the West. In spirit of the recently launched #HeForShe campaign by UN Women, the initiative’s purpose is to support and provide solidarity for Imams, Muslim leaders and Islamic scholars who actively advocate for women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality, labeled collectively as #ImamsForShe Champions.
RATIONALE
Violence against women and girls in Muslim communities in the West and across Muslim-majority countries is an epidemic we are able to conquer by sensitizing minds of men and boys to respect and protect women and girls, and through educating global civil society in the compatibility between Islam and human rights.
MPV believes that Imams, Muslim leaders, and Islamic scholars have a vital role to play in promoting gender equality in their khutbas (speeches), educational materials, and interactions with the community on the ground, but that we also need to establish a safe space to discuss women’s rights in Islam and to give faith leaders practical ways to engage in a way that respects all human rights. We do this through community workshops, educational programs and artistic programs, including theater and music, to facilitate engaging spaces for key community members to learn how to advocate for gender equality at every level.
GOALS
To provide multiple tools to Imams, religious leaders, and Islamic scholars to counter radical narratives and debunk misogynistic interpretations of Islamic scripture.
To advance an agenda that challenges harmful cultural practices such a child/forced marriages, Female Genital Mutilation, and the suppression of reproductive rights.
To raise awareness globally about the responsibility Imams, Muslim leaders and Islamic scholars have to raise the status of women in their societies and the importance of doing so within the framework of Islam;
To to empower and educate disenfranchised Muslim women and girls on their right to quality education, financial independence, and bodily autonomy.
WHERE WE WORK
BURUNDI
In Burundi, #ImamsForShe has been operating in partnership with AICNDH since 2015. What began as an intellectual campaign has evolved into a full-fledged grassroots initiative. Its efforts now include the radio show La Femme en Islam, which reached nearly 9.6 million weekly listeners; pioneering educational camps; #ClubsForShe for girls and young women; entrepreneurship training programs for young women; and university workshops addressing diverse dimensions of human rights. The initiative also features sermon series in which #ImamsForShe Champions deliver khutbahs in support of women’s rights at their local mosques.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), #ImamsForShe has been operating in partnership with AICNDH since 2019. In the years since its expansion, the initiative has organized #ClubsForShe overnight camps, educational workshops for women and girls, and informational sessions for imams and other religious leaders, all aimed at advancing the mission of #ImamsForShe across the DRC.
MALAYSIA
#ImamsForShe expanded to Malaysia in 2017 through the work of MPV’s sister organization, Komuniti Muslim Universal (KMU), where it operates under the name #UlamaBersamaWanita. The initiative primarily advances its mission through educational campaigns, using infographics and other media to promote the rights of women and girls across Malaysia.
RWANDA
In Rwanda, #ImamsForShe has been operating in partnership with AICNDH since 2019, when the initiative expanded from Burundi. In the years since, it has organized #ClubsForShe overnight camps, educational workshops for women and girls, and informational sessions for imams and other religious leaders to advance the mission of #ImamsForShe.
TUNISIA
In Tunisia, #ImamsForShe is closely focused on capacity building, asking how members of civil society can be trained to advance its message. For this reason, the initiative has primarily taken the form of workshops (three to date) based on a curriculum largely developed by MPV. To date, 76 activists have been trained through these workshops.
UNITED NATIONS
MPV leverages the UN’s unique capacity to convene diverse stakeholders and shine a light on critical yet often overlooked issues, such as the use and misuse of religion in relation to women’s rights. For this reason, MPV launched #ImamsForShe at the United Nations and continues to host panel events highlighting the results and impact of its work. To date, these efforts have included panels at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), workshops at the Human Rights Council (HRC), events at the Peace Forum, and informal consultations at the United Nations Office in Geneva.
#IMAMSFORSHE IN PICTURES
IN THE MEDIA
The #ImamsForshe initiative has hit the headlines across the world!
Public Radio International | She's an Imam in LA and Doesn't Have Patience for a Strict Interpretation of Islam | July 17, 2015
BBC | Breaking the Mould Episode 2 | July 11, 2015
Voices of NY | 'Imams For She' Launched | April 2, 2015
Storify of UN Women | #CSW59 Highlights of Day 7 | March 17, 2015
Berlingske | Den Nødvendige Reform | March 14, 2015
Presbyterian Church (USA) Blogs |#ImamsForShe | March 11, 2015
Atria Ontmoet | CSW59: Day 2 Leadership for Gender Equality | March 11, 2015
AT A GLANCE
CONTACT US
To request additional information about the #ImamsForShe Program, including country reports, educational resources, inquire about bringing #ImamsForShe to your community, or to become a registered #ImamsForShe yourself, please complete the form below.
The implementation of the #ImamsForShe initiative has been made possible through the generous support of the Wallace Global Fund.
