The Palestinian Center holds a dialogue meeting entitled "Women's financial independence: guaranteed by Sharia and by law, yet exploited by custom"

The Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution holds a dialogue meeting entitled

““Women's financial independence: guaranteed by Sharia and by law, yet exploited by custom” 

01/12/2016

The Palestinian Center for Democracy and Conflict Resolution held a dialogue meeting entitled "Women's financial independence: guaranteed by Sharia and by law, yet exploited by custom", within the activities of the project providing legal information, aid and counselling in the Gaza Strip, implemented by the Centre in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council. The meeting was attended by Dr. Atef Abu Herbid, head of the Islamic Sharia department at the Islamic University, Mr. Anwar Azzam of the Bar Association, Mr. Abdel Moneim Al-Tahrawi, project coordinator, a number of lawyers, as well as representatives of civil society organisations and mukhtars, at the Al-Salam Abu Hasira restaurant in Gaza.

The meeting was opened by Ms. Tahani Aziz, a lawyer on the project, who welcomed those present and noted the importance of holding this meeting. Dr. Atef Abu Herbid spoke about financial liability in Islam, explaining that in Islam a woman has independent financial liability under which she disposes of her money as she wishes, without any coercion or compulsion from anyone, whether her family when she is under their guardianship or her husband. Mr. Anwar Azzam explained women's financial independence from a legal perspective, noting that no one may take any money from a woman except with her full consent, and that if her financial rights are infringed she has the right to take legal action.

For his part, the Centre's lawyer Mr. Ahmed Hassouna set out the Centre's view on women's financial independence, noting several reasons for addressing this important, long-standing yet ever-current subject, the most important being: the many women who suffer from infringements of their financial rights, in addition to the aim of hearing the interventions and recommendations of those present and conveying them to the competent bodies regarding women's independent financial liability, in order to work towards changing the mistaken culture many hold in this area.

The meeting included several interventions, from which a number of recommendations emerged, the most important being: spreading awareness and family education among couples; drawing up debt instruments that guarantee women's rights; working on women's legal education; and intervening through reconciliation committees before resorting to the courts.