Tripoli, 11 March 2103:
The Grand Mufti of Libya, Sheikh . . .[restrict]Sadeq Al-Ghariani has issued a fatwa against a UN report on violence against woman, calling on Muslim women around the world to protest against it.
The 32-page report from the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) calls for greater action by governments to protect women and girls from violence as well as spread awareness of women’s rights and do more to challenge discrimination.
The statement from the Grand Mufti read that it “strongly condemns the provisions of the charter which will be presented for approval during the UN’s 57th session (sic) scheduled for 15 March 2013″.
It noted that the principles contained were “unjust and destructive” It added: “The least of its danger is the undermining of family’s structure and its integrity as well as advocating immorality and indecency in addition to rebelliousness against religion and clear objections to the laws contained in the Quran and Sunnah.”
It said that the Fatwa Office appreciated efforts by civil society organisations to enlighten Muslim women about “their effective role in maintaining the family unit, the tightening of its bond, maintaining of its values and the fundamentals of religion as well as the encouragement of woman’s active participation in carrying out her appropriate and decent role in public life.”
Describing the report as “menacing”, the Fatwa Office called on “women throughout the Islamic world to organise and stage a global protest” against it on Friday when it is due to be voted on, and warned foreign ministers of Islamic countries not to sign it or accept it.
The report will, however, not be presented to any foreign ministers, nor a a 57th session of the UN. It will be voted on at CSW’s 57th session.
A number of countries and groups of countries are reported to have issues with it.
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