How can it continue to be maintained that Islam is peaceful and "good for women?" Not only does the Koran sanction discrimination and bigotry against women, as well as wife-beating, but Islamic or sharia law includes the right to marry females of any age and to have sex with girls as young as nine years old. Women are considered worth one-half of men, if that, and female sexuality is viewed as so perilous that women in fundamentalist areas and families must wear oppressive clothing. Moreover, around 140 million women and girls worldwide have their genitals hacked off or otherwise mutilated, the bulk of which female genital mutilation is justified in the name of Islam.


Now, Islamic states have rejected legislation by the United Nations Human Rights Council that would outlaw violence against women, including rape within a marital situation. It is claimed that not beating and raping women, therefore, is "un-Islamic," which means that beating and raping women is Islamic. Again, how will defenders of Islam keep up the charade of "peace" and benefit for females?

Below is the Kuwait News Ageny report on this latest disgrace involving the world's most misogynistic ideology. The highlighted paragraphs concern the "right" of men according to Islamic law to beat and rape their wives, as well as the ability of a rapist to escape prosecution by "marrying" his victim, whether or not she is willing. Also rejected were sections of the resolution that "subdued" the prosecution of rape victims for "moral crimes or slander." It need not be pointed out that the prosecution and imprisonment of rape victims is among the lowest forms of barbarism in the world. Yet, here these various Islamic states are acknowledging that such anti-woman savagery is part of Islam.
Will women's organizations finally pick up the ball on this issue, or will they continue to pretend dishonestly that this problem doesn't exist? Until we tackle the religious ideology driving this sexism, misogyny and gynophobia, we will never end the abuse of women and girls worldwide. Let us have no more irrational and immoral defenses and pandering that only allow for this suffering to continue.

Islamic states frown on Islam-opposing paragraphs of UNHCR violence against women resolution

GENEVA, June 14 (KUNA) -- Islamic member states of the United Nations Council for Human Rights (UNHCR) rejected on Friday paragraphs violating the Islamic law in the council's resolution on the elimination of all forms of violence against women, noting that the member states must make sure that their laws and national policies are consistent with the rejected demands.

The rejections include the paragraph, which gives women "the right to control matters concerning their sexual lives as well as their reproductive health without coercion, discrimination or violence". They also rejected the paragraph that allows performing judicial proceedings in cases of rape within marriage, the abolition of provisions that require the matching of certificates and allow the rapist to escape prosecution by marrying him to his victim as well as subduing victims of sexual violence to prosecution for moral crimes or slander.
The Islamic countries also frowned on the paragraph that urges abortion in the context of the provision of health care services to rape victims, rape avoidance and other forms of violence against women and girls.

This resolution calls on the states to demonstrate their commitment to the prevention of sexual violence through the enhancement of women's human rights, protection, equal participation in communities to men, in addition to taking necessary action to make sure that women are active in decision-making, including matters of peace processes, transitional justice, democratic transition and constitutional reform.

It also urges the states to increase measures taken to protect women and girls from all violence forms, including sexual violence by addressing issues related to their safety and security through several means such as awareness, involvement of local communities, enacting laws to prevent crime, as well as the provision of infrastructure, public transportation and health facilities, street lighting and improvement of urban planning. (end) ta.ba KUNA 141639 Jun 13NNNN