{"id":12831,"date":"2024-06-13T19:21:08","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T17:21:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/?p=12831"},"modified":"2024-09-28T10:04:28","modified_gmt":"2024-09-28T08:04:28","slug":"how-a-bosnian-movement-is-putting-islamic-feminism-on-the-map","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svjmedia.nl\/internationaljournalism\/12831\/how-a-bosnian-movement-is-putting-islamic-feminism-on-the-map\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Bosnian movement is putting Islamic feminism on the map"},"content":{"rendered":"

The gender and religion professor Zilka Spahi\u0107 \u0160iljak is in the forefront of fighting for Islamic feminism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through education and NGOs, she and other activists have managed to introduce feminist theology to a larger audience. Nonetheless, Islamic institutions and the anti-gender movement still oppose change.\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n\n

SARAJEVO The call to Friday prayer echoes across the green hills of Sarajevo, and men flock to the historic Gazi Husrev-Beg mosque in the Old Town. The women, on the other hand, are asked to leave \u2013\u00a0 they are not allowed to attend the Friday prayer at noon, called the \u2018Jumu\u2019ah prayer\u2019, at this mosque.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is patriarchal structures such as these, that prioritise the interests and needs of men, that Muslim feminists such as gender and religion studies professor <\/span>Zilka Spahi\u0107 \u0160iljak<\/span><\/a>, are trying to change. She strongly believes that the Muslim community needs a new gender inclusive interpretation of the Quranic texts \u2013 which reflects the civilisational development.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe try to reclaim religious narratives. We don’t want these groups to hijack the message of the Quran, and we want to highlight the key principles of justice and equality of all\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Zilka Spahi\u0107 \u0160iljak is one of the most prominent religion and gender studies research scholars in the region. Photo: Private.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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What is Islamic feminism?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Islamic feminism seeks gender equality in an Islamic context, using Islamic sources as an argument for gender justice.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Source: <\/span><\/i>Encyclopedia.com<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Marginalisation of Muslim women<\/strong><\/p>\n

Practising Muslim women face marginalisation both within their own religious community and the secular sphere, Zilka Spahi\u0107 \u0160iljak points out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMost of the work they do is in feminised occupations \u2013 they do education and administrative work. But they are not represented in positions in the Islamic Community bodies\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gender stereotypes are prominent in Bosnia and Herzegovina and sometimes stand in the way of women fully exercising their rights, according to a report from <\/span>UN Women<\/span><\/a>. Statistics from the organisation show that <\/span>84 percent<\/span><\/a> of young Bosnians see that cultural norms set different expectations for men and women in their communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gender based violence is also a serious issue that Muslim women, as well as women in other religious groups, confront in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data from the Organization for Security and co-Operation in Europe, OSCE, shows that <\/span>48 percent<\/span><\/a> of Bosnian women have experienced some sort of physical or psychological abuse since the age of 15.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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History of Islam in Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/strong><\/p>\n