(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) For Malawi Muslim women, hijab came as a perfect answer to their woes from increasing sexual harassment targeting women in the southern African nation.“While women of other faith groups are going through the pain of sexual violence due to improper dressing, it’s been observed that there are low cases of sexual violence among Muslim women,” Fatima Ndaila, National Chairperson of Muslim Women Organization (MWO), told OnIslam.net.“It is rare for women who put on hijab to be sexually molested.”Over the past few years, sexual harassment targeting women has increased remarkably in Malawi.The worrying phenomenon was less reported among Muslim women who chose to don the Islamic headscarf, or hijab.“It is on the basis of this observation that we have intensified our fight against sexual violence by sensitizing Muslim women and girls to be putting on hijab while in public on in work places,” Ndaila said.“Hijab is a symbol of decency among Muslim women. It’s therefore becoming hard for women in hijab to be sexually harassed.“But this is not the case with women who are not in hijab. The hijab has become an effective protective measure against sexual violence in Malawi, it is for this reason that we are advocating for its use as we fight sexual violence.”Identifying the problem, MWO leaders found that it was easier to first address Muslim women who would accept their message easily.“We have discovered that improper dressing among women has significantly contributed to the rising levels of sexual violence, because it attracts men. It’s not easy to change people’s mindset,” she said.“However, we have adopted this approach to reach out to only those within the Muslim community, because they can easily understand our message.”Ndaila said her organization was sensitizing the women and girls through mosques and other social gatherings on the need to put on hijab and follow teachings of the Noble Qur’an which advocate for among others, women to lower their gaze and at the same time dress modestly.“This is the message we are passing on to the whole Muslim community in Malawi in the face of the rising incidences of sexual violence towards women,” she added./149
source : On Islam
Friday
3 January 2014
8:30:00 PM
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For Malawi Muslim women, hijab came as a perfect answer to their woes from increasing sexual harassment targeting women in the southern African nation.