Experts advocate legal redress for vulnerable Muslim women

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

Muslim women who are suffering a lot of privations including marital crisis, economic deprivation, to mention just a few can seek recourse to legal redress to resolve such issues, experts have said.

Leading the discussion on help for Muslim women at a public forum in Lagos at the weekend was Bountiis Charity Initiative, a Muslim women focused Islamic nongovernmental organisation.

One of the speakers at the just concluded Bountiis Widows, Divorcees and Matured Singles, WDS forum, Ms Monsurat Olabisi Bello, State Counsel, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Directorate of Public Prosecution, noted that Islamic marriage (Nikkah) is one of the marriage system recognised by the Nigerian constitution making legal service accessible to Muslim women experiencing distress marriage.

She explained that widows, divorcees or Muslim women in an abusive marriage can write letter to the Office of Public Defenders, OPD, by stating details of the situation at hand, a lawyer in the ministry will be assigned to stand in for such a person as OPD is out to safeguard the fundamental human rights and freedom of the vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

“All four types of marriages are recognised in Nigeria. Your Nikkah certificates from the Islamic organisations that conducted the Nikkah are your legal documents to make case, she said.”

She explained that widows can get letter of administration from High Court by filing a form, taking the filled form to her husband’s banks to fill in his account balance while court will then issue a letter of administration for implementation to access their husband’s money.

Also speaking at the event, Ms Bashirat Bello, a medical practitioner and Founder of Murabiyah Holistics advised women to leave abusive marriages. “ Do not suffer in silence if your marriage is not helping you to achieve your pristine religious goals, uprightness, piety, high Iman and is continuously abusive, it is better to take-a-bow.”

While speaking on the care of widows and divorcees, Aisha Adams, Founder Siddiqah Foundation, urged participants to always seek for Allah’s forgiveness and see whatever happened as a test from Allah.