#ImamsForShe

What is #ImamsForShe?

#ImamsForShe is a global initiative launched in March 2015 to address misogynist interpretations of Islamic scripture and traditions that have led to human rights violations carried out in the name of Islam against women and girls and the sub-human status of women and girls across Muslim-majority countries and within Muslim communities in the West. In spirit of the recently launched #HeForShe campaign by UN Women, the initiative’s purpose is to support and provide solidarity for Imams, Muslim leaders and Islamic scholars who actively advocate for women’s rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality, labeled collectively as #ImamsForShe Champions. The initiative was adopted by Alliance of Inclusive Muslims in 2018 upon AIM’s founding as it addresses our three principles.

Rational

Violence against women and girls in Muslim communities in the West and across Muslim-majority countries is an epidemic we are able to conquer by sensitizing minds of men and boys to respect and protect women and girls, and through educating global civil society in the compatibility between Islam and human rights.

Alliance of Inclusive Muslims (AIM) believes that Imams, Muslim leaders, and Islamic scholars have a vital role to play in promoting gender equality in their khutbas (speeches), educational materials, and interactions with the community on the ground, but that we also need to establish a safe space to discuss women’s rights in Islam and to give faith leaders practical ways to engage in a way that respects all human rights, especially the rights of women and girls.

Goals

To provide multiple tools to Imams, religious leaders, and Islamic scholars to counter radical narratives and debunk misogynistic interpretations of Islamic scripture.

To advance an agenda that challenges harmful cultural practices such a child/forced marriages, Female Genital Mutilation, and the suppression of reproductive rights.
To raise awareness globally about the responsibility Imams, Muslim leaders and Islamic scholars have to raise the status of women in their societies and the importance of doing so within the framework of Islam;
To empower and educate disenfranchised Muslim women and girls on their right to quality education, financial independence, and bodily autonomy.

Where we work(ed)

The #ImamsForShe program has operated in five countries across the world, including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Malaysia, and Tunisia. We also showcase our work and highlight the importance of religious figures promoting the rights of women and girls at the United Nations in New York City, USA.

#ImamsForshe 5 year progress report

Violence and discrimination against women and girls in Muslim communities across the world, including in the West, are often rooted in misogynistic cultural practices and religious misinterpretations. To address these factors, which undergird and are used to justify human rights abuses, we must sensitize and empower communities, especially men and boys, to re-examine prevailing narratives that demean and degrade women. This revolutionary approach relies on inculcating a culture of human rights from the bottom-up and on transforming social norms and policies from the top-down.

Read about the positive impact that has come from our innovative approach over a 5 year period in the Sub-Saharan countries that we work in.

Read the Full report