No matter where they are indonesia or morocco ,muslim women have the same desire & same hesitency of how far can she go & not hurt religious sensibility & themselves be right &obserevent musslimah,which is still a important part of her ,no matter what.Some times these experiments in liberalisation of role of muslim come fom non muslimcountries b/c of multicultural environment they grow in makes it easier or even in u.s. u.k. where standard of living economy culture ,takes it granted for women to drive,work,travel alone,etc.
Question is are those women in not such advantegeous position benefitting by it or not.Ceertainly certain ultra orthodox muslim society will be the last to be affected,but many in between countries who have started the process like Turkey,Pakistan & Egyptetc.but are in doldrum.
Muslim women battle mindset to head municipalities
KOZHIKODE, NOVEMBER 12: A couple of decades separates Thottiyil
Kunhibeevi from C.H. Jameela, but the two have together leaped over an
age-old mindset. In conservative Malappuram, the two Muslim women are
municipal chairpersons presiding over the lives of tens of thousands of
people.
There is another thing common to them. Till a couple of months ago,
neither Kunhibeevi nor Jameela had anything to do with public life or
politics, had never made a public speech and never imagined themselves
holding a public office. The former was a retired government official in
her late 50s, the other a school teacher in her 30s. In Kerala, where
local bodies wield considerable power, they hold crucial positions.
And against many odds. Many people here still believe that women should stay home,'' says Jameela, but they had no choice this time. I
have been asked to cover myself up fully in the Islamic way, and I
always have my husband or brothers to accompany me whenever I go out on
official inspections or tours.‘’
The lives of the two changed after the Muslim League chose them for the
Malappuram and Tirur municipalities as it was the turn of these civic
bodies to reserve the chairperson’s job for women this time. There
weren’t many others to choose from.
For Kunhibeevi, this was the third battle against circumstances. The
first was right back in childhood, when she wanted to study beyond
primary school. ``I was a bright student, but girls are not expected to
study much here. It was only because my teachers pleaded with my father
to let me go to school for a few more years that he agreed. People found
it inconceivable that a Muslim girl would go to high school.‘’
In her village, she had only one role model – a neighbouring teacher.
So, after school, Kunhibeevi opted for a teachers’ training course, only
to leave it midway when she got a government clerk’s job. ``Many felt
outraged that a Muslim girl could work in an office where strangers come
and go. I was lucky that I was the daughter of a locally influential
musaliar, and they did not dare do much.‘’
During her campaign two months ago, she had to cope with the local
hardcore Sunni segment that felt a woman entering public life was
un-Islamic''. But Kunhibeevi wasn't to be deterred. I had retired
from the Revenue Department and had nothing to do. I thought why not try
doing something for the people?‘’
Jameela is quite candid about her own reasons. ``I and my husband have
no kids and I used to feel bored after coming back from classes in the
local school.‘’ She also admits that but for reservation for women, she
would have never become a municipal body chairperson.
Not surprisingly, the Muslim League has considerable control over the
two. A bunch of partymen stomped into Kunhibeevi’s official chamber
uninvited while she was being interviewed for this paper, occupied seats
and started listening critically. Jameela’s interview was occasionally
disrupted by telephone calls from partymen demanding to know why she was
being interviewed. Jameela also admitted to knowing nothing about files
and administration, and says that all official decisions are taken
according to the ``advice’’ of partymen.
While more and more women may be getting into the political field, that
attitude may take time changing. In nearby Kollam, 24-year-old lawyer
Sabitha Begum has been elected the Mayor of the newly-formed city
corporation. The CPI(M) picked up Sabitha, who has no political
background to speak of, for the same reasons that the Muslim League
chose Jameela and Kunhibeevi in Malappuram district. So complete is the
party’s control over the young Mayor apparently that sources say the
local CPI(M) area committee decides even which public function she will
attend.