Islam does not oppress women so they don’t need freedom!
- Olatunde Oloyede, Lagos, Nigeria
THIS is one of a number of depressing comments posted under a BBC report which yesterday revealed that the president of Mali has backed down on a family law which would have given women greater rights.
Another commentator, Abdourahman Sey, Dakar in Senegal said:
In Islam, a woman shouldn’t equal a man … in Islam a woman is always behind a man.
Some 50,000 people demonstrate in Bamako to protest legislation that would boost women's rights in Mali
President Amadou Toumani Toure said he was sending the gender equality law back to parliament for review for the sake of national unity.
Muslim leaders have called the law the work of the devil and against Islam.
Some of the provisions that have proved controversial give more rights to women. Â For example, under the new law women are no longer required to obey their husbands, instead husbands and wives owe each other loyalty and protection.
Women get greater inheritance rights, and the minimum age for girls to marry in most circumstances is raised to 18.
One of the other key points Muslims have objected to is the fact that marriage is defined as a secular institution.
Tens of thousands have turned out at protests in Bamako in recent weeks and there have been other demonstrations against the law across the country.
It is a political defeat for President Toure, who was a strong backer of the new law.
In his statement on national television the president was forced to admit that the population is yet to be convinced by the new code.
After extensive consultations with the various state institutions, with civil society, with the religious community and the legal profession, I have taken this decision to send the family code for a second reading to ensure calm and a peaceful society, and to obtain the support and understanding of our fellow citizens.
It was clear from his speech that the president also thinks there has been a lot of false information circulating about the code and the government will no doubt also try to address this in the coming weeks.
The head of Mali’s High Islamic Council says he was pleased with the president’s decision.
Women’s groups are heartbroken – they have been trying for more than 10 years to get the law changed.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 28th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I know one gets tired of reading the same comments all the time, but where is the UN?
August 28th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I believe it's still in New York.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:48 am
How can they oppose this kind of law without being ashamed of themselves and their religion?
August 28th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Barriejohn,
The UN are as about effective as a sane man in a mosque.
In 2000 they stated their 'Millenium Goals,' one of which was the empowerment of women. Again in 2006 they voted on female equality, again bugger all has happened. Ironically Mali has been a member since 1960 and ,as such, has received vast amounts of aid. So, if ever the UN was in a stronger position to change things, it must be in Mali.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:12 am
"Islam does not oppress women so they don’t need freedom!"
I had to laugh. They don't need freedom? Lack of freedom *IS* oppression.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The UN are a bunch woosies who dare not upset the muzzies. And all the while millions of pounds in aid pour into places like this – what a waste.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
And people laughed when someone mentioned that Militant Islamics hate us for our freedoms?
August 28th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
From "The Skeptics Annotated Quran": Women in the Quran
http://www.skepticsannotatedbi.....men…
For people in the same religion, those who can point to drivel in the holy books have the better case in the sense of being true to the religion. Those who want to ignore the holy books and bring in considerations from outside are at a disadvantage.