Sweden: Proposed legislation to outlaw forced marriages

Sweden: Proposed legislation to outlaw forced marriages

Via The Local:

Anyone in Sweden who forces someone else to get married against their will can be sent to prison, according to proposed legislation presented Thursday which aims to criminalize forced marriages.

"We want to criminalize child marriage and forced marriage. It should also be a punishable offence to take a child out of the country and marry them off there," Göran Lambertz, who heads the government inquiry tasked with drawing up new legislation, told Sveriges Television (SVT).

(source)

READ MORE - Sweden: Proposed legislation to outlaw forced marriages

Sweden: Mosques advise women not to report abusive husbands

Sweden: Mosques advise women not to report abusive husbands

Via the Local:

Six out of ten mosques in Sweden gave women advice about how to deal with spousal abuse and polygamy that contradicted Swedish law, a media investigation has revealed.

Using hidden cameras and telephone recording equipment, two women posing as abused spouses visited ten of Sweden's largest mosques as part of a report put together by Sveriges Television (SVT) investigative news programme "Uppdrag granskning".

The women then asked leaders at the mosques for advice about how to address issues such as polygamy, assault and non-consensual sex.

Six out of the ten mosques visited by the women, who had also claimed that their husbands had multiple wives, told them that they should nevertheless agree to have sex with their husbands even if they didn't want to.

Six of the mosques also advised the women against reporting spousal abuse to the police. Leaders at another mosque were divided on the issue, while women received vague advice from yet another mosque.

(source)

READ MORE - Sweden: Mosques advise women not to report abusive husbands

Scotland: Forced marriage campaign targets mosques

Scotland: Forced marriage campaign targets mosques

Via the BBC:

A Muslim scholar has launched a groundbreaking campaign against forced marriage in Scotland.

Shaykh Amer Jamil says the practice has no place in Islam.

During the next few weeks leaflets and sermons are being given in mosques as part of an initiative to educate the community.

"In the Muslim community there's a misconception amongst some people that religion allows this, that parents have an Islamic right to choose partner of their children, and that they don't have a choice in this," says the Glasgow-based Imam.

(source)

READ MORE - Scotland: Forced marriage campaign targets mosques

Flanders: Muslims upset at Danni Lowinski episode

Flanders: Muslims upset at Danni Lowinski episode


Via HBvL (h/t RR):

A recent episode of the Danni Lowinski series upset Muslims in Flanders.  In the episode, a Turkish girl wanted help as she was being forced to marry her cousin.  One of the characters, bicycle dealer Fuat, said: 'The Koran says that singles MUST marry.'

Columnist Bahattin Kocak: "It's not in the Koran!  This is fiction, but I think it's a pity that something like that is proclaimed as truth.  This way a million viewers, of whom just a minority know the Koran, get a negative opinion about its content."

VTM apologized if they didn't always show 'a nuanced image of the Turkish community'.  The broadcaster stressed that Danni Lowinski is a fictional show which exaggerates issues, people and problems.

READ MORE - Flanders: Muslims upset at Danni Lowinski episode

Germany: 'Gender (in)equality not linked to Islam'

Germany: 'Gender (in)equality not linked to Islam'

Via DW:

Equality between Muslim men and women has little to do with religion, says Gönül Halat-Mec. DW's Klaudia Prevezanos spoke to the family lawyer and member of the of the annual German Islam Conference.

Deutsche Welle: What's the situation regarding equality between Muslim men and women in Germany?

Gönül Halat-Mec: You have to differentiate: It always depends on the social background of the people we're talking about. What we've worked out in the Islam conference is that many issues are not linked to religion or Islam, but are rather rooted in traditional patriarchal structures of society. And that depends on the social situation of the women – are they working, are they independent?

At the conference, we've realized that no matter how religious a woman or a couple is – equality is more a social problem that needs to be looked at separately from religion. Of course, we also have a situation in Islam where the role of women is more defined. That's partly because of failures to deal with these problems in the past, due to a lack of education on the matter.

(source)

READ MORE - Germany: 'Gender (in)equality not linked to Islam'

Bradford: Cousin marriage tradition becoming more entrenched

Bradford: Cousin marriage tradition becoming more entrenched

Via the BBC:

The tradition of marrying a cousin is becoming more entrenched among British-born Pakistanis living in Bradford than it was a generation ago, writes Winifred Robinson.

This has been the surprise finding of the Born in Bradford research project . It's a huge long-term study of 14,000 mothers and babies in the city, the largest ever undertaken in the UK. Half of the families in the project are Asian.

(source)

READ MORE - Bradford: Cousin marriage tradition becoming more entrenched

Scotland: Muslim leaders urge community not to vote for same sex marriage supporters

Scotland: Muslim leaders urge community not to vote for same sex marriage supporters

Vis STV:

Muslim religious leaders are urging people in their community not to vote for any candidate who supports same-sex marriage in the upcoming council election.

The Council of Glasgow Imams issued a "resolution opposing same-sex marriage" at the city's Central Mosque on Wednesday, which said the proposed legislation was an "attack" on their faith and fundamental beliefs.

(source)

READ MORE - Scotland: Muslim leaders urge community not to vote for same sex marriage supporters

UK: Horrific story of the British child bride

UK: Horrific story of the British child bride

Via the Daily Mail:

A successful businesswoman has told of her agony after being forced into an abusive marriage at the age of five - despite living in Britain.

Samina Shah, who is now in her 40s and too frightened to reveal her real name, spoke out after revelations that Britain's Forced Marriage Unit had handled the case of another five-year-old girl last year.

Mrs Shah said she believed she was being dressed for her fifth birthday party on the day of the Islamic ceremony which effectively ended her childhood.

(source)

READ MORE - UK: Horrific story of the British child bride

Belgium: Moroccan in jail for circumcising son

Belgium: Moroccan in jail for circumcising son

Via Volkskrant:

A 23 year old Moroccan was sentenced to jail for circumcising his two year old son. A court in Tongeren, next to Maastricht, sentenced the man to two years (one of which is conditional). He also has to pay 7500 euro compensation to his son and the baby's mother.

The man circumcised his son, since he couldn't accept that his son wouldn't be raised according to Moroccan values. The mother, a Flemish woman, withheld her pregnancy from him, because she didn't want the kid to be raised as a Muslim.

After the circumcision the boy was successfully treated in a hospital and there are no remaining injuries.

READ MORE - Belgium: Moroccan in jail for circumcising son

UK: 400 minors helped by Forced Marriage Unit in 2011

UK: 400 minors helped by Forced Marriage Unit in 2011

Via the BBC:

A five-year-old girl is thought to have become the UK's youngest victim of forced marriage.

She was one of 400 children to receive assistance from the government's Forced Marriage Unit in the last year.

The figures have emerged as the public consultation into criminalising forced marriage in England, Wales and Northern Ireland comes to an end.

Amy Cumming, joint head of the Forced Marriage Unit, said 29% of the cases it dealt with last year involved minors.

"The youngest of these was actually five years old, so there are children involved in the practice across the school age range," she said.

To protect the child, the authorities have not disclosed details of the case or where the marriage took place.

But the case comes as no surprise to the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (IKWRO), which deals with more than 100 cases of forced marriage a year.

"We have had clients who are in their very early teens, 11-year-olds, 12-year-olds, the youngest case we had was nine years old," said IKWRO campaigns officer Fionnuala Murphy.

(source)

READ MORE - UK: 400 minors helped by Forced Marriage Unit in 2011

Netherlands: Ministers agree new rules to reduce forced marriages

Netherlands: Ministers agree new rules to reduce forced marriages

Via DutchNews:

Ministers on Friday agreed to tighten up the laws on marriage in the hope of reducing forced marriages, particularly those involving minors.

Ministers have agreed to stop the under-18s getting married in the Netherlands. In addition, officials will only recognise marriages involving minors which were carried out abroad if both partners are 18 when they apply to have their wedding approved in the Netherlands.

(source)

READ MORE - Netherlands: Ministers agree new rules to reduce forced marriages

UK: Muslims attack Cameron's gay marriage plan

UK: Muslims attack Cameron's gay marriage plan

Via the Daily Telegraph:

Last week, ministers published a consultation on how the changes to civil marriage laws will be introduced. The plans explicitly rule out alterations to religious marriage.

However, the Muslim Council of Britain said case for the government’s proposals was “strikingly weak”.

Farooq Murad, Secretary General of the MCB, said: “Whilst we remain opposed to all forms of discrimination, including homophobia, redefining the meaning of marriage is in our opinion unnecessary and unhelpful.

(source)

READ MORE - UK: Muslims attack Cameron's gay marriage plan

Sweden: Court disallows teen's Sharia marriage

Sweden: Court disallows teen's Sharia marriage

Via the Local:

A Swedish court has ruled that a 17-year-old girl's marriage by a Sharia court in the West Bank is invalid in Sweden, overturning a lower court's decision.

The girl, who is now 19-years-old, was married in June 2010 in a Sharia court located in the West Bank town of Hebron, ten days before her 18th birthday, according to Swedish court documents.

When she and her husband moved to Sweden they sought to have their marriage registered with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).

But the agency denied the couple's application, arguing the marriage couldn't be registered in Sweden because the woman hadn't turned 18 at the time of the wedding.

(source)

READ MORE - Sweden: Court disallows teen's Sharia marriage

UK: High-flying Muslim career women willing to 'share husbands' because of a lack of suitable men

UK: High-flying Muslim career women willing to 'share husbands' because of a lack of suitable men

Via the Daily Mail:

Muslim career women in Britain are choosing to become involved in polygamous relationships because of a lack of suitable men.

Some of them even choosing to become second or third wives to married men, according to the Islamic Sharia Council.

The charity, based in Britain, gives legal guidance to Muslims and has said it is receiving a high number of queries from women struggling to find suitable partners.

Many of the women have also said they would prefer to hold down high-profile jobs rather than look after their husbands.

(source)

READ MORE - UK: High-flying Muslim career women willing to 'share husbands' because of a lack of suitable men

Netherlands: Hymen reconstruction doesn't work

Netherlands: Hymen reconstruction doesn't work

Via RNW:

Nearly 90 women were followed over a two-year period at two different hospitals in the Netherlands. The women were closely monitored and supported through the decision-making surrounding hymenoplasty. The researchers offered education and counselling in an effort to banish a number of myths surrounding virginity.

“People believe that women should bleed on their wedding night, but, in truth, only about half of women bleed when they lose their virginity.”

After extensive conversations with the gynaecologist-sexologist, about half the women decided not to proceed with hymen reconstruction. According to Ms van Moorst, those who ultimately decided to have hymenoplasty were motivated by emotions. “They then felt as though they had done everything possible to restore virginity.”

A woman seen in the RNW video below this article tells why women sometimes have no other option. According to Karima:

“In my culture, you can’t tell your parents or your family that you lost your virginity before you got married. My mother could not live with that. I would bring shame on my family and I'd be cast out.”

Ms van Moorst asked the women who chose to have the surgery if it brought the desired bleeding. “Our research revealed that the reconstructions don’t work,” she says. “It was very remarkable, and I'm glad because it this is yet another reason to advise women not to have the operation.”

(source)

READ MORE - Netherlands: Hymen reconstruction doesn't work

Paris: Imam marries gay couple

Paris: Imam marries gay couple

Via Observatoire de la diversité:

Ludovic and Qiyaam got married in South Africa last August. This week they got married by an imam in Paris.

More than forty friends and members of HM2F - Muslim gays of France - attended the event. Christian and Jewish LGBT organizations were also invited. The ceremony was conducted by Jamal, originally from Mauritius, who heads the Prayer and Meditation group in HM2F. Christian and Jewish clergymen then added their blessings.

Ludovic says he received the blessings of his family, who reside in Marseille and came for the occasion. He added that he has more problems with French law.

READ MORE - Paris: Imam marries gay couple

Malta: Church commission talks of alarming rate of interfaith marriages

Malta: Church commission talks of alarming rate of interfaith marriages

Via Malta Today:

The committee received Mgr Philip Calleja, of the Church's emigrants commission, who prepared a presentation on civil marriage preparation. He said that civil marriages between Maltese nationals and foreigners are problematic "especially with African mothers who raise their children in an environment that is alien to Malta."

Calleja said that St Paul's Bay, Sliema, Msida, Gzira, St Julian's and San Gwann have the highest incidence of civil marriages between foreign and Maltese nationals.

He said that the number of mixed marriages was increasing and is "alarming", adding that when Arab and Muslim persons marry Maltese nationals, these persons should be "prepared".

(source)

READ MORE - Malta: Church commission talks of alarming rate of interfaith marriages

Switzerland: Forced marriage clampdown gets traction

Switzerland: Forced marriage clampdown gets traction

Via WRS:

The National Council has voted by 128 votes to 51 in favour of the the Federal Council’s tougher measures to combat forced marriages and marriages under age 18.

The measures would apply equally whether the marriage ceremony takes place within Swiss borders or in another country, and whether the marriage is a heterosexual or homosexual union.

(source)

READ MORE - Switzerland: Forced marriage clampdown gets traction

Marseillais: 'Muslim culture is definitively taking over the lower levels of society'

Marseillais: 'Muslim culture is definitively taking over the lower levels of society'

Via National Geographic:

What worries some Marseillais is not the caricature of Talibanization invoked by right-wing extremists but what they see as the creeping Islamization of the city's largely working-class population—and not only those issus de l'immigration. "I think that Muslim culture is definitively taking over the lower levels of society," says Michèle Teboul, of CRIF. "There are many mixed marriages with Muslims."

"That's real integration," I say.

"That depends," says Teboul. "It depends if there is a mixture of the two cultures and not one culture gaining the upper hand over another," she says. In France, as she sees it, the institutionalization of secularism and the prevalence of political correctness have weakened the value systems in society and left people without any strong sense of tradition. "Loving your homeland, loving your country, having values— whether religious or other—has been put aside by the politically bien-pensant, and that has helped to break up families that no longer have points of reference, especially those that are underprivileged." Islam, says Teboul, offers a structure to the lives of many people who feel they are adrift. "I'm convinced of that," she says.

Many young Muslim men and women would be surprised to hear of Teboul's concerns. Holding on to Islamic traditions seems a lost cause, or a pointless one, to those who live in a hybrid world of mixed cultures. Their political voice is minimal. An old guard descended from earlier waves of immigrants dominates the local political machines. Italian names abound; Arab ones do not. At the national level almost all of the Muslims that Paris will listen to on Muslim issues, when it listens at all, were not born in France.

"The great paradox is that we who were born here are not recognized," says Djellil. "We have a French culture, we went to French schools, we have a lot of the same demands as our friends who are named Jean-Pierre or Frank," he says. "There's a real generational problem."

(source)

READ MORE - Marseillais: 'Muslim culture is definitively taking over the lower levels of society'

UK: Asian children in East Lancashire are less likely to be in foster care

UK: Asian children in East Lancashire are less likely to be in foster care

Via the Blackburn Citizen:

ASIAN children are less likely to end up in care because of the strong support network in the community, according to a religious leader.

(...)

Salim Mulla, chairman of Lancashire Council of Mosques and a borough councillor in Blackburn with Darwen, said he was not surprised by the statistics.

“In our community the majority of people tend to have a large extended family,” he said.

“So within the community, extended family members often take on the additional responsibility of looking after their relatives’ children without even thinking about it.

“That is the mentality of the Muslim community, to support one another in their hour of need, and that message is always given in sermons in mosques.”

(source)

READ MORE - UK: Asian children in East Lancashire are less likely to be in foster care