The Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, WRAPA, an NGO, has trained 88 Shari’a court judges from six states in the Northwest on Islamic family law.
The two-day training was carried out in two sessions at Zamfara and Jigawa states for Shari’a court judges from Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states
The Project Director of the NGO, Saudatu Mahdi, told newsmen on the sideline of the training session in Gusau on Wednesday that the aim of the training was to remind and encourage Shari’a court judges on the major duties before them.
She said that this was particularly in relation to women’s rights according to Islamic law.
Mrs Mahdi said 44 Shari’a court judges from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states were selected for the training in Gusau.
“As I am talking to you another session of the training is taking place in Dutse, Jigawa state, for another 44 shari’a court judges from Jigawa, Kano and Katsina states.
“The main target of this training is Shari’a court judges, to training them on our new programme which is Islamic family law project.
“The content of this project is the Islamic law provision on family issues, that is why we involved Shari’a court judges because of their role and position in addressing various marriage issues in the society,” she said.
According to her, WRAPA was established 12 years ago purposely to fight for women’s right and address various challenges facing women in the society.
“We are advocating this Islamic family law project in seven states of the Northwest because large numbers of our people are Muslims, but when we look at the issue of marriage and other family related issues is very terrible.
“Most of our people are not practicing the provisions of Islamic law when it comes to issues of marriage relationship or family issues; that is why we are always having increase of number of marriage related cases such as divorce in courts.
“If you go to courts today you will see that over 60 per cent of cases for judgement are marriage related cases and most of the victims of such cases are women.
“That is why we are advocating for this project in order to improve the awareness of our people as well as reduce various challenges faced by women in the society,” she said.
NAN
