Promoting gender equality in Muslim contexts

A question that is sometimes posed is whether women in Muslim contexts are entitled to equal rights. Does their culture and religion oppose to women having equal rights? To answer this, let us recognize the fact that nearly all the countries with Muslim majorities are signatories to international agreements advancing women’s rights. These include the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and other relevant agreements.