Informative Discussion on Women's Rights Ensured in CEDAW and Islamic Law

Abstract

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the comprehensive document specially adopted by the United Nations to ensure women’s appropriate rights all over the world. Islamic Law is the very set of rules and regulations the Muslims, the followers of the one of the major religions namely Islam, are supposed to abide by in their personal, family, national and international life. CEDAW is drafted not for the women of any particular religion; rather for all women irrespective of religious belief. The compatibility of CEDAW provisions can, therefore, be compared with the provisions prevailing in a particular religion. The objective of this article is to make a comparative and informative discussion on how far the CEDAW provisions are compatible with those of Islamic Law and to delineate their impact on the overall lives of women. The author considers the areas of rights mentioned in CEDAW as the basic points of comparison.

Keywords: CEDAW, Islamic Law, Compatibility, Difference