Bringing together experts and practitioners from jurisdictions where Muslim Family Law is practiced, the ICWMR allowed women leaders and experts to facilitate comparative insights, share best practices, and discuss advocacy efforts to secure women's rights within the family law framework.

The conference opened with an informative session titled “Situating Women’s Rights in Muslim Family Laws in Asia: Evolution and Impact,” with Ms. Fauzia Viqar, Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (FOSPAH, Pakistan), as the keynote speaker. Ms. Viqar was joined by Ms. Zainah Anwar, co-founder of Musawah (Malaysia), to explore the historical and contemporary developments and challenges in Muslim Family Laws regarding the protection of women’s rights in Asia.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Fauzia Viqar highlighted the significant strides made in women’s rights advocacy across the region while identifying persistent gaps in recognizing and implementing these rights within family law. She remarked, “Family laws may seem confined to the domestic sphere, but they have a profound impact on the public sphere as well. When women are empowered within their households and marriages through legal protections, they are better positioned to contribute economically, socially, and politically to the progress of our nation.” Ms. Viqar also elaborated on FOSPAH’s efforts to improve women’s standing within the Family Law framework in Pakistan through progressive interpretations of existing laws and by advocating for a focused law on women’s access to and equitable share in matrimonial property.

By promoting a rights-based discourse, the ICWMR aims to stimulate constructive dialogue that can influence reforms and practices in Muslim Family Law to ensure the protection and empowerment of women across the region.