Who We Are
The Islamic Women’s Initiative for Justice, law and peace (IWILAP) is the first and oldest Muslim women-led non-profit Muslim organization committed to promoting human rights especially Sexual & reproductive Health Rights, gender equity & Muslim women’s rights in Uganda. It pursues its mission through Research, Advocacy & legal aid. IWILAP is committed to promoting the rights of Muslim women within the frameworks of Islam and universal human rights.
IWILAP was established in 2013 and by forging a feminist vision based on equality and justice, IWILAP plays a prominent role in addressing Muslim women’s access to justice. Its efforts to promote the rights of Muslim women are based on the principles of equality, justice and freedom, International human rights instruments enjoined by the Quran, Hadith & Ijtihad.
Vision
We are a representative body for Muslim women advocating for human rights, gender equality, and the rights of all women to reach their full potential.
IWILAP has been supporting and advocating on behalf of all women and Muslim women in particular for now 10 years. At the heart of IWILAP is a commitment to fairness, equality, and justice in all our interactions and activities that support Muslim women.
Mission
To pursue justice for Muslim women through human rights-based legal aid, research and advocacy, and strategic litigation and promote their lived realities that advance women’s freedom from violence, equity, and justice for all.
IWILAP attaches significant value and importance to the role of women within the family and in society at large.
Our Story
The Islamic Women’s Initiative for Justice, Law and Peace (IWILAP) was founded on the 3rd September 2013 in Kampala, Uganda to promote the rights of Muslim women and to actually prove to the world that Muslim too can speak out about their rights far beyond observing the Islamic code. At its foundation, IWILAP was founded under the name Ashah Razyn Foundation (ARF) being named after the founder’s name Ms. Mwanga Mastullah Ashah. On 12th August 2016, ARF changed its name to the current IWILAP.
As a then victim of domestic abuse, and after watching millions of Muslim women and girls face intimate-partner violence and societal stereotype, the founder aimed at providing a platform for Muslim women who face gender-based violence to speak out and showcase the rights of Muslim women as provided for under Islam. This way, IWILAP was created to transform that belief into reality. Today, the organization remains a cornerstone as the only Muslim women’s rights movement in Uganda.
The founder strongly believed that Islam clearly and fully provided for the rights of Muslim women and as such needed to implement these rights. Virtually, the founder aimed at creating a unified voice to challenge the marginalized Muslim women in the selected areas of operation, embark on a systematic and long drawn out struggle to gradually unleash their enormous productive potential from bondage that reduced them to sub–humans and instead be active participants even at international level in regard to respecting their human rights, access to justice and achieving sustainable development while improving their livelihoods.
In so doing, IWILAP was founded to empower Muslim women to attain their rights and to improve their access to justice across Uganda. The abuse that Muslim women face today are not because of Islam. These violations occur due to patriarchal laws and cultural traditions that devalue Muslim women in both the public and private sphere. As a result IWILAP, as a legal based organization strives to promote a nation that upholds gender equality and respects wMuslim women’s rights by using a grassroots and top-down approach simultaneously through different programs and lobbying strategies.
Today, IWILAP is proud of its uncompromising commitment to provide legal aid, social counselling and protection services to Muslim women in an environment where human rights abuses are rampant and women’s issues are regularly overlooked.
How does IWILAP make a difference?
IWILAP therefore promotes access to justice through legal aid and advocate for gender responsive policies for Muslim women. Our efforts have taught us that investing in Muslim women human rights is investing in building more inclusive, more equitable and more peaceful communities.
As we celebrate 10 years of accomplishments, we pursue our commitment to open up spaces where the voices of Muslim women and marginalized groups are amplified and their leadership as solution makers in building safer, more inclusive and more equitable communities is recognized.
We are a movement of Muslim human rights changemakers.
