இலங்கையின் முஸ்லிம் விவாக மற்றும் விவாகரத்துச் சட்டத்தை (MMDA) திருத்துவதற்கான வரலாற்று சந்தர்ப்பம் வந்து வாய்த்துள்ளது. ஆயின் மீண்டும் அது எதிர்மறையான விளைவுகளை ஏற்படுத்தக்கூடிய அரசியல் சகதிக்குள் மூழ்கடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. முஸ்லிம் பெண்கள் முகங்கொடுக்கின்ற வாழ்க்கை அனுபவங்களை சுரண்டலுக்குள்ளாக்கி, அவற்றை வெறுப்பைத் தூண்டப் பயன்படுத்துவது மட்டுமன்றி, இலங்கை முஸ்லிம் பெண்களது நெறிமுறையான உரிமைகளை அகற்ற முனையும் வகையில் MMDA இனை நீக்கவேண்டும் என எழுகின்ற கோரிக்கைகளை MPLRAG கண்டிக்கிறது. அத்தோடு முஸ்லிம் பெண்கள் முகங்கொடுத்து வருகின்ற சவால்களை அலட்சியப்படுத்தி,... Continue Reading →
STATEMENT: Sri Lankan Muslim women – In Limbo between Reform and Repeal of the MMDA
A historic opportunity for reforming the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act of Sri Lanka (MMDA) has presented itself. Once again, it is mired in counter-productive politics. MPLRAG condemns the calls for repeal of the MMDA which exploits the lived realities of Muslim women to incite hatred and remove legitimate rights of Sri Lankan Muslims. MPLRAG... Continue Reading →
Maintenance under the MMDA – Position Paper 5
This position paper is the fifth in a series of position papers analysing the recommendations in the report of the 2009 Committee Appointed to Recommend Amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). Download the PDF version of the Position Paper in English
GUIDEBOOK: Getting a Fasah divorce under the MMDA
This guidebook is a result of the many requests for information about the procedure relating to Fasah divorce that Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) receives on a weekly basis. It is not a substitute for legal advice for individual cases. It is meant as a guide designed to provide information about what is... Continue Reading →
Unequal Divorce under the MMDA – Position Paper 4
This position paper is the fourth in a series of position papers analysing the recommendations in the report of the 2009 Committee Appointed to Recommend Amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA). Download PDF Version of Position Paper in English Sinhala and Tamil translations to be added shortly.
MUSLIM WOMEN’S DEMANDS 2020
MMDA MUST BE REFORMED COMPREHENSIVELY The MMDA must be reformed comprehensively to guarantee equality and justice for all Muslims, particularly Muslim women and girls. Muslim women have been the most affected by the MMDA and Quazi court system, and the mandate for reform is principally derived from their call for changes to MMDA. Therefore, women’s... Continue Reading →
முஸ்லிம் விவாக, விவாகரத்துச் சட்டச் (MMDA) சீர்திருத்தம்: நாங்கள் இப்போது எங்கிருக்கின்றோம்?
ஒரு வருடத்திற்கு முன்னர், 2019 ஆகஸ்ட் 22 ஆம் திகதி, அப்போதைய முஸ்லிம் விவகார அமைச்சினால் முஸ்லிம் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர்களின் ஒத்துழைப்புடன் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்ட முஸ்லிம் விவாக, விவாகரத்துச் சட்டச் (MMDA) சீர்திருத்தம் தொடர்பான பரிந்துரைகளின் தொகுதியொன்றை அப்போதைய அமைச்சரவை அங்கீகரித்தது. எவ்வாறாயினும், ஒரு வருடத்தின் பின்னர், சீர்திருத்தம் தொடர்பில் எந்தவொரு முன்னேற்றமும் ஏற்படவில்லை. இது முஸ்லிம் விவாக, விவாகரத்துச் சட்டத்தின் (MMDA) கீழ் நிகழும் பாகுபாடு மற்றும் அநீதி மற்றும் சிலவேளைகளில் வன்முறைகளைக் கூட முஸ்லிம் பெண்கள் ... Continue Reading →
මුස්ලිම් විවාහ සහ දික්කසාද පනත (MMDA) ප්රතිසංස්කරණය: අප දැන් සිටින්නේ කොතැනද?
මීට වසරකට පෙර, එනම් 2019 අගෝස්තු 22 වන දින එවකට මුස්ලිම් කටයුතු අමාත්යාංශය විසින්, මුස්ලිම් පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රීවරුන්ගේද සම්බන්ධීකරණය සහිතව, සභාගත කරන ලද මුස්ලිම් විවාහ හා දික්කසාද පනත (MMDA) සඳහා වූ ප්රතිසංස්කරණ නිර්දේශ මාලාවක් කැබිනට් මණ්ඩලය විසින් අනුමත කරන ලදී. කෙසේ වෙතත්, එයින් වසරක් ගතවූ පසුවත් එම ප්රතිසංස්කරණ පිළිබඳ ප්රගතියක් දක්නට නොලැබුණි. එම වසරද MMDA යටතේ... Continue Reading →
FAQs: What is happening with MMDA reforms?
The problems and challenges with Sri Lanka’s Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and Quazi court system is well known and well documented. It is undeniable common knowledge that Muslim women are the most affected by discriminatory provisions, procedures and practices of the MMDA, and the Quazi court system, since its enactment in 1951. The... Continue Reading →
Statement: Do Not Exploit the Struggle for MMDA reform
A statement in response to the Bills proposed affecting Muslim Marriage Law in Sri Lanka We are deeply disappointed that a Bill to repeal the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act of 1951 (MMDA) has been tabled in Parliament by MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana on 8th January 2020. It is claimed that the purpose of the... Continue Reading →
STATEMENT: Future President must prioritise MMDA reforms
JOINT STATEMENT BY: Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) and Hashtag Generation. The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (1951) of Sri Lanka contains multiple provisions that discriminate against women. One serious discriminatory statement includes explicitly stating that only males can hold the positions of judges in Quazi courts, marriage registrars, jurors and Board of Quazi... Continue Reading →
RELEASE: Joint Cabinet Memorandum on Amendments to the MMDA
On 17th September 2019, MPLRAG representative filed a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Ministry of Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs for an official copy of the joint proposal submitted by the Minister of Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Prison Reforms, on amendments to the Muslim... Continue Reading →
CABINET MINISTERS FAIL TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS MMDA REFORM CONCERNS
MMDA reform is progressing and the fact that the Cabinet of Ministers are engaging with the much needed for reform is a positive step. This momentum has been shadowed by the fact that the reforms proposed are not adequately addressing the issues. In the spirit of continuing to highlight the need for comprehensive and meaningful... Continue Reading →
Update: MUSLIMS MPs CHANGE THEIR PROGRESSIVE POSITIONS ON MMDA REFORM
If changes were to be made to the positions taken on reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act of 1951 (MMDA) by Muslim Members of Parliament on 11th July 2019 it should have been for the betterment of Muslim women and girls. Alarmingly, MPLRAG reliably learns that the document forwarded to the Ministry of... Continue Reading →
Piecemeal reform will perpetuate discrimination and hardship under the MMDA
Following MP Faiszer Musthapha’s statement on July 12, we note the increased attention that the subject of MMDA reform has received. We also note the unprecedented momentum in political will which was long needed to address the discrimination and hardship Muslim women face. According to MP Musthapha, the reforms agreed upon by Muslim politicians cover... Continue Reading →
MMDA reform: Muslim women demand equality & justice
The Muslim women in Sri Lanka have persisted with the struggle to reform MMDA for over three decades. This is despite the repeated and abject failure of the male dominated religious and political leadership within the community to address these grievances that are having serious adverse impact on the everyday lives of women and girls.... Continue Reading →
The antidote to extremism is ensuring equality, rights and freedoms for all.
MPLRAG response to the public conversation on MMDA After the tragic and dastardly Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) issued a statement of condolence and thereafter remained silent in our advocacy for the past month in memory of those who were killed. We wanted to respect and participate... Continue Reading →
Now is the Time for Compassion
Statement by Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG). We are truly devastated by the bombings in Batticaloa, Colombo, and Negombo on 21 April 2019. Our hearts go out to those directly affected by this senseless violence. We extend our prayers and thoughts to the Christian and Catholic communities across the country that have experienced... Continue Reading →
Women as Quazis (judges) – Position Paper 2
DOWNLOAD PDF (ENG) - Position Paper 2 - Women as Quazis (Judges) Sinhala and Tamil translations to be added shortly.
Minimum Age of Marriage – Position Paper 1
DOWNLOAD (ENG) PDF - Position Paper 1 - Minimum Age of Marriage Sinhala and Tamil translations will be available shortly.
MMDA Committee Report: Are We Asking the Right Questions?
This article outlines MPLRAG’s opening statements in the conversation on MMDA Committee Report and is Part 1 of a series of articles on the report(s) and reform process. Ever since the long awaited report of the Committee Appointed to Recommend Amendments To the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) was officially released, much has been... Continue Reading →
No MMDA reforms possible without Muslim women
On July 18th 2018, the report of the 2009 Committee considering reform of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) of 1951, was finally released on the website of the Ministry of Justice and public comments called for. It was understood that dissenting opinions between Committee members on some of the key issues was the... Continue Reading →
Coercing Consensus on MMDA Reforms: Impractical, Harmful and Yet Another Excuse for Delays
Muslim Personal Law Reforms Action Group (MPLRAG) is deeply disturbed and concerned by comments of Minister of Justice Thalatha Athukorale, in recently quoted statements regarding reforms of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) published on July 6th on the Jaffna Muslim website, in which the Minister commented that the Ministry is not able to... Continue Reading →
PUBLIC LETTER TO MINISTER OF JUSTICE
Hon. Minister Thalatha Athukorale Minister of Justice 16, May 2018 Dear Honourable Minister, Official Public Release of Report on Proposed Reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) of Sri Lanka As members of the Muslim community, and representing those deeply invested in the welfare of the community, as well as the upliftment of... Continue Reading →
OPEN LETTER TO THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE MMDA
Dear Justice Saleem Marsoof and Members of the Committee, We have perused the document that was recently made public on groundviews.org purporting to be report on the reforms recommended by your Committee. We have reason to believe given the content of the report that this is probably the very document your Committee submitted to the... Continue Reading →
Muslim Women’s Demands on reforms to the MMDA
Download UPDATED Women's Demands on MMDA Reforms Download Muslim Women's Demands in Sinhala Download Muslim Women's Demands in Tamil
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on MMDA & reforms
Download for FAQs on MMDA in Sinhala FAQs about Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) and reforms 1. What is the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA)? The 1907 Sri Lankan (General) Marriage Registration Ordinance (GMRO) is applicable to all citizens of the country with the exception of Muslims who marry within faith. Two communities... Continue Reading →
Study: ‘Unequal Citizens’ – Muslim Women’s Struggle for Justice and Equality in Sri Lanka
This is a comprehensive study covering most aspects of the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) currently being discussed. We encourage the reading of this study for anyone interested in getting to know the details about the issues at stake, the impact it is having on Muslim women and girls, what types of reforms to... Continue Reading →
Polygamy in Sri Lanka – Position Paper 3
Download the English PDF Download Sinhala and Tamil translations will be available shortly.