NCW submits report on Muslim women’s rights, seeks legal reforms

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday submitted a comprehensive recommendatory report on the rights of Muslim women in India to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women and Child Development, and Ministry of Minority Affairs, urging concrete legal and institutional reforms to strengthen access to justice and socio-economic empowerment.

The report follows an extensive national-level consultation organised by the Commission in New Delhi on August 1 last year, which was attended by the Union Minority Affairs Minister, senior government representatives, legal experts, academicians, women’s rights groups, religious scholars, social activists and civil society members from across the country.

According to the Commission, the consultation reviewed the current legal framework concerning Muslim women, examined implementation gaps and explored reforms aimed at ensuring stronger constitutional safeguards and greater social and economic empowerment.

The NCW said that while constitutional protections and recent legislative interventions have helped advance women’s rights, considerable scope remains for improving legal awareness, strengthening access to justice and bringing greater clarity and consistency through progressive codification of personal laws.

The report placed particular emphasis on issues related to marriage, divorce, maintenance, child custody and inheritance.

During the consultation, thematic technical sessions were held on government welfare measures and legal protections, including discussions on Waqf reforms, women’s rights related to maintenance, custody, property and inheritance, as well as challenges arising in matters of marriage and divorce.

The Commission noted that the deliberations underscored the need for stronger legal literacy, more robust institutional support mechanisms and closer alignment of personal laws with constitutional principles of equality, dignity and justice.

The consultation also reviewed key legislations governing Muslim women’s rights, including the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, and the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, along with relevant court rulings.

Among its key recommendations, the NCW called for a comprehensive law codifying Muslim personal law in matters of marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody and inheritance. It also proposed mandatory marriage registration with provisions ensuring free and informed consent, prohibition of child marriage, and regulation of divorce practices to guarantee fairness and equal access to legal remedies.

The report further recommended strengthening financial safeguards for women during and after marriage, ensuring protection of mehr (dower) and matrimonial assets, adopting child-centric custody frameworks and simplifying enforcement of inheritance rights.

The Commission also advocated setting up gender-sensitive dispute resolution mechanisms with adequate representation of women and accountability to civil courts, along with expansion of legal aid services, helplines and targeted awareness campaigns.

It additionally flagged the need for immediate intervention against exploitative practices such as the “Paaro” system, coupled with rehabilitation support, identity recognition and livelihood assistance for affected women.

Reaffirming its commitment to gender justice and women’s empowerment, the NCW urged the concerned ministries and stakeholders to take timely steps for effective implementation of the recommendations to ensure greater protection of rights and equal opportunities for Muslim women across India.

IANS