The Star
“They were told that their husbands or male relatives could not be located,” she said.
Moreover, the body – initially implemented in the Klang Valley – could not get other states to implement it due to the lack of manpower, she said, adding that there were more than a million single mothers in the country.
Musawah (an international group for equality and justice in the Muslim family) project director Zainah Anwar said that they wanted a Federal Government agency because it was a problem across the board involving Muslims and non-Muslims.
By setting up the child support agency, the Federal Government would be responsible in getting fathers to pay for maintenance rather than leaving it to the ex-wives as the Government would have records of ex-husbands and could punish the men by not renewing their vehicle or business licences and passports.
She said in advanced countries that had the child support agency, compliance on maintenance payments improved from 30% to 80%.
“The idea of a child support agency was made known to the Government a few years ago but there was no response,” she said, adding that they hoped to work with government agencies and the Bar Council on family law matters soon.
Sisters in Islam acting executive director Ratna Osman said the Government needed to review the proposal for the agency because the Family Support Body had failed to address the problem.
PETALING JAYA: Muslim women groups are urging the Government to set up a child support agency to compel fathers in divorce cases to pay maintenance for their children.
Single Mothers Entrepreneurs Association chairman Latifah Abdul Rahman said the Government must seriously consider setting up the agency because using the full force of the Federal machinery would be more effective in confronting the issue than leaving it to the mothers to pursue the matter with their ex-spouses.
“When families do not have enough money to eat, for school fees, medication and other things, children too go through a lot of stress, may drop out of school and end up in vice,” she said in a workshop on Perspectives on Muslim Women and the Current Islamic Family Law for media practitioners yesterday.
Latifah said although the Government had set up the Family Support Body for Muslim women a few years ago, many members of her association could not get maintenance.
Single Mothers Entrepreneurs Association chairman Latifah Abdul Rahman said the Government must seriously consider setting up the agency because using the full force of the Federal machinery would be more effective in confronting the issue than leaving it to the mothers to pursue the matter with their ex-spouses.
“When families do not have enough money to eat, for school fees, medication and other things, children too go through a lot of stress, may drop out of school and end up in vice,” she said in a workshop on Perspectives on Muslim Women and the Current Islamic Family Law for media practitioners yesterday.
Latifah said although the Government had set up the Family Support Body for Muslim women a few years ago, many members of her association could not get maintenance.
“They were told that their husbands or male relatives could not be located,” she said.
Moreover, the body – initially implemented in the Klang Valley – could not get other states to implement it due to the lack of manpower, she said, adding that there were more than a million single mothers in the country.
Musawah (an international group for equality and justice in the Muslim family) project director Zainah Anwar said that they wanted a Federal Government agency because it was a problem across the board involving Muslims and non-Muslims.
By setting up the child support agency, the Federal Government would be responsible in getting fathers to pay for maintenance rather than leaving it to the ex-wives as the Government would have records of ex-husbands and could punish the men by not renewing their vehicle or business licences and passports.
She said in advanced countries that had the child support agency, compliance on maintenance payments improved from 30% to 80%.
“The idea of a child support agency was made known to the Government a few years ago but there was no response,” she said, adding that they hoped to work with government agencies and the Bar Council on family law matters soon.
Sisters in Islam acting executive director Ratna Osman said the Government needed to review the proposal for the agency because the Family Support Body had failed to address the problem.
1 comment:
After reading this article it reminds me about a documentary "Muslim Women: The Bill & Us" which explores the politics behind the reservation of muslim women in politics. Political leaders nearly all men are having some different point of view over women's right. That's why there is huge opposition for the women's reservation bill. Some muslim men believe that if women are attending Parliament they should attend in Purdah but women are against of this specially Dalit and backward caste women.
To watch please visit - http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/4074
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