Muslim Women: Past and Present

Recommend a Muslim Woman

Throughout the ages, from the earliest days of Islam to contemporary times today, Muslim women have been and continue to be active leaders in their communities and countries across the world. This directory is a growing archive of leading Muslim women scholars, activists, writers, politicians, artists, religious and spiritual leaders, civil society leaders and more. Please contribute to this archive by suggesting Muslim women to be featured through our recommendation form.

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Rashida Manjoo

“Women are … individual human beings with rights of dignity and bodily integrity.” –Rashida Manjoo, in her report, “Gender Equality: Striving for Justice in an Unequal World”

photo of Rashida Manjoo Courtesy of Mary Knox Merrill / Northeastern University

Known For: United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
Country: South Africa

About

Rashida Manjoo is one of the world’s top experts and combatants of violence against women. She is the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, appointed by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in 2009. This is the key position for analyzing—and condemning—violence against women on an international level.

Manjoo is a South African feminist lawyer; she has devoted her career to the area of violence against women, specifically in Algeria, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East. In South Africa, she served as an Advocate of the High Court and the country’s Commission on Gender Equality.

Manjoo was a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School in 2006, and remains an Associate in the Law Faculty of the University of Cape Town. Manjoo founded the Domestic Violence Assistance Programme at the Durban Magistrates Court, as well as the Gender Unit at the Law Clinic at the University of Natal. She is a member of the Women Living Under Muslim Laws Network.

Sources

Society for International Development Forum: Rashida Manjoo is new UNSR VAW

Women Living Under Muslim Laws: UN Appoints New Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Its Causes and Consequences

United Nations: Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. 

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This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women chronologically by the Common Era century. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women by their Country. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women leaders by entering the keyword(s) of your choice. If you cannot find a particular woman that you are looking for, please let us know by completing our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.