The viability of Islam in the inclusion of women in development : a case study of Moroccan informal Islamic education networks

Abstract

Muslim women have long been at the centre of an uneasy relationship between religion and development. Gender stereotypes, from both Muslim and Northern states, have systematically excluded women, especially religious women, as agents of development. On the one hand, Muslim nations have used Islam as a legitimizing force to exclude women from public life; on the other hand, Northern development initiatives have identified religion as women's impediment to full participation in the development process. Understanding what has kept women outside of development efforts is fundamental to many mainstream development organizations which deem themselves to be gender conscious.

Grassroots initiatives have proven that women are using Islam as a holistic liberatory tool. Understanding the literature and the data from this research on Moroccan Muslim women's initiatives to harness Islam in their world-view for development enables a conversation on alternative gender paradigms in the field of development.