The Future Is Female: s the System Failing Divorced Muslim Women?

Nobody enters a marriage expecting it to end, but sometimes, divorce happens. For many low-income Muslim women, post-divorce, the odds are stacked against them. Despite legal entitlements, many struggle to claim maintenance, fight legal battles for years, or face ex-husbands who ignore court orders. The result? A cycle of poverty, stress, and financial vulnerability. Why is financial justice still so difficult to obtain for divorced Muslim women, especially those who are low-income? And what will it take to ensure that the rights granted in Islamic law translate into real-life protection? Sisters in Islam (SiS) with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Malaysia and the IOI Foundation, conducted a study on the financial rights of low-income Muslim women post-divorce, and the challenges they face within the Islamic family legal system in Selangor and the Federal Territory. On this episode of The Future Is Female, Melisa Idris speaks with Dara Waheda, Advocacy, Legal Services and Ameena Siddiqi, Communications Manager at Sisters in Islam.