Conference on women status in Islam opens in Dakar
North Africa, Religion, 7/30/1998

Dakar is hosting this July 29 through August 1 a sub-regional conference on the status of women in Islam.

The colloquy is held by the Senegalese Ministry of Women, Children and Family, with the support of non-governmental organizations and the Association of Senegal's Imams (preachers). It is meant to explain the "significant progress" that Islam has achieved concerning the sexual mutilation of women in Africa, a practice that dates back to the pre-Islam era.

Last May, the Senegalese government called on women excision practitioners to end this practice.

UNICEF says 130 million of African women are affected by excision, including 700,000 in Senegal. According to the same source, some 2 million women and girls are annually victim of this practice.

Senegalese prime minister who opened the conference announced that his country will adopt shortly a law banning the mutilation of women. He added that poor knowledge of Islam and misinterpretation of its teachings are behind the social constraints facing women in Muslim societies.

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