Local Muslim leaders said they wanted to use the holy month to highlight the challenges facing women in the disputed region, home to one of the world's longest-running insurgencies. Farooq said Kashmir faced "difficult times", blaming the long-running conflict between separatist militants and Indian troops stationed there for the neglect of women's rights. "Our clerics across the board including Shias, Sufis, Salafis, Sunnis have consensus on this ... we want to educate women about their rights," he said. But others dismissed it as "lip service" and urged Muslim leaders in the region to focus instead on concrete changes such as ending the practice of polygamy and ensuring equal inheritance rights for women. Let them come forward with a roadmap for dealing with women's issues," said women's rights activist Mantasha Binti Rashid.

Source: Dhaka Tribune May 09, 2019 16:30 UTC