Muslim Women's Rights Day: Know its history, significance

The Union ministry of minority affairs on Saturday announced that Muslim Women's Rights Day will be observed across the nation on August 1 and it will celebrate the second anniversary of the enactment of the law against triple talaq.

Muslim Women's Rights Day is observed across the nation on August 1 to celebrate the enactment of the law against triple talaq. The central government enacted the law on August 1, 2019, that has made the practice of instant triple talaq a criminal offence.

The central government enacted the law on August 1, 2019, that has made the practice of instant triple talaq a criminal offence.(HT FILE PHOTO)

The Union ministry of minority affairs on Saturday announced that Muslim Women's Rights Day will be observed across the nation on August 1 and it will celebrate the second anniversary of the enactment of the law against triple talaq.

Union minister for women and child development Smriti Irani, Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav and Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will attend a programme in Delhi to observe Muslim Women's Rights Day on Sunday, reports news agency PTI. Different organisations across the nation will also observe August 1 as Muslim Women's Rights Day.

Union minority affairs minister Naqvi said after the law came into effect triple talaq cases have come down significantly. "Muslim women across the country have overwhelmingly welcomed this law. The government has strengthened self-reliance, self-respect and self-confidence of the Muslim women of the country and protected their constitutional, fundamental and democratic rights by bringing the law against the triple talaq," he added.

The Supreme Court in August 2017 declared the practice of triple talaq or a form of divorce based on the husband pronouncing divorce thrice in quick succession as 'unconstitutional'.

In December 2017, citing the Supreme Court judgment and cases of triple talaq in India, the government introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in Parliament. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha but was stalled by the opposition in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was reintroduced and passed by both the Houses of Parliament in July 2019. Consequently, the bill received assent from President Ram Nath Kovind. The legislation, which outlaws instant triple talaq, sets forth three years jail for violations and also make the violator liable to pay a fine.