On Friday April 28th 2006, KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) and the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) hosted an event honoring Pakistani female human rights activist, Mukthar Mai, at ADAMS center in Sterling, VA. 

The evening began with Quranic recitation in Arabic and English.  Imam Mohamed Magid of the ADAMS center spoke about the importance of raising awareness of gender violence and speaking out against it in Muslim community centers and masjids.  This was followed by Dr. Azizah al Hibri, President and Founder of KARAMAH, who addressed the issue of gender violence and the oppressive practices of feudal lords in some Muslim countries.  She highlighted the un-Islamic nature of these practices and emphasized the need for reform from within an Islamic framework.  An audience of about 250 men and women viewed a brief documentary about Mukhtar Mai’s ordeal. 

In June 2002, Mukhtar Mai was gang-raped by a number of men reportedly ordered to do so by the tribal council (panchayat) in retribution for a zina (adultery) crime that her brother was accused of. Mai spoke out against the crime and filed charges against the men, who remain in prison awaiting conviction. 

Mai spoke about her efforts to combat gender violence through education and literacy.  She has been successful in opening two schools in her village of Meerwala, one for boys and the other for girls.  The school for girls is the first ever for Meerwala, a remote village located in the rural county of Jatoi in the Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan. “I saw how it was the educated women of Pakistan who came to support me, so that is why I feel it is so important to educate our girls from a young age,” said Mai to the audience. 

In addition to the school, Mukhtar Mai has also opened a crises center for victims of gender violence, which she runs from her home.  She also hopes to continue the development of her village by opening a health center and other facilities.

Mukhtar Mai answered questions and listened to comments from audience members through the help of an interpreter who translated from English to Saraiki.  Audience members brought up the courge of honor killings and blamed the feudal system in Pakistan as a major contributor to gender violence.   Dr. al-Hibri noted that honor killings are prohibited in Islam, which views them as acts of murder.  She added that' unfortunately' various patriarchal cultures, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, have condoned them.

The evening ended with closing remarks by OMPAC foundation board member, Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, who reflected on the Islamic virtue of working towards social justice.