Women's responses to the implementation of Islamic law in Aceh

Women have been significantly discriminated against in the implementation of Islamic law in the Province of Aceh. Stories of women being caught and their behavior criminalized when not covering their hair, not wearing proper Muslim clothing, and being in close proximity with the opposite sex have become daily news. While women were marginalized during the process of formulating Islamic laws, they challenged the way the laws were implemented and how sources of sharia were interpreted as soon as they realized women had become the main victims of the laws’ implementation. Despite restrictions imposed on women’s rights and mobility, Acehnese women activists, scholars, and religious leaders consolidated their actions, challenging patriarchal attitudes and demanding legal reform. They argued that as believers, Islamic law must be gender sensitive because the true teaching of Islam guarantees equality and respect for women’s rights.