Local Women’s NGOS and the Reform of Islamic Law in Aceh : The Case of MISPI

When Islamic law was introduced in 1999, many Acehnese saw this as a way to return Aceh to its past glory and to restore people’s sense of morality. However, as the state Shariʿa system took shape, some were disappointed to find that the enforcement of Islamic law was largely focused on regulating women’s behaviour, with women being apprehended and/or publicly humiliated for offenses such as wearing tight jeans or not wearing a headscarf. Some women have even been subjected to caning as a form of punishment for infractions against local legislations regulating public morality. Recently, some local leaders have introduced new local regulations that aim to limit women’s freedom and mobility even further, including regulations banning women from performing traditional dances, and from straddling motorbikes (Pasandaran 2013; Saragih and Hotli Simanjuntak 2013). These regulations make Acehnese women the subject of an unprecedented amount of attention at both national and international levels. In the face of such developments, Acehnese women’s movements have challenged the local government and demanded law reform. Women’s organizations call upon religious leaders and local authorities to revise current Shariʿa legislation, arguing that the ‘true teaching’ of Islam does not discriminate against women.

Copyright 2016 by Koninklijke Brill nv, Leiden, The Netherlands.

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