Meet Triple Talaq Petitioner, Hasina Khan And Her Struggle To Change The Law

At Uttar Pradesh Police’s effort to curb crime against women—Astitva, SheThePeople.TV was the digital broadcaster. On ground we had some focussed discussions on Sexual Harassment, Human Trafficking, Harassment in the Digital Space and Domestic Violence. Since this was a police’s initiative, several officers and inspectors working on the ground also joined in the conversation making their experience in dealing with things far more meaningful.  As a result the audience and the various stakeholders got a chance to understand each other.

 ABOUT ASTITVA

UP Police took this effort to undertake discussions on the various vulnerabilities of women and young girls. Indian Police Foundation along with the UP police organised the stakeholders’ conference to develop a social and moral consent among people and society for women’s safety.

SheThePeople caught up with Hasina Khan. Khan is one of the most prominent petitioner of Triple Talaq. She led the struggle that ended with it getting banned.

HER STRUGGLE

The 48-year-old founder of Bebaak Collective says, “We have been fighting against the evils of Triple Talaq for the past 30-35 years. And through this course, we have many times gone to the court for different matters like custody, maintenance, child marriage in Islam etc. So it has been a very long struggle in fighting for the rights of Muslim women. And the courts always gave judgment on an individual level.

“There are still many issues that need discussions and serious contemplation in the Islamic community. Issues of Nikaah Halala, Polygamy etc still need state and court intervention to secure women’s rights in the community" Hasina Khan on Triple Talaq discussion

ON SUPREME COURT’S DECISION

“It is the first time that a five-judge bench was set up. They gave a decision which talks about all Indian Muslims except Goa and Kashmir. So it is a victory in itself. Small victory nonetheless a victory indeed. Because the kind of experiences we face about injustice towards Muslim women in the community, they don’t have any negotiable power in their own marriages. Earlier their paternal families used to threaten them, this SC decision will at least stop that.

But it doesn’t mean that since Triple Talaq is banned, Muslim women’s lives will get better.”

‘STILL A LONG WAY TO GO’    

“There are still many issues that need discussions and serious contemplation in the Islamic community. Issues of Nikaah Halala, Polygamy etc still need state and court intervention to secure women’s rights in the community. We can talk about a gender-just and gender-equal society. We are fighting in the court for triple talaq for the past one and a half year. But we are going to the court for many years before that as well for different issues. We are making the state and court responsible with different ways so they intervene in such cases. So definitely triple talaq ban is an achievement but we must keep the fight on.”