Musawah – which means equality in Arabic - describes itself as a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family. It was launched in 2009 at a meeting in Malaysia attended to by over 250 women and men from 50 countries from around the globe.

Musawah can be seen as useful for grassroots efforts in the UK today because of their practical approach which bridges theory and activism to attempt to find the best ways of positively affecting women’s lives today. The group's framework integrates Islamic teachings, standards of universal human rights and the lived realities of men and women. They highlight the efforts of activists, scholars and rights groups working for the recognition of equality between men and women in Muslim contexts.

Discussions of feminism in Islam and what can be done to improve the lot of Muslim women today have long been conducted in scholarly circles but movements like Musawah have taken an important step in filtering this knowledge down to the communities that need it.

To explore Musawah’s work and resources further, see musawah.org/.