Awaaz - South Asia Watch News
News and information provided in conjunction with South Asia Citizens Wire and other sources
Posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Awaaz
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Posted by: Awaaz / 1/12/2005 01:49:47 PM-----Original Message-----From: Muslim Parliament [mailto:muslimparliament@hotmail.com] Sent: 12 January 2005 14:06To: muslimparliament@hotmail.comSubject: Immediate Press Release
12 January 2005
Immediate Press Release
Muslims launch campaign for Child Protection in mosque schools
Dr. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, leader of the Muslim Parliament, while addressing a seminar on Child Protection in Faith-based Environment in Ilford, outside London, warned the administrators of mosques and madrasas (Islamic seminaries), that unless they move to meet legal requirements in regard to the safety, security and welfare of children in their care they risk threatening the integrity of their institutions over which they preside. He said madrasas have a great tradition of learning in Islamic civilisation. It was there the concept of universal education grew and modern residential universities are but the advanced versions of it. The level of civilisation the Muslim Spain attained, a step away across the Channel, reminded the audience what the madrasa education is capable of. It produced intellectual giants who contributed to laying the foundations of Renaissance in Europe which eliminated obscurantism from across the Continent. ‘Once recovered from allegations of child abuse, madrasas face the challenge of whether they be capable of recapturing the spirit of inquiry, of respecting the dignity and integrity of the individual and the law’, he said.
The seminar was organised by the Muslim Parliament, in association with the Three Faiths Forum to profit from the experience of others in order to enable mosques and madrasas to put together best practice guide for child protection. Dr. Siddiqui added that our current practice of sweeping cases of child abuse under the carpet is a formula for disaster liable to bring community into discredit. What would better protect the integrity of these institutions is greater openness, a transparent and accountable system that ensured an abuse-free environment.
Mufti Barkatullah, Chief Imam of the Finchley Mosque, London, said neither parents nor teachers own the children. They are a gift and a trust from God, and should be treated with care and compassion. They are our future. ‘Islam opposes the corporal punishment of children, and rape is a heinous sin as well as a criminal offence,’ he said. He presented case studies of child abuse in madrasas. Simon Moules, a Child Protection Officer from the Roman Catholic Church stated that no religion condones abuse of children. It is a matter of concern for the entire society. He explained how allegations of abuse let to the Nolan report in 2001, the recommendations of which are now being implemented nationwide. Richard Marks of Jewish Charity, Norwood, highlighted the rigorous regime of child welfare that operates within Jewish institutions. Social services and police have resources to offer training facilities about child protection, and he advised organisations to take advantage of them to help them to meet their legal obligations. Hafiz Haroon Patel, the Imam of the Balfour Mosque, Ilford, gave details of how viable guidelines in the Redbridge area have been developed with the help of borough education officers, police and social services.
The discussion that followed stressed the need for a teacher disclosure form to identify past criminal history, for character references from former employers, for the training of staff and a written procedure for complaints as part of a workable child protection policy. Participants included administrators and teachers of madrasas, local borough officers and child protection staff from police and social services.
A report on the seminar will be published in March for circulation and debate within the Muslim community.
[End]
For more information please contact:
Dr Siddiqui, 020 8563 1995/ 07860 259 289
Back to top of page
About Awaaz
Projects and Campaigns
Latest News
Press and Media Reports
Resources and Links
Contact Awaaz
Supporting Organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
Archives
12/26/1999 - 01/01/2000 05/18/2003 - 05/24/2003 06/01/2003 - 06/07/2003 06/08/2003 - 06/14/2003 06/15/2003 - 06/21/2003 06/22/2003 - 06/28/2003 06/29/2003 - 07/05/2003 07/06/2003 - 07/12/2003 08/10/2003 - 08/16/2003 08/17/2003 - 08/23/2003 08/24/2003 - 08/30/2003 08/31/2003 - 09/06/2003 09/14/2003 - 09/20/2003 09/21/2003 - 09/27/2003 09/28/2003 - 10/04/2003 11/09/2003 - 11/15/2003 11/23/2003 - 11/29/2003 12/07/2003 - 12/13/2003 01/04/2004 - 01/10/2004 02/29/2004 - 03/06/2004 04/04/2004 - 04/10/2004 06/27/2004 - 07/03/2004 07/18/2004 - 07/24/2004 07/25/2004 - 07/31/2004 08/08/2004 - 08/14/2004 08/15/2004 - 08/21/2004 09/05/2004 - 09/11/2004 09/19/2004 - 09/25/2004 09/26/2004 - 10/02/2004 10/17/2004 - 10/23/2004 10/24/2004 - 10/30/2004 11/14/2004 - 11/20/2004 11/21/2004 - 11/27/2004 11/28/2004 - 12/04/2004 12/05/2004 - 12/11/2004 12/12/2004 - 12/18/2004 12/19/2004 - 12/25/2004 01/02/2005 - 01/08/2005 01/09/2005 - 01/15/2005 01/16/2005 - 01/22/2005 01/23/2005 - 01/29/2005 01/30/2005 - 02/05/2005 06/05/2005 - 06/11/2005 06/12/2005 - 06/18/2005 07/03/2005 - 07/09/2005 07/10/2005 - 07/16/2005 07/17/2005 - 07/23/2005 07/24/2005 - 07/30/2005 07/31/2005 - 08/06/2005 08/07/2005 - 08/13/2005 02/05/2006 - 02/11/2006 03/19/2006 - 03/25/2006 04/16/2006 - 04/22/2006 04/23/2006 - 04/29/2006 04/30/2006 - 05/06/2006 05/07/2006 - 05/13/2006 05/14/2006 - 05/20/2006 05/21/2006 - 05/27/2006 05/28/2006 - 06/03/2006
