ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the initiatives taken by Muslim women in addressing their concerns, especially pertaining to law reform and challenging some of the long-held myths. Post-Independence, the leadership of the community including those who supported the Congress Party during the Independence struggle, committed their support to the government, provided there was no interference with the Muslim Personal law (MPL) and other related institutions. It is also important to seek the opinion of other minority communities on the issue of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The British government enacted the Shariat Application Act (SAA) 1937 which was an attempt at applying the Sharia and not the customary laws to the Muslim community. While the larger women's movement has done a huge task of highlighting women's issues and bringing them out of the closet, it unfortunately 'assumed the homogeneity of women's identity'. Being elitist, it could not address the concerns of excluded and marginalised groups like Dalit and Muslim women.
