Custom, Religion, and Rights: The Future Legal Status of Palestinian Women

This article looks at the specific issues Indigenous Palestinian women are faced with as a consequence of the Intifada, especially concerning custom, religion and human rights. The author presents an overview of the problems inherent in legal reform in an area with a complexity of religious and customary heritages. This historic perspective serves as a backdrop for a discussion on legal reform effecting Palestinian women. Three options for reform are reviewed: a reinterpretation of Islam, adoption of European style civil codes and building upon the changes resulting from the Intifada. The author suggests that the ultimate goal of any method of reform must be compliance with international human rights norms and conventions and that legal change can only be achieved if other societal changes also occur.