Feminist Interlegalities and Gender Justice in Sudan: The Debate on CEDAW and Islam

This article analyzes the intersection and conflict between Western feminist ideas of the emancipated women as outlined in CEDAW and Islamist feminist discourse in the context of Sudan since 1989. The author discusses the way in which Islamist feminists in Sudan struggle for their rights in the public sphere while in the private sphere they accept existing Sharia structures of family law. She explores the difference between fighting for gender equality and for gender equity. The author discusses why some Islamic women reject CEDAW because they see it as founded upon western feminist notions, which are incompatible with Islam, and, therefore, undesirable in Sudan. Tonnessen further argues that Western and Islamic feminist discourses are intertwined and help to mutually define each other.