Activities
3rd High Advisory Board Meeting of UNIW’s International Family Institute
On 12th January 2020, the 3rd High Advisory Board Meeting of UNIW’s International Family Institute (IFI) was held at Akgun Hotel Istanbul. The meeting had gathered participation from ministry officials, academicians, civil society leaders and family experts from 40 countries.
The meeting started with an opening speech by the Secretary General of UNIW, Atty. Ali Kurt. In his speech, Mr. Ali Kurt said, “I greatly welcomed and thanked our members whom gathered here from 40 different countries. Together, we had organized many significant events in align with IFI, with some of it being conducted in Indonesia, Turkey and other countries. And the latest, we had conducted a family workshop at SETA. It is all due to your ending support, that we had managed to carry out these programs, Alhamdulillah. We had also created several sub-commissions under IFI, that is; Strategy and Research Development Desk, International Agreements and Public Policy Desk, Field Studies and Listing Desk, Press Release and Marketing Deask, International Relations Desk and Family Fiqh Desk. So today, we will hear the presentations from the respective desk managers. The core foundation of our community, our family institution, is currently under threat. There are both positive and negative effects from the Istanbul Convention, Beijing Declaration and other international conventions. Thus, we will and must consult on these issues together. We will share the outcomes of our meetings with you”. After his speech, he passed the floor to the Co-Chairman of Commission of Women, Family and Youth (KAGE), Dr. Rabiye Yilmaz.
Dr. Rabiye Yilmaz then presented the works conducted by IFI since the 2nd High Advisory Board Meeting in 2017. Among the items of her presentation are;
– Family Charter Workshop,
– “Strengthening Women, Family and Health Institutions”, at WOMEN! Pillars of Civilizations,
– Family-themed meeting with HAB members along Morocco Visit,
– Visit to Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policies,
– A panel on “Strong Family Makes Strong Society”, during International NGO Fair, in collaboration with IFI and IMWU,
– Workshop on IFI’s Action Plan – Family Charter
– Supporting “We Are All Mary” Campaign, organized by UKAED,
– Meeting with Youth NGOs,
– Participated in symposium on Participated in the symposium on “Rights to Protection of the Family” organized by Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey,
– Participated in the 7th Family Council, under the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services,
– Visit to the Minister of Family, Labor and Social Services, Mdm. Zehra Zumrut Selcuk
– Malaysia Visit: International Muslim Women’s Union Council Meeting; visit to the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; discussion with Prof. Dr. Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf,
Deputy Rector of International University of Malaysia (IIUM), visit to Turkey’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Dr. Merve Safa Kavakci,
– Visit to Ministry of Family and Social Services, Head of Strategy Development, Mdm Zeliha Saglam together with the Director General of Family and Community Services, Mr Ali Cevik,
– IFI’s 2nd Workshop in 2019.
The participants of the meeting were then allowed to share their opinions regarding the first session of the meeting. In the second session of the meeting, the head of IFI desks made their presentations on their works. In this session, the participants shared on their thoughts on the works that had been conducted and considering possible future actions.
The Secretary General of International Union of Muslim Scholars, Prof. Dr. Muhyiddin Ali Al-Qaradaghi, also shared his views at the end of the meeting. In his speech, Dr. Al-Qaradaghi said; “Let us be united on items that bring us closer together. Let us reflect on how Qur’an guide us on family matters. It is not the fault of a woman that Adam was banished from the heavens – both are at fault. There is no doubt about it. It is inaccurate to say that women are intrinsically cowardly and unable to conduct good governance. In the chronicles of Sulaiman, there is Balqis; and in Moses’s chronicle there are mentions of his mother and wife. Such events are not mere stories but signify the importance of woman. Even in the Quran, it was mentioned that “due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them (husbands)”
The meeting ended with group photo session and the recitation of prayers by the Secretary General of International Union of Muslim Scholars, Prof. Dr. Muhyiddin Ali Al-Qaradaghi.
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