Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF)

Making the Illegality Right: Ensuring Muslim Marriage Comply with Statutory Marriage of Mohammedans Ordinance:

Muslim Marriages in Ghana are registered under the Marriage of Mohammedans Ordinance (Cap 129) by the Registrar General's Office and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies. It is expected that the necessary tools being the Marriage Register and registration forms will be produced by Government of Ghana to facilitate registration. Additionally Muslim priests will be duly licensed and gazetted to facilitate registration; Increased public discussion on the apparent discrimination against Muslims to garner support for the tools; Increased knowledge among Muslims of the provisions of the Marriage of Mohammedans Ordinance to build demand for requisite register, forms and data. At the end of this project, a strategic meeting will be organised to build upon the recommendations in the analysis of the Law, and develop a road map to continue the advocacy and awareness. At the end of the 9 months following advocacy (meetings, lobbying, media interactions etc.) by Muslim leaders from the 4 groups supported by 20 legal literacy volunteers and other civil society groups (Muslim and non-Muslim), government actors introduce tools for registration of Muslim marriages under Cap 129 and make them available.