On Friday the 15th of December in a meeting chaired by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, the Indian Cabinet approved a draft law, under which the practice of giving an instant ‘triple talaq’ (divorce), would be illegal and hold no meaning. This means that ‘Instant Triple Talaq’ will be now considered as a cognisable claim and non-bailable offense, and the perpetrators of this practice would be subject to serving a jail term of three years.

Triple Talaq refers to the practice of Muslim men giving their wives ‘instant’ divorces by uttering the word talaq three times. In August earlier this year, the practice was banned the by the supreme court of India; it ruled that the practice was ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘un-Islamic’. The law was drafted on the back of this ruling by the supreme court.

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The draft law titled the ‘Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill 2017’ will only be applied to the instant triple talaq, and would also enable the victim to seek subsistence allowance for her and any minor children, and will also be entitled to custody of children.

Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that the law was designed to protect the dignity and security of Muslim women in the community.

However, there has been some criticism over the ban; the point has been raised that divorce is not the only thing threatening the security Muslim women and the Muslim community in general. The majority of the Muslim community is at the bottom of the economic and educational indicators of the country, and one of the main issues when it comes to the issues with women’s rights in India is the lack of awareness and education around the matter.

When we move forward with women’s rights in a country like India, it is also important to address whether the issues surrounding the Muslim community as a whole are being tackled; the two are not mutually exclusive. There is a need to consider how we can empower and protect the rights Muslim women in India beyond divorce.

You have brought happiness ,confidence and self pride in lives of muslim sisters. #TripleTalaq @narendramodi ji.

— Aman Sood???????? (@bobbysinghkarol) December 18, 2017

A bill was passed by the government and then the matter went to SC to make it a law. And hence the triple talaq banned

— Sukshiti Sinha (@sinha_sukshiti) December 18, 2017

Law on #TripleTalaq is good but who will bring a law for the rights of those women who are left by their husbands?

Please RETWEET & spread the message! ✌

— Sara Ali Khan (@SaraKhanWorld) December 15, 2017