Child protection in Islamic contexts: identifying cultural and religious appropriate mechanisms and processes using a roundtable methodology

This paper reports on a piece of research which brought together eight Islamic scholars, four child protection academics and two international development agencies to identify mechanisms and processes which safeguard children from harm that are congruent with Islamic scholarship and practices. Roundtable methodology was used to share knowledge, build networks and increase engagement with child protection by bringing together different stakeholders to share experiences and encourage collaboration in a relatively cost-effective manner. Four key themes were identified following initial qualitative data analysis of the roundtable discussion: (1) The convergence and divergence in Islamic thought on issues of child protection; (2) knowledge sharing and partnership working; (3) individual and collective wellbeing; and (4) mechanisms and tools for intervention. Findings from the roundtable indicate that a reliance on solely Western-based models does not allow for the trust and credibility that enable intervention at a deeper level in Islamic communities. Critically, the roundtable highlighted a significant gap in how Islamic knowledge and principles are practically applied to child protection policy and practice in international development contexts. Next steps are identified for building a knowledge base that can be practised in Islamic communities

Young mothers in Islamic contexts: implications for social work and social development

Social work has a particular responsibility to develop culturally and religiously appropriate practice. Early childbearing occurs in many Muslim families and can be a sensitive issue because it is often shaped by local religious teachings. Early childbearing is associated with health and social vulnerabilities. Social work has an important role to partner with local religious leaders to support this vulnerable population. There are Islamic teachings that promote the care of pregnant mothers and babies. Many of these teachings are not well understood or applied when working with Muslim communities. Implications for social work research and practice are examined