Abstract

Legal precedent was set in India in 1985 with the Shah Bano case, which affirmed Muslim women's entitlement to alimony payments from their ex-husbands. Many Muslim women in India still encounter considerable obstacles to implementing this right over four decades after it was first established. This research intends to examine the legal, social, and economic aspects that contribute to the difficulty of enforcing maintenance payments for Muslim divorcees in India. This study will use in-depth interviews and focus groups with divorced Muslim women, legal professionals, and civil society organisations to identify the primary barriers to justice for women and to investigate possible solutions. The research intends to inform efforts to promote greater gender equality and access to justice for all, as well as to contribute to a better understanding of the complex and multifaceted problems that Muslim women in India experience in seeking maintenance payments after divorce.

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