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Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group

Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group

Advocating for comprehensive reform of the Sri Lankan Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) & Quazi system.

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Statement: What is happening with MMDA reforms? Enough delay. Act now! 

In late 2025, the Ministry of Justice reconvened the Committee appointed to make recommendations on amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act of 1951 […]

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STATEMENT: Future President must prioritise MMDA reforms

November 6, 2019 mplpreforms

JOINT STATEMENT BY: Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) and Hashtag Generation.  The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (1951) of Sri Lanka contains multiple provisions […]

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  • Statements

RELEASE: Joint Cabinet Memorandum on Amendments to the MMDA

November 5, 2019 mplpreforms

On 17th September 2019, MPLRAG representative filed a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Ministry of Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs for an […]

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  • Uncategorized

CABINET MINISTERS FAIL TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS MMDA REFORM CONCERNS

August 23, 2019 mplpreforms

MMDA reform is progressing and the fact that the Cabinet of Ministers are engaging with the much needed for reform is a positive step. This […]

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  • Statements

Update: MUSLIMS MPs CHANGE THEIR PROGRESSIVE POSITIONS ON MMDA REFORM

August 9, 2019 mplpreforms

If changes were to be made to the positions taken on reforms to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act of 1951 (MMDA) by Muslim Members […]

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  • Statements

Piecemeal reform will perpetuate discrimination and hardship under the MMDA

July 15, 2019June 27, 2021 mplpreforms

Following MP Faiszer Musthapha’s statement on July 12, we note the increased attention that the subject of MMDA reform has received. We also note the […]

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  • Statements

Litmus Test for MMDA reform: Muslim women demand equality & justice

May 28, 2019July 17, 2026 mplpreforms

The Muslim women in Sri Lanka have persisted with the struggle to reform MMDA for over three decades. This is despite the repeated and abject […]

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  • Resources by MPLRAG
  • Statements

The antidote to extremism is ensuring equality, rights and freedoms for all.

May 25, 2019June 27, 2021 mplpreforms

MPLRAG response to the public conversation on MMDA After the tragic and dastardly Easter Sunday attacks of April 21, Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group […]

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  • Statements

Now is the Time for Compassion

April 24, 2019 mplpreforms

Statement by Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG). We are truly devastated by the bombings in Batticaloa, Colombo, and Negombo on 21 April 2019. […]

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  • Uncategorized

Women as Quazis (judges) – Position Paper 2

February 12, 2019September 16, 2021 mplpreforms

DOWNLOAD PDF (ENG) – Position Paper 2 – Women as Quazis (Judges) Sinhala and Tamil translations to be added shortly.   

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  • Position Papers
  • Resources by MPLRAG

Minimum Age of Marriage – Position Paper 1

October 8, 2018September 16, 2021 mplpreforms

DOWNLOAD (ENG) PDF – Position Paper 1 – Minimum Age of Marriage Sinhala and Tamil translations will be available shortly. 

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  • Position Papers
  • Resources by MPLRAG

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The Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) of Sri Lanka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C24Mj_WDs1k

Sri Lankan MMDA & Comparative Laws

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1M04qEvdgE&t=86s

Minimum age of marriage in Sri Lanka

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVC1_bC8OA&t=2s

mplreforms

Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) is advocating for reform of the Sri Lankan Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act (MMDA) & Quazi system.
We are asking directly: What is the status of the We are asking directly: What is the status of the MMDA reform process? What has the Ministry of Justice done with the public feedback it has received? Is the MMDA Amendment Bill being finalised? If so, on what timeline? If the intention was to engage in an inclusive law reform process, when will the public be informed? #NoMoreDelays #RedormMMDANow Read English, Sinhala & Tamil statements: www.mmdasrilanka.org
We are asking directly: What is the status of the We are asking directly: What is the status of the MMDA reform process? What has the Ministry of Justice done with the public feedback it has received? Is the MMDA Amendment Bill being finalised? If so, on what timeline? If the intention was to engage in an inclusive law reform process, when will the public be informed? Read English, Sinhala & Tamil statements: www.mmdasrilanka.org
We strongly urge the government to raise the minim We strongly urge the government to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years without exceptions under the MMDA, in order to establish a standard minimum age of marriage for all citizens, regardless of religion. The Sri Lankan government is responsible for establishing a standard minimum age of 18 years for all children, in order to protect child rights and promote education, health and wellbeing. Considering any exceptions to the minimum age of marriage as 18 fails to protect children. #18WithoutExceptions #ReformMMDANow
In January 2026, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) inv In January 2026, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) invited key stakeholders to make submissions on 5 areas of proposed reforms to the MMDA, and we responded! MPLRAG submissions justified: 1. Raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 years, without exceptions; 2. Recognizing a marriage as valid only with the signatures of both bride and groom, placed in the presence of the marriage registrar; 3. Strictly prohibiting polygamy, or permitting it only under specific conditions; 4. Establishing a Family Court system in the long-term, with a hybrid model operating in the interim; and 5. Removing restrictions on women holding official positions, including as Quazis and registrars. #ReformMMDAnow
After promising to end violence against women and After promising to end violence against women and protect the rights of all children, the incumbent government convened a Committee in late 2025 to review the long-pending MMDA Amendment Bill. A sign, perhaps, that change was finally on the horizon. As part of this process, the Ministry of Justice launched a public consultation from February to April 2026, inviting feedback on some of the most critical issues at the heart of the reform debate: The public has spoken. Now it's the Government's turn to act! 📣Join the conversation! Show your support. Post, repost, share content about the MMDA, and make your voice heard. Demand that there should be no more delays. It is time to ensure that the latest MMDA Amendment Bill ends discrimination and harm caused under the MMDA. #ReformMMDANow
Child marriage means: disrupted education, early p Child marriage means: disrupted education, early pregnancy health risks, lifestyle upheaval, and generational poverty. There can be NO EXCEPTIONS FOR ‘16 - 18' year olds. Girls who complete these exams unlock higher education, better jobs and more opportunities. Those who don't? Doors close fast. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow #EndChildMarrriage
Age of consent DOES NOT EQUAL the Age of marriage. Age of consent DOES NOT EQUAL the Age of marriage. They serve completely different purposes. 🔹 Age of consent protects minors from sexual exploitation. It recognizes that young children cannot give informed consent to sexual activity. 🔹 Age of marriage is not only about capacity to take decisions about sex. It is the capacity to take a serious decision about a legal committment involving property rights, financial obligations, and institutional recognition. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow #EndChildMarrriage
🔹 Sri Lankan law already sets a standard - 18 year 🔹 Sri Lankan law already sets a standard - 18 years for age of marriage (except for Muslim children). 🔹 The minimum age of 18 years recognizes that only persons 18 years and above are capable of taking a serious decision regarding the consequences of marriage - shared living and responsibilities, finances and property, having children etc. 🔹Currently, only Muslim children are excluded from this protection. This double standard must change and equal protection must be provided. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow
Age of marriage is not just a family law matter, b Age of marriage is not just a family law matter, but first and foremost a child rights matter. For Sri Lankan Muslim children to be granted the same protections of the law as non-Muslim children, the same age of marriage as 18 without exceptions must apply to Muslims. The Sri Lankan law already sets the standard for the minimum age of marriage. There can be no double standards or exceptions when it comes to the rights of Muslim children. #18withoutExceptions #ReformMMDAnow
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