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{{short description|Indian activist}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Zakia Soman
| image = Zakia Soman.jpg
| caption = Zakia Soman
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Ahmedabad]], Gujarat, India
| alma_mater = [[University of Gujrat]]
| known_for = [[Women's rights activism]]
| occupation = University professor, Founder of [[Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan]]
| awards = Outstanding Women Achiever's Award by [[National Commission for Women]] (2014)
}}

'''Zakia Soman''' is an Indian women's rights activist and the founder of [[Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan]], a non-governmental women's rights organization.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-37749499|title=Mumbai shrine to allow entry to women|date=2016-10-24|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Early life and career ==
Zakia Soman was born in [[Ahmedabad]], Gujarat. She worked as a university professor of Business Communication in English at the [[University of Gujrat]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/meet-zakia-and-noorjehan-who-are-leading-the-movement-for-reforms-in-muslim-personal-laws/story-1hhwA5kk9lSmaUvuj0EXGM.html|title=Zakia and Noorjehan: Duo lead movement for reforms in Muslim personal laws|date=2016-09-11|work=www.hindustantimes.com/|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en}}</ref>

== Activism ==
Zakia advocates for the rights of Muslim women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/yes-tablighi-jamaat-organisers-were-irresponsible-no-they-do-not-represent-all-of-indias-muslims-2562889.html|title=Yes, Tablighi Jamaat Organisers Were Irresponsible. No, They Do Not Represent All of India's Muslims|date=3 April 2020 }}</ref> She has worked and written extensively on issues of peace and justice, secularism, human rights, and minority rights. She also set up and heads the Peace and Human Security theme in [[ActionAid]].<ref name="WEF"/>

She is a member of South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE). She used to be a university professor in Gujarat before she quit her job and started working for minority rights. She is a founder of Centre for Peace Studies, which engages in knowledge activism for peace and tolerance.<ref name="WEF">{{Cite news|url=http://www.wef.org.in/zakia-soman/|title=Zakia Soman - Women Economic Forum (WEF)|work=WEF|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en-US}}</ref>

Zakia has supported the [[Supreme Court of India|Indian Supreme Court]]'s verdict that Muslim women are entitled to maintenance after divorce under Section 125 of the [[Code of Criminal Procedure (India)|Criminal Procedure Code]]. She has spoken out against polygamy among Indian Muslims, saying that was permitted only in a certain context and was not valid in modern times.<ref name="TOI">{{cite news |last= Soman|first= Zakia|date=15 July 2024|title=Why the SC verdict on maintenance is significant for Muslim women|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/why-the-sc-verdict-on-maintenance-is-significant-for-muslim-women/articleshow/111755290.cms|newspaper=Times of India|access-date= 9 August 2024}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
In 2014, she was awarded Outstanding Women Achiever's Award by the National Commission for Women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=6118|title=Zakia Soman (India) {{!}} WikiPeaceWomen – English|website=wikipeacewomen.org|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-06-07|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612200912/http://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=6118|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also featured in [[100 Women (BBC)|BBC's 100]] Fearless Women in November 2015.<ref name="wisemuslimwomen">{{cite web|url=http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/muslimwomen/bio/zakia_nizami_soman/|publisher=wisemuslimwomen.org|title=Zakia Nizami Soman | WISE Muslim Women|access-date=2016-12-10|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220235317/http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/muslimwomen/bio/zakia_nizami_soman/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Works ==

* Reclaiming Sacred Spaces: Muslim Women's Struggle for Entry into Haji Ali Dargah Zakia Soman<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-11-29 |title=Women activists enter Haji Ali dargah |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/women-activists-enter-haji-ali-dargah/articleshow/55688742.cms |access-date=2023-10-30 |issn=0013-0389}}</ref>
* Journal of Development Policy Review: Vol. 1 Issues. 3: Life in the Era of COVID-19: Perceiving the Impact Heera Lal<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-12 |title=JDPR Volume 1, Issue 3 - Impact And Policy Research Institute (IMPRI) |url=https://www.impriindia.com/production/jdpr-journal/issues/vol-1-issue-3/ |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=www.impriindia.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Courage Unlocked: Personal Stories of Muslim Women’s Lives, Struggles and Leadership
* Seeking Justice Within Family: A National Study on Muslim Women’s Views on Reforms in Muslim Personal Law
* Indian Muslim Women’s Movement: For Gender Justice and Equal Citizenship
* Status of Women in Polygamous Marriages and Need for Legal Protection

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Soman, Zakia}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian women's rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian women human rights activists]]

Zakia Soman - Revision history

IvyB800566150: info