Jamila Zekhnini COUNTRY: Belgium WORK PLACE: Agenda Interculturel WINNING ARTICLE: MusulWomen

"Meeting diverse people is a constant reminder that truth does not exist" 

About two years ago, I started my career as a journalist writing articles for the monthly publication, the Intercultural Agenda (Agenda Interculturel), of the organisation in which I am currently working, the Brussels Centre for Cultural Action (Centre Bruxellois d’Action Culturelle).
What fascinates me most in journalism is definitely the many people one is able to meet through that work: diverse people, points of view, a constant reminder that ‘Truth’ does not exist. It is also a reminder that many paths can be followed, that any particular path is only one amongst many others and that each of those have a particular value; they represent a real wealth and a necessity.
I am still fascinated when I come across the different life paths of most of the people that I encounter, which are usually breathtaking.
Also, when the aim to increase public awareness of an issue touches a larger audience than the one expected, it is very rewarding.
Furthermore, social matters, and this includes all those involving cultural diversity issues, the history of migration and immigration, intercultural communication, as well as those linked with the process of ‘transmission’, inspire me more.

About my article
I had the opportunity to take part in the call for proposal ‘A grant for journalists’ organised by the Roi Baudouin Foundation in which I was able to put forward a subject which I was particularly interested in, linked with the aims and objectives of my institution. The status of woman in Islam is a topic that has been interesting me for some time. I had the opportunity to go more deeply into this issue and especially to meet the women who are mobilized around that question and who address it in relation with the re-reading and re-interpretation of Islamic sources. I was interested in discovering to what extent mobilisation was important, in which context, in what way, and from which social, cultural and religious framework it was derived.
Moreover, we found that this topic was little treated or often from the same perspective. The voices of these women, be they Muslim or not, who express themselves through multiple initiatives and involvements, are little shown in the mass media. We wanted to be the echo of these voices.