The Convention on the Rights of the Child and Islamic Law, Convergences and Divergences: The Philippine Case, 2005
Carmen Abubakar, Ph.D.; Macrina Morados
Institute of Islamic Studies, University of the Philippines; UNICEF Manila
E-mail:lfajardo@unicef.org

This study entitled "The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and Islamic Law, Convergences and Divergences: The Philippine Case" is a pioneering attempt to find commonalities and differences between the two laws. Specifically, the objectives of this study are the following: (1) to find out the points of convergence and divergence between Muslim Personal Law in the Philippines (PD 1083) and CRC and the basis for this conformity; (2) to determine the specific Islamic injunctions that support the major provisions of the CRC; and (3) to discover the points of convergence between the CRC and PD 1083 and explain its basis.

The study relies on primary data taken from interviews with key informants and focus group discussions (FGDs). Two FGDs were undertaken in General Santos City and Zamboanga City. In finding Islamic injunctions that support the major provision of the CRC, this study basically resorts to the use of Qur'anic verses and the Prophetic Traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).