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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Emily Staub, Emily.Staub@emory.edu

The Carter Center commends the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) for responding to President Jimmy Carter's call to action to advance the rights of women and girls by adopting a declaration promoting respect and equality of women on Aug. 30, 2014, at its 51st Annual Convention in Detroit, Michigan.

Joining Muslim-American leaders and distinguished international guests in the signing of the declaration, President Carter said, "This is a wonderful declaration of support for human rights that will go to Islamic leaders throughout the world. I am very grateful for this effort to end discrimination and violence against women and girls."

In his address to ISNA, the largest regular gathering of Muslims in North America, President Carter cited the values of peace, dignity, and justice mutually held by all the world's major religions and called on all believers - Muslims, Christians, and others - to reject the misuse of our religions' sacred texts and traditions to condone the continued oppression of, discrimination, and violence against women.

The declaration, which will be disseminated to Islamic leaders throughout the world, along with an invitation for them to sign it, affirms the equality of men and women in Islam: "Our religion Islam teaches us that men and women are created from one soul (Qur'an 4:1) and that the relationship between men and women should be based in mutual friendship and supporting one another in righteousness (Qur'an 9:71)."

The Muslim leaders who sign this document will be committing to invest themselves in educating and raising awareness about the plight of millions of women and girls in the world who suffer from abuse and violence.

The Carter Center looks forward to future collaborations with ISNA and Muslim leaders and communities throughout our nation and the world as part of our Mobilizing Action for Women and Girls Initiative.

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