By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, Oct 1, GNA – Hajia Samira Bawumia, wife of the Vice President, has urged Muslim women to “hang up” the deep-seated religious and cultural nuisances inhibiting their pursuit to attaining greater heights in life.
In the Quran, she said Muslim women had a diverse heritage of economic empowerment, including becoming successful businesswomen, entrepreneurs, traders, farmers, artisans, and philanthropists that dated back to the time of Prophet Mohammed.
Such illustrious women exemplified that Islam does not hold back women’s economic empowerment but provided them with several rights and opportunities to own property and inherit wealth.
“Islam enjoins men as well to support women financially and morally in their endeavours. It also promotes education, skills development, and ethical conduct as essential elements for economic empowerment,” she said.
Mrs Bawumia said this on Saturday in a speech read on her behalf at the 26th Annual Conference of the Federation of Muslim Women Association—Ghana (FOMWAG) at Kyiase near Komenda-Junction in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central Region.
With its presence in 16 regions and 80 districts across the country, FOMWAG seeks to empower Muslim women to abide by the teachings of Islam through the Qur’an and the Hadith (Sunnah).
The bi-annual conference was on the theme: “Towards Economic Empowerment of the Muslim Women for a Sustainable Community.”
FOMWAG also held many activities including health screening, skills training, capacity building, donations, fund-raising to support education, and citations in honour of some members for their dedicated services.
Mrs Bawumia noted that despite those Islamic teachings, many Muslim women faced challenges including poverty, illiteracy, finance, technology, training and mentorship, discrimination, harassment, violence, and ethnic norms that restricted their mobility and choices.
Those challenges, she said, were not only detrimental to women’s well-being and dignity but their families, communities, and the nation’s development as well.
Consequently, a collective effort needed to be rallied to overcome the challenges through an enabling environment for women’s economic empowerment.
“We need to mobilise our resources, capacities, networks, and voices to advocate policies and programmes that support women’s economic rights and opportunities,” she said.
“We have to collaborate with various stakeholders such as government agencies, civil society organisations, private sector actors, religious leaders, and the media to raise awareness and educate people about the importance and benefits of women’s economic empowerment.”
“We must empower ourselves with knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue our dreams and aspirations.”
She called for support for each other with guidance, mentorship, and solidarity among women to overcome their difficulties and celebrate their achievements.
Hajia Hajara Issahaku, the National Amirah of FOMWAG, said the group served as a liaison between Muslim women and the Government on policies.
It seeks to promote peaceful co-existence in communities, education, and advocacy against cultural inhibitions such as forced and early marriages, she said, and urged all Muslim women to join.
Mr Samuel Atta Mills, the Member of Parliament for KEEA, and Mr Ebo Appiah, the Municipal Chief Executive, traditional authorities, and Christian Mothers Association in fraternal messages, lauded FOMWAG for empowering women.
More importantly, they reiterated the essence of tolerance, respect for fundamental human rights, freedom of religion, respect for the rule of law, and kindness, which were factors that had nurtured the country’s peaceful coexistence.
Being tolerant and respectful to the rights of others were important aspects of civilization in the 21st century.
GNA