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15.05.2008 Education

Muslim Women Urged To Prioritise Education

15.05.2008 LISTEN
By Lawrence K. Akpalu & Rebecca Quainoo - newtimesonline.com

THE Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC), has called on Muslim women to make educa-tion their priority so as to be empowered to aspire for leadership positions in the country.

She said apart from self-confidence, education will enable them to take bold decisions on issues affecting their lives.

Hajia Mahama made the call in Accra on Monday at a seminar organised by MOWAC in collaboration with Federation of Muslim Women Association in Ghana on the theme: “Women In Leadership”.

Participants who were drawn from Ashanti and Greater Accra and the three northern regions, discussed issues on “The role of Muslim women — the Islamic perspective, attaining higher education — prospects and challenges and breaking culture barriers to muslim women in leadership.”

Hajia Mahama described the theme as timely and appropriate as women are now involving themselves more in the decision-making process of the country.

“The days when women were relegated to the background to play the second fiddle now belong to history,” she said.

She said Islamic laws do not make it mandatory for women to remain confined to their household chores as the Qur’an does not propose or support a singular role or set of roles for each gender exclusively across human civilisation.

Hajia Mahama said women’s participation in politics has taken different forms as a result of the awareness created by women organisation and feminist groups.

She said involvement in political activities is a means to fulfill one’s obligations in society and that can take different forms from casting votes during elections to holding an office of administrator a legislator, a judge or head of state.

Hajia Mahama observed that individual women have the freedom to decide on their functions and roles which are suitable to their conditions, depending on their educational background, experience and expertise.

Sheikh Osman Bari, a Muslim scholar, who presented a paper on the role of a Muslim woman, said the status of a woman is divided into four categories, namely a wife, mother, daughter and sister.

All these, he said made it possible for the woman to take care of the husband, children occupation and the community, truthfully and generously.

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