Muslim Students Association calls for protection of women's rights

By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, June 15, GNA - The Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) has called on the Government and other authorities to intervene to stop the violation of the right of Muslim students and professionals in the country.

Abdul Rahman Al-Hassan, the National GMSA President, said though President Mahama had made it clear that Muslim women be allowed to practice their faith without any restrictions, Muslim nurses and students among others were being prevented from putting on their hijab and veil at workplaces and schools.

Mr Al-Hassan made the call at the association's first central committee meeting in Accra under the theme; 'Promoting Peace, Security and Sustainable Development: a Call to Moral and Innovative Leadership'.

The meeting was to discuss pertinent issues affecting Muslim students and professionals in the country.

He said it was highly unacceptable for Muslim students to be forced to attend church services, especially when it sought to introduce them to a religion they did not subscribe to.

Mr Al-Hassan said the use of coercion by school authorities and other institutions to force Muslim students to practice other religious faith was alien to any democratic society.

He said Article 21 (1c) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates that 'All persons shall have the right to freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practice'.

He cited various instances were Muslim women had been prevented from putting on their veil and hijab and in some cases their promotions were threatened because they were practicing the dictates of the religion.

Mr Al-Hassan said Ghana is a secular state with an atmosphere of serenity and tolerance and as such it was sad to find that Muslim girls and professionals still suffered this long undesirable stigmatization in institutions.

He, therefore, urged all to respect the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the President Mahama to enable Muslims, especially women, to practice their faith without any hindrance.

Mr Al-Hassan urged the Muslim youth not to allow themselves to be used as apparatuses to perpetrate evil by political parties as the nation prepared towards the general election.

He encouraged the youth in all parts of the country to regard the upcoming November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections as an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to patriotism and not electoral violence.

GNA