Muslim women urged to build potentials to change the narrative

Dr Nasibatu Taahir-Swallah, a Clinical Phycologist, has urged Muslim women to come up with initiatives that will build their potentials to help change their narrative as people relegated to the background.

“If they put sustainable mechanisms in place, they will get there and getting there starts with believing that they are capable of dealing with their own issues….to break the cycle of poverty, discrimination, and all forms of marginalization women face,” she said.

Muslim women, she said, were on the right cause, except that they had to tighten their belt and invest in education to be able to develop.

Dr Taahir-Swallah said this at a Regional conference in Accra, organised by the Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Ghana (FOMWAG), on the theme: “Striving in the cause of Allah, the role of the Muslim Woman.”

She said striving in the cause of Allah meant Muslim women must be impactful, effective and knowledgeable in their fields of endeavour by educating themselves and their children to break the cycle of poverty and discrimination that increased their vulnerability.

“The Muslim woman can also use technology and mass media to access information for publicity of works for networking to facilitate outreach and empowerment programmes,” she added.

“It is not enough to stay in your corner and nobody else benefits from you and whenever there is an issue of support, you refuse to help. Make your status in society beneficial to the vulnerable. Take the initiative to support because there is blessing in giving.”

Mrs Sekina Wottuomo Dapko, a Counselling Psychologist, speaking on Mental Health, said the early signs of mental health included sadness, confusion, inability to concentrate, extreme mood swings, signs of withdrawal, low energy and sleep problems.

“These are signs that must not be ignored when noticed to be able to nip them in the bud before they become unmanageable. Let’s strive to be each other’s keeper as the Quran teaches us,” she said.

Hajia Iklimatu Otoo, the Greater Accra Regional Ameera, FOMWAG, said the conference was to rejuvenate the Association in the Greater Accra Region after the country was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Touching on the theme for the conference, Hajia Otoo said historically, women had played different roles in striving in the cause of Allah and urged FOMWAG members to continue to defy all odds and broaden their understanding on contemporary issues to effectively play their women empowerment roles.

That, she said, would help propagate Islam and remove the many misconceptions about the Religion.

FOMWAG seeks to propagate Islamic teaching among Muslim and Non-Muslim women and to organise educational activities to improve the welfare of women and children in Muslim communities.

Activities lined up for next year include Dawah workshops, leadership and skills training, seminars, educational tours, and youth camps.