A clarion call has gone to professionals among Muslim Women on the need to take active part in politics and governance.

The speakers at the maiden edition of Professional Forum, a programme organised by the Allied Professional Muslim Women in collaboration with Al Mu’minaat (The Believing Women), Osun State Chapter themed “Empower Women: Stronger Nation”, held in Osogbo, Osun State posited that “participating in politics by Muslim women is as important as parenting itself”.

The guest speaker, Hajia Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade, Chief Executive Officer of Baytur Rahamah Orphan Foundation called for more representation of women in politics.

She lamented that most of the important and influential political positions that impact our lives are not being occupied by the people of impeccable character.

Hajia Yusuf-Ajibade emphasized the need for Muslim women professionals to rise up and take a role in society so as to have the opportunity to occupy strategic political positions to better society.

Speaking on the topic: “Impact of Muslim Women Professionals on National Development and Growth” the HeadTeacher, AsSiddiq Schools, Kosofe, Lagos called for gender-conscious policies for a better world where women’s rights are considered as important as human rights.

“We need more women to be in politics. Participating in politics by Muslim women is as important as parenting”, she stressed.

According to the guest speaker, the call for professional Muslim women to wake up to their role in society is not limited to politics, it involves all sectors. Because that is the only way to have a more inclusive society where women’s rights are respected and are allowed the opportunity to contribute immensely to the development of society.

The Chairperson Planning Committee, Alhaja Rasheedat Olubunmi Hassan said the Allied Professional Muslim Women initiated the Professional Forum, which will subsequently be held every two years, to equip Muslim Women Professionals with the requisite knowledge on recognizing and defending their rights.

Mrs Hassan, a Director in the Ministry of Health, Osun State expressed delight at the impressive number of attendees from different professions, saying the goal of the Professional Forum is to ensure Muslim Women are well informed about their rights and the roles expected of them to play to bring development to the society.

“We don’t have to appoint women just because they are women. We need more active and qualified women in politics. We need to be knowledgeable about our rights. Most of the women don’t know their rights. We have to know our rights.

Mrs Hassan appealed to Muslim professionals to join the professional groups in their respective offices in order to acquire needed knowledge that could help them live a worthy life and assist them in contributing their quota to the development of the country.

“As a woman, you may find yourself in a position of authority like minister, a commissioner and so on. So you should rather be a symbolic figure who impacts society positively. So we need more resourceful women to be in politics, to be all aspects of policy making, and take up job opportunities that could help achieve a more inclusive society.”

She urged Muslim Women to be politically active, “As Muslim women, we should not stay at home while votes or elections are being conducted. It’s our right to go out and vote. We, the Muslim professionals should be advocates of encouraging women to exercise their civic responsibility”.

“We need to participate in the selection of our leaders so that we can have the best people to fill the best positions. Certainly, we have proficient Muslim women who are exceptional in their varying professions – medicine, sports, arts, engineering, sciences etc, yet, we still exercise doubt and tremble when it comes to politics”

Hajia Hassan thus urged Muslim Women Professionals to be truthful and be good examples for others to emulate.

“As professional women, in all that we do, we should be exceptional. Whatever is entrusted to our custody, including positions of authority, should be well managed. People should have trust in us”, she said.

New Telegraph reports that the Allied Professional Muslim Women also conducted free medical screening for attendees at the event.