By Anubha Khan
By Anubha Khan
Women play a primary role in taking care of the tangible and intangible need of a family. It takes a great capacity of intelligence, wisdom, patience, calculation along with dedication and sincerity in order to raise a family. The very skills they possess to fulfil their domestic responsibilities, are rendered relevant outside the domestic set up. Now-a-days, Muslim women are ushering the path of their empowerment and are fighting for their financial independence as well as growth of the community. With the win of Nikaht Zareen in the recently concluded World Boxing Championship (Flyweight category), general presumption, calling women as only for domestic chores, has been negated. In recent years, Muslim women have become more educated and aware and hence, are strongly challenging the marginal roles and positions that they are pushed to within an already minority community.
In 2016, an initiative that encouraged Muslim women to develop business skills/entrepreneurship and pushed for Muslim’s involvement in the start-up and technological economy of India was hosted by Indian Muslim Entrepreneurs Network, in Pune. The event showcased the success stories of several Muslim women including Uzma Nahid (Founder of India International Women’s Alliance), Nafisa Kazi (an architect), Farah Deeba (an educationist and Headmistress) and Sameena Razaq (a senior Journalist). This summit threw light on Nuzhat Hashir, Huda Patel Lokhandwala, Ayesha Fayaze Memon, Heena Johari and Farah Arif Khan etc.
who were some famous Muslim women entrepreneurs based in Mumbai. Shabana Begum (Sacred Oven), Akhila (Alfa Creations), Nousheen Taj (Food), Ishana (Sanitary Pads), Salma Moosa (Founder, Startups Club) are some more examples of Muslim women, who have broken the shackles of stereotype and prejudice. Association of Women Entrepreneurs, a wing of Muslim Industrialists Association, is another initiative that works to encourage Muslim women into entrepreneurships. It is the right of every human being to use these platforms and to nurture them for better living. In order to grow as a community, we must make sure that every member of the community has access to these platforms and the means to develop them.
To empower women and make them independent as well as good entrepreneurs, there is a need for all to go through the success stones and struggles of already empowered women, besides imparting modern education to youth especially girls and focusing on enhancing their abilities/skills, it is of utmost importance that the society learns to dissociate money with empowerment.
(The views expressed in the article are personal to the author. It has nothing to do with janlekh.com management.)
