Muslim women community demands gender equality

The Muslim women communities in Gulu have expressed concerns that they are not being given equal treatment in mosques like the Mothers' Union of Uganda.

The women said they are not given enough teachings on the Moslem doctrines, economic empowerment and education, hence most Moslem women, especially at the grassroots are illiterate. She  said that most women are only kept home to cook food and look after the children.

Anifa Stella, aged 56, a member of the Moslem Community based at Kirombe Women Ordination Desk at Kirombe lamented that there were high cases of domestic violence among Muslim women in their families because of polygamy by men. She said there was no knowledge of family planning and gender equality.

Anifa said the coming of the Union of Muslim Women And Organizations in Uganda (UMWOU) would  mobilize the Muslim women in Gulu and Acholi land and eventually empower them (Muslim) women economically. She said the women will also get together and share knowledge on the Moslem doctrines that will help them grow.

Zubeida Akello, aged 45, said as the Muslim women community in Gulu and Acholi, were ready to support the noble course under the umbrella of UMWOU to get empowered economically in their families.

The UMWOU Founder and Secretary General, Hajat Faridah Nambi Bbaale, while addressing the Muslim  a women group in Gulu district at the main Mosque in Gulu municipality today said they had come out to fight for the rights of the Muslim women community in Uganda. She said UMWOU has only been existence for four years compared to the Mothers' Union of Uganda that has lived for 100 years and caused big impact on the Christian women communities in the Country.

Nambi acknowledged that the Muslim women were marginalized by the Moslem doctrines and the men do not have full knowledge of the Koran..Nambi disclosed that as UMWOU, they are trying to cover the whole Country with a common goal to talk to all the Muslim women. They also try to fight for their rights through Daawa (the teaching of the existing Moslem doctrines).

She said they had covered Nakapiripirit, Moroto, Karamoja, Lira and are  so far done with Gulu (Acholi region). She said from Gulu, they would head to Soroti in Teso region).