Women and Leadership in Muslim Societies: Voices for Change

On November 25, 2002 WLP brought together an international group of women leaders to discuss the constraints and opportunities Muslim women face in expanding their political participation and leadership opportunities. The panel featured Ayesha Imam of Nigeria, Thoraya Obaid of Saudi Arabia, Shirin Tahir-Kheli of Pakistan, and Mahnaz Afkhami of Iran. These prominent leaders challenged stereotypes associated with Muslim women and strategized about the possibilities for strengthening the role of women in creating democratic and pluralistic societies in the Muslim world. Over 200 scholars, activists, NGO leaders, and policy makers participated in the event.

Mahnaz Afkhami opened the discussion with a global overview of women’s political participation. Women everywhere remain severely underrepresented in national politics, comprising only 14% of parliamentarians worldwide, with indicators of participation being the lowest in the Middle East. Given the current state of women’s lack of representation, panelists identified some of the major economic and socio-cultural barriers to women’s political leadership worldwide. Ayesha Imam identified the lack of funding, restrictive gender roles, and essentialist identity politics as major limiting factors to women’s political empowerment. One of the primary obstacles to women’s political leadership is a dearth of resources, indicative of the larger problem that women in all regions experience—what Thoraya Obaid calls an overall “poverty of opportunities” in all aspects of life. Panelists also pinpointed the social and cultural constraints on women’s roles in Muslim societies that impede their participation in public life. Another reason women have yet to gain access to decision-making positions is tied to the continued stereotyping of women’s roles as complementary to the role of men. In many Muslim societies, women are at the center of the conflict between supporters of modernization and those who support traditional interpretations of culture and religion.

Panelists also discussed the role of “the veil” and Muslim women’s identity in a changing world. Panel participants were quick to refute the myth that Islam itself is to blame for obstructing women’s empowerment, noting the variety of interpretations of Sha’ria law and the diversity in the practices of Islam among the two billion 200 million Muslims in the world. Shirin Tahir-Kheli elucidated the fact that Western stereotypes mask the primary issue at hand, which is ensuring that women have the freedom to choose how they want to interpret and express their system of beliefs. At the same time, Obaid pointed out, “culture and religion are still critical components in understanding the context of women’s disempowerment.” While both progressive discourses that support democratic principles and regressive discourses that suppress human rights can be found in Muslim societies, Imam argued that the legislative process must be scrutinized to determine the extent to which people have a voice in shaping the laws governing their lives. “All laws are grounded in some system of values, the critical question we should ask is, 'What beliefs are being institutionalized and how can we change them if they are the ones that suppress human rights?'" Additionally, Afkhami iterated the point that a separation of religion and governance must take place in order for a full participatory democracy to take place.

In concluding the discussion, solutions for expanding Muslim women’s leadership roles were provided. Azar Nifisi stated, “Women are undoubtedly at the core of the struggle to achieve equity and tolerance in the family, in the community, and between state and society in the Muslim world. What is apparent is that we need new voices for change. The question remains, however, if these will be voices for democracy and pluralism or for destruction.” There was no doubt that women must be the central force in determining the future of their communities. While powerful external forces often dictate women’s freedoms, Afkhami believes that much of the hope for the future “must arise from women coming to believe that their agency makes a difference and that they have the right to determine the course of their destiny.” Internalizing this consciousness and awareness of one’s basic rights will play a crucial role in the future of women’s political participation in Muslim societies.

Listen to the panel discussion.