As the first female president of the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA), I am honoured to celebrate International Women’s Day and reflect on the significance of my role and public service.
Taking on a leadership position is often a personal milestone but for me it also signifies the breaking of the stereotype that limits the role Muslim women can play. It is a stereotype that often pities Muslim women as being second fiddle to their male counterparts. It is a stereotype that puts us in competition with men. However, in my leadership journey I have been lifted, mentored and encouraged by many men that believed in my abilities and pushed me to achieve more. The stereotype of playing second fiddle is not one I recognise in my many years at BIMA.
It is indeed perseverance and dedication that shatters glass ceilings but it is allyship that put the ladder against the wall, that enabled ambitions to be realised. This concept of mutual support and interdependence found in our Islamic paradigm is often missing in the mainstream debate of equality pitting the sexes against each other.
Muslim women and in particular women of colour still face the most discrimination in the workplace and least favourable health outcomes in medicine of all groups. It is injustices such as these that drive me to continue advocating for the rights and well-being of women. I see empowering Muslim women to lead as a tool in mitigating theses inequalities, furthering the growth and success of our community.
Representation matters so I will make sure to hold the ladder against the wall as others have so willingly done for me.
In my position, I hope to inspire young Muslim women to dream beyond what they see and pursue their ambitions with confidence. Having someone who looks like them in a position of influence nurtures a sense of possibility to achieve highly in serving our communities.
On this International Women’s Day, let us celebrate our values, our allies and commit to continuing the work towards gender equality and representation.