Muslimah Today

Plans are underway for a Muslim women’s conference to be held in Durban from September the 22^nd to 24^th this year.

According to Fatima Asmal-Motala, the director of conference organiser ILM-SA, ‘Muslimah Today,’ will feature dynamic presentations by several prominent Muslim women from around the country, including Safiyyah Surtee, Quraysha Sooliman, Lubna Nadvi, Shubnum Khan and Khadija Patel.

“This is a conference by Muslim women, for Muslim women, about Muslim women,” she said. “We’ll be looking at a range of topics – spirituality, human rights issues, Muslim women and the media – all aimed at motivating women to play a more active role in society.”

“Often we find men speaking on behalf of us, particularly within the mainstream media –it’s time we changed that, and we’ll only achieve this when we become more comfortable with our identities as South African Muslim women,” she said. “We hope the conference will go a long way towards achieving this.”

Asmal-Motala said she hoped women from around the country would attend the event. “The conference is also expected to provide a platform on which women can connect with each other across geographical, ideological, racial and other barriers,” she said.

‘Muslimah Today,’ will take place at University of KwaZulu-Natal Senate Chamber. Registration is compulsory and is limited to two hundred delegates. The registration fee is R300 per person, which includes entry to all three days, as well as refreshments and stationery. 

Registration opens on August 25^th. Call 083 271 4500 or email info@ilmsa.co.za for details on how to register.