Muslim Women Push for Education, Climate Resilience, Justice

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has marked its 40th anniversary and international conference in Kaduna with a renewed call to empower women through education, healthcare, and climate resilience, insisting that the future of communities depends on women’s leadership and inclusion.

Addressing journalists ahead of the conference opening, the 10th National Amirah of FOMWAN, Mrs. Rafiah Idowu Sanni, said the organisation has spent four decades building schools, hospitals, and community programmes that place women and children at the centre of development.

“Empowering women today means equipping them to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Our responsibility as Muslim women is to safeguard the environment, strengthen our communities, and ensure that development is both inclusive and sustainable,” she stated.

Founded in 1985, FOMWAN now has presence in all 36 states and the FCT, reaching more than 700 local government areas. The association has helped establish nearly 3,000 basic schools, is building a School of Nursing in Oyo State, and is advancing plans for a FOMWAN University.

Beyond education, FOMWAN has expanded into healthcare initiatives, skills development, and climate action, ensuring women are not left behind in responding to modern challenges. Delegates from the UK, US, and Africa are attending the Kaduna conference to strengthen collaboration.

The Amirah also used the occasion to raise concerns about global justice, condemning the humanitarian crisis in Gaza where women and children remain the greatest victims.

“As an organisation founded on faith, justice, and compassion, we cannot be silent. We condemn the indiscriminate killings in Gaza and call for global solidarity to end the bloodshed,” she said.

The conference, themed “Empowering Muslim Women: Climate Resilience, Sustainability, and Community Development – Celebrating FOMWAN’s Achievements”, will formally open on Thursday, August 21, with sessions expected to chart pathways for sustainable empowerment of women across Africa and beyond.