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Thursday 27 Aug 2015 - 12:14 Makkah mean time-12-11-1436
(Image from OnIslam)
Lilongwe, Malawi (IINA) - One year after becoming Malawi's only female Muslim parliamentarian in the Christian dominated National Assembly, Aisha Mambo has vowed to use her new role to advocate for a larger representation of Muslim women in the sub-Saharan country, OnIslam reported.
Mambo, a journalist turned politician who used to work for Radio Islam, won a parliamentary seat for the Mangochi Mkungulu district in June 2014, among 20 other Muslims who made it to the National Assembly.
Winning a seat in the parliament was the first strike in her mission to increase the participation of Muslim women in politics.
“All along, I have always aspired to become a parliamentarian. Therefore, to make it to the National Assembly was a dream come true for me," Mambo told OnIslam.
"I have always wanted to be among those people who make laws of the country, that I should be able to advocate for laws which are women-friendly and at the same time to help and empower fellow Muslim women through the laws which are made there,” she added.
“I went to parliament with a mission to emancipate fellow women from the palms of poverty and backwardness. It pains me to see that after 51 years of independence, the number of Muslim women actively participating in politics is very low," Mambo said.
"I came here to advocate for laws which could help to reverse this trend where possible, so that Women could be fully empowered to stand up and lead among men," she added.
The 40-year-old legislator observed that some of the major obstacles holding back Muslim women from actively participating in politics included lack of education and prevailing poverty levels.
SM/IINA
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