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Invest more in women, not military: Participants at UAE event

Sharjah - "The walls of fear that barred women from coming out and participating in the world's affairs have been broken down already."

Women participants at Investing in Future Conference have called for more investment in women's education and empowerment and less investment in militarisation.
"I am a storyteller who amplifies the voices of women, literate or not - voices that churn positive change in society and have the power to positively influence the legislative processes of an entire nation," said Hibaaq Osman, Somali global political strategist. "People in our country can no longer get away with honour killings because these unwavering voices finally drowned the injustice that surrounded this issue."
Through a compelling example of how women have come out to the streets in war-afflicted nations after having lost their husbands and children to it, Osman drove the point about women's resilience and their commitment to peacemaking and building home. Highlighting women's intricate understanding of society's workings, and their knowledge of what needs to be done for its continued progress, she called for their greater involvement in public offices.
"Women are the core of society. The walls of fear that barred women from coming out and participating in the world's affairs have been broken down already. All they need now are the tools that will really make a difference. They are needed because they want clean water, peaceful neighbourhoods, schools for their children. This is why they want to hold public offices; not because they aspire for power or authority through these positions," she said.
"My only recommendation will be to invest less in militarisation and wars, and instead create a strong foundation for peace through investing in women, their education and empowerment," she added.
Providing a ray of hope for the glim Syrian situation, Asma Kftarou, Syrian Women´s Advisory Board Member, asserted that even though Syria is a broken nation today, she is its daughter and has peace within her. She promised that through her committed efforts, she will make sure that women in the nation are duly invested in, who will in turn bring lasting peace and prosperity to their land.
"Humans have become tools of destruction and women are most affected by this. They find themselves unfairly trapped in the devastation, losing their homes, their families and ultimately their dignity when they become victims of rape or have to leave their countries," said Kftarou.
She concluded by emphasising the role women should really be playing if they were to go by what is prescribed by the unadulterated and true version of Islam. She cited the example of Khadijah, the first wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was an esteemed and successful entrepreneur who ran a business larger than all of the Quraysh trades combined, at a time when society was largely male-dominated.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com