The 500 Most Influential Muslims - The Royal Islamic Strategic ...

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Women’s Issues
MALAYSIA
anwar, zaynah
Anwar is the founder and former executive director of Sisters in Islam, an organization committed
to gender issues and increasing respect for women. She is also a journalist who has contributed to
the New Straits Times and the Star, the country’s two main newspapers, and has written a book
about Islam in Malaysia.
NEPAL
siddiqui, muhammadi [new]
Mohammadi Siddiqui is a pioneer female Muslim politician, a social worker, and a human rights
activist. She established the Fatima Foundation in 2003 to ensure Muslim women’s rights on two
related fronts: the personal daily struggle of women against discrimination, and the social and
legal practices that influence women’s independence and access to basic rights. The foundation
organizes Muslim women’s groups and works with religious scholars and women leaders to
educate women and raise awareness of their rights in order to advocate for the practice of ‘actual’
Islamic law and ensure social justice for women. The foundation also publishes books and the
Qur’an in the local language; it also provides services to the victims of domestic violence.
PAKISTAN
zafar, roshaneh [new]
An economist by training, Roshaneh Zafar is a social entrepreneur and founder of the Kashf
Foundation, the third-largest microfinance institution in Pakistan, which specializes in offering
financial services to women and their families to facilitate their economic independence and selfreliance.
The Kashf Foundation has disbursed over $200 million and has a national network of 152
branches.
PHILIPPINES
busran lao, yasmin [new]
Yasmin Busran Lao is a prominent women’s activist and peace advocate who is currently running
as a senatorial candidate with the Liberal Party for the May 2010 election. The US government
conferred the Ninoy Aquino Public Service Award on Busran Lao for her work in uplifting the plight
of the marginalized. She has co-founded various women’s rights and development organizations.
rasul, santanina tillah [new]
The most recent Filipina Muslim woman elected to the Philippine Senate, former Senator Santanina
Tillah Rasul is noted for her work toward gender equality, improved literacy, and Muslim affairs
in the Philippines. She has exercised her influence in the senate to open up the Philippine Military
Academy to women, among other initiatives aimed at women’s rights.
SRI LANKA
ismail, jezima [new]
The founder of the Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF), Jezima Ismail
has been an educator for over three decades. She serves on various international committees on
women’s rights and is the recipient of various awards in recognition of her work.
Europe
AUSTRIA
dirie, waris
Dirie is a Somali-Austrian women’s rights activist and former international supermodel. She was
appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),
and founded several organizations, including the Waris Dirie Foundation, to raise awareness about
FGM. Dirie underwent FGM as a child and seeks to build awareness around the fact that Islam
does not require the practice. She is the author of several bestselling books.