Hadara, Kayan pact to promote Muslim women’s advancement

Abdullah Abdul Ghani Foundation for Cross-Cultural Understanding (Hadara) and Global League of Islamic Women Organisations (Kayan) have signed a partnership agreement to address key issues and concerns faced by Muslim families, particularly women and children, in various countries.The agreement was signed earlier this week at the Hadara Foundation office in Al Wakrah.Hadara is a private institution that supports projects related to culture and education, among others, while Kayan is a non-profit Islamic association working to protect and promote the advancement of women.Founded in 2013 in Britain, Kayan is now working with 77 women organisations from 26 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Arab world.Speaking at the press conference, Hadara board of trustees chairman Salman Abdulla Abdul Ghani stressed the importance of their partnership with Kayan, “which is dedicated to take care of Muslim women in all respects”.Hadara board of directors chairwoman Buthaina Abdulla Abdul Ghani echoed the statement of Salman citing the need to intensify and redouble efforts to achieve the objectives and goals of the agreement.The partnership seeks to “activate the role of the family at all levels to effectuate its structural and productive role”, and focus “on scientific research and field studies in the intellectual sphere and community development”, according to Hadara.Hadara also cited the need for an “effective co-ordination and constructive co-operation between the Islamic women’s organisations in the world” in addressing family and women’s issues.Apart from the launch of Kayan’s media identity at the event, Hadara said it will also start managing the association’s executive office “in its new phase” as part of the partnership. The move aims to push for close co-operation and integration to achieve common goals.Kayan board of directors chairwoman Dr Noura Khaleed al-Saad expressed confidence that the partnership will contribute in building an “intellectual system and knowledge derived from our Islamic values and to promote the positive presence of Islamic approach on women’s issues in the local, regional and international forums.“This partnership will also help unify efforts in resolving contemporary problems of women, and protects children and families from deviant and anti-Islamic ideas,” she said. The event last Sunday was attended by a group of scientists, academics, and representatives from different institutions locally and abroad who are interested in community work related to family and women’s issues.Among the attendees were Dr Ali Mohiuddin Qara Daghi, secretary-general of the International Union for Muslim Scholars; Dr Adel Hassan Hamad, adviser on women’s and family issues, Dr Rashid al-Hajri, principal of Gulf Academy, and Sheikh Ahmed al-Buainain, secretary-general of the World Federation of Islamic Preachers, as well as women prominent in the field of family and community work in and outside Qatar.