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Accra, Dec. 16, GNA
– Ten Muslim leaders from Ghana are undergoing an advance training in Human
Rights as part of efforts to promote a community of wellbeing.
FEED THE POOR
Feeding the poor and needy is an act that draws us closer to Allah. We earn His forgiveness, mercies and blessings through this act of charity.
“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)
The 10-day training,
which is being held at the Tostan Training Centre at the Thies Municipality,
Senegal, is an integral part of the annual religious leaders seminar which
began in 2015.
It is being funded
by the Carter Center of Atlanta, USA, an organisation founded by the former
United States President, Jimmy Carter.
About 587 people
from 49 countries across the globe have so far benefited from the training in
27 sessions from March 2015, till date, with 106 Ghanaian Muslim leaders (Males
and females) participating.
This year’s seminar
is on the theme: “Promoting Community Wellbeing” and is to identify
new frontiers and strategies in Muslim communities, focusing on religious and
traditional leaders as agents of social change.
The theme according
to the Carter Center was appropriate in trying to tackle the current challenges
faced by the Muslim communities in West Africa.
Participants
included; leaders of various Muslim Civil Society organisations, Heads of non-profit Organisations, Traditional Heads,
Imams, Muslim Women and Youth leaders.
The participants
will undergo various topics related to the seminar theme such as; the theories
of well-being, capacity to aspire, gender roles, harmful social norms,
collective problem solving, human rights instruments and alignment of human
rights with religion.
Birima Fall, the
Coordinator of the Tostan Training Center in a welcome address assured
participants of their readiness for and inspired them to work hard to serve as
worthy goodwill ambassadors of their respective countries.
Laura M. Oslon,
Director of Human Rights Programme at the Carter Center said the training was
set to equip participants with knowledge and skills to work in their respective
communities using an integrated approach to promote community wellbeing.
Speaking on the
sidelines of the training, Alhaji Khuzaimah Osman, Personal Assistant to the
National Chief of Ghana said: “This training sought to orient Muslim leaders in
Ghana on leadership and institutional development.”
He noted that
institutional development was one of the areas
affecting the progress of Muslims in Ghana.
Alhaji Osman said,
the declining propagation of Islam, lack of human rights awareness
creation, entrepreneurship development,
and inadequate institutional and organizational development within Muslim
organisations were among the key challenges that required immediate attention
for the promotion of Community wellbeing among Muslims.
This, he said was
partly why Muslim leaders were engaged by
organisations like Tostan and the Carter Center, to enhance their
entrepreneurial, leadership and managerial skills.
Chief Alhaji Imoro
Baba Issah, Spokesperson of the Council of Muslims Chiefs in Ghana said, there
was the need for Muslim leaders to move from deliberations to action by
collaborating with traditional leaders to achieve holistic community wellbeing.
Hajia Aishatu Abdul-Kadiri,
the National Secretary of FOMWAG said,
it was crucial for women to partner men in contributing to decision making
processes at all levels.
She said, the core
values of the training was to empower women and girls to be exposed to the
various articles and principles of human rights enshrined in the Quran and the
hadiths for development.
“The Girl-Child
by this tool should be encouraged to understand the opportunities and
challenges within her environment, by which she can further explore to make
meaningful and positive informed choices with regards to her education, career
and marriage life.
“The women on
the other hand can make meaningful contributions at the family and community
levels that will result in the greatest good, that’s for development”.
GNA