Sri Lanka Muslim Women’s conference

Sri Lanka Muslim conference was founded in 1977. Its singular vision was to bring together the Muslim Women’s organizations as one united body to work in solidarity to raise the status of women and add quality to their lives. The founder’s vision was manifested in action when initially 17 organizations came together as one in the year following 1976. The years that followed saw many achievements based on the ideals of unity, solidarity and sisterhood in the community, nation and the world.
The founder and the first president was Ms. Jezima Ismail who was in the office for 26 years and was followed by Ms. Ameena Mustapha in 2005. The former president is now the president Emeritus and attends all the meetings. The SLMWC works in conjunction with The Academy of Adult Education (AAE) whose director is Ms. Abitha Muthalif. The premises on which the AAE is situated is shared and is the centre of all activities ranging from meetings, discussions, seminars, workshops and training programmes. It is hoped, Insha Allah, to expand the buildings, to include a counseling centre, a women’s centre for reflection, relief from problems and a support structure to move forward in their lives.

Achievements:

1.    This forum provided space for the discussion of topics crucial to the community and its interests and issues of national interest.
2.    In times of disaster and distress for example floods, droughts, Tsunami and cyclones the mechanism for unity that is the formal network served as a collective force to reconstruct and rehabilitate those victims involved in the situation.
3.    The organization has served as a study centre and an information disseminating unit for the understanding of Islam and the challenges it faces in the modern world.
4.    Women work for alleviation of poverty among its lesser fortunate sisters and network with other National women’s groups to implement programmes for the economic upliftment of those who live in underprivileged areas.
5.    Counseling programmes and psycho-social therapeutic programmes for those women experiencing trauma in their lives are also carried out by this unit.