On Wednesday, July 15, 2009, KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights hosted a meeting between Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Tex., and a delegation of Muslim women from the U.S. and around the world to talk about women’s rights and leadership strategies for pursuing change in their communities.
The meeting was part of KARAMAH’s seventh annual Law and Leadership Summer Program, a three-week conference from July 6-24 designed to equip Muslim women with the legal skills and leadership training they need to articulate their rights and bring about change in their countries.
“You don’t have to have a lot of money if you build up a position and walk door-to-door,” said Rep. Johnson, describing the role of grassroots campaigning in pursuing leadership positions. “Build a base. I stay in touch with people, listen to their problems and pay attention. I have been on the ballot 33 times and never lost.”
An advocate for woman’s rights and founder of A World of Women for World Peace, an initiative to strengthen the role of women as peacemakers and peacekeepers, Rep. Johnson discussed the need for women to pursue pursuing leadership roles to create peaceful social change.
“We’ve got to try to make an effort to bring women out in leadership roles and talk about peace,” said Rep. Johnson.
The delegation was composed of Muslim women leaders from U.S., Canada, Belgium, Bangladesh, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and more.
The event also featured remarks by Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“Education and communication will cure any ill in this world. But it will take time. And it will take ownership,” said Rep. Johnson. “We’ve got to start young to respect differences, to have tolerance.”
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