International Women's Day was celebrated globally on 8th of March to mark the social, economical, cultural and political achievements of women. Muslim Women of Merton ( MWM) was no exception and it celebrated the Day by organizing an event that featured a panel of extraordinary female national and local speakers from different fields of life, who shared their inspiring stories and spoke about their determination to contribute to the advancement of not only their personal and professional life but also of their communities.

The event also included a timeline exhibition, highlighting the contribution of Muslim women in history and its significant impact in our modern life. The exhibition is still on display at Crown House Creative. This event also provided a great opportunity for local small businesses run by women to showcase their work, which was very well received. MP for Mitcham and Morden, Siobhan McDonagh showed her support by attending the event.

MWM is a group of active professional women in Merton, that was formed as a result of a gap in community development and relations between the Muslim female community and the wider community. It has held several events over the last 3 years like quiz night, McMillan coffee morning, Interfaith Forum and White Ribbon campaign. Mayor of Merton Brenda Fraser has encouraged our efforts and attended one of our events. These activities have allowed them to work with their mission of building bridges and empowering communities.The group aim to change stereotypical images of Muslim Women as silent bystanders in society to resilient can do community contributors.

Submitted by Sanam Mallick