Muslim Women's Advisory Group
The Muslim Women's Advisory Group was launched on the 31st January 2023 and will help to inform the work of Muslim Women's Network UK and the APPG on Muslim Women. The MW Advisory Group members will act in their independent capacity and will provide additional insights into how attitudes, policies, practices and laws may be adversely impacting the lives of Muslim women and girls and how their needs can be met so their social, political, economic and health outcomes can be improved.
Huda Jawad
London
Huda is an intersectional Muslim feminist and one trio of the award winning anti-racist campaign group, The Three Hijabis who started a petition signed by 1.2 million people to ban racists from football in response to the racist backlash against 3 Black England players in the 2020 Euro cup final.
She is co-founder of the Faith and VAWG Coalition, a partnership of organisations and activists working at the intersections of faith, feminism, violence against women and girls. She is a founding member of the Anti-Racism Working Group, tasked by the women’s sector to create an anti-racism charter that can be adopted sector wide.
Huda was the former co-director of Musawah, an international non governmental organisation, leading the global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family.
She was Lead Co-Organiser of Women’s March London organising annual events and public demonstrations bringing over 600K people on the streets of London to protest misogyny and racism.
Currently a trustee of Counterpoints Arts, a refugee arts charity and former co-chair of the End Violence Against Women Coalition.
Roxana Rias
London
Roxana is the Chair Muslim Women’s Advisory Council. Roxana is actively involved with her local council in elderly care support. Currently she is volunteering with the NSPCC.
Lina Charki
London
Lina Charki currently holds the post of Internships Manager at The Aziz Foundation, continuing her dedication to social mobility. Being first-generation who was born in London, raised in Tottenham, forging the way for her siblings and community has always been a commitment. Having completed a Masters in Political Psychology of International Relations with a thesis on impact COVID on the educational attainment gap, Lina combined that with working with and in schools in her local area as an Outreach Coordinator.
As the Founding Member of Creativity Unleashed, Lina helped establish a platform for young voices in the community to have their work amplified and published who otherwise wouldn’t.
Farah Farzana
Falkirk
Farah Farzana's passion lies within community activism, which led to her being a co-founder and current Board Member for Al Masaar SCIO, which means ‘Path to Progression’. Graduating with a Merit from the University of Glasgow in Education, Public Policy and Equity, Farah works in the field of anti-racism in public policy. During her two-year role as Chair of the SNP BAME Network, she influenced the SNP manifestos to include a commitment to anti-racist education and the Scottish Government to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia. She was also the first Muslim female to be a candidate in her local authority elections in 2017. As a single mother of two, Farah is also survivor of childhood trauma and domestic abuse, which her my motivation to disrupt the status quo.
Shukri Mohammed
Liverpool
Shukri Mohammed was born in Somaliland, raised in Liverpool and spent 24 years in Birmingham. She is the proud mother of six children ranging from primary school to university students. Shukri is the Co-Founder of the Dery Foundation which she set up to support vulnerable members of the Somali community in Birmingham and Liverpool. She worked with police forces and the NHS to deliver workshops on restorative justice, mental health and knife crime. Shukri is currently working as a hate crime support worker with Anthony Walker Foundation and recently obtained her HND in hospitality management from the London Business School and Finance. She also continues to campaign for the recognition of Somaliland.
Niparun Nessa
Oldham
Niparun Nessa (Nipa) is a Secondary School Teacher, Maths specialist and creative and aerial arts facilitator. She delivers training and consultancy on equalities, diversity, inclusion and antiracism. She is also an organising forum representative for the National Education Union’s Black Educators Network and involved in supporting various community and interfaith groups. Nipa is passionate about international solidarity and human rights as well as supporting people with both their physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing.
Shalina Litt
West Midlands
Shalina Litt is a Breath Work Mentor supporting adults and children with anxiety relief and is also a LDD College Lecturer for students who have behavioural or SEND. She has been radio presenter at local community station and has been featured on mainstream media such as the BBC and Channel 4 about her hijab journey and on women’s right to wear the face veil. She regularly raises awareness of issues affecting Muslim women through her podcasts, blogs and Instagram lives. She is a survivor of domestic abuse and is especially passionate about talking about mental health. She is the Director of Special Madrasahs providing inclusive education resources and she is in her final year of completing her Masters Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Siyyara Bakhsh
London
Siyyara Ahmed has worked as a Social Worker/Senior Social Worker for more than 30 years having worked in the East Midlands, London Boroughs and Berkshire. This also includes hospital social work. She expertise in child protection and safeguarding and has worked with a wide range of teams such as the mental health team, the disabled children’s team and the fostering team.
Aisha Adam
Essex
Aisha Adam currently works as an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) where she provides support to victims of domestic abuse with a particular focus on safety and protection to those at highest risk of domestic homicide. Aisha has also worked in probation services where her work involved supporting service users to successfully complete sentenced court orders, resettlement in the community after completing custodial sentences. Aisha also has experience in assessing risk and implementing tools that protect victims of crime from their perpetrators. Through her various roles Aisha has experience of working with a range of agencies such as the police, local authorities, courts, health services, substance misuse services, youth offending teams and the voluntary sector.
Our Supporters
Caroline Nokes MP
Conservative Party
Muslim Women's Network UK ensures that the voices of Muslim women are heard. They are not just a support network but a movement for change. I am proud to work with them.
Jess Phillips MP
Labour Party
MWNUK is courageous because of the uncompromising and fearless positions it sometimes takes when calling out injustice and inequality
Sadiq khan
London Mayor
I am proud to support and champion this fantastic organisation, which is informing policy and transforming lives.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi
Conservative Party
MWNUK’s authenticity comes from knowledge of lived experiences of Muslim women and girls acquired through their helpline, research and members.
Naz Shah MP
Labour Party
They work tirelessly with passion and commitment to make a difference and improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable women and girls in society.
