Creating a fairer Britain
25 March 2009
Baroness Warsi, the Conservative Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action, has been named as Britain's most powerful Muslim woman.
Other prominent Muslim women named in the top five of the Power list include Farmida Bi, a banking Partner for Norton Rose LLP; Professor Farida Fortune CBE, Dean of Dentistry and Oral Health at Queen Mary's School of Medicine; Wasfi Kani, Chief Executive, Grange Park Opera; and Mishal Hussain, a leading journalist and news presenter(read the full list below).
The Power List was revealed on Tuesday evening at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester and was judged by Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission; the Baroness Hogg, Chairman of 3i; Sara Friend, Legal Director, British Olympic Association; Sarah Joseph, Editor of Emel magazine; Michael Binyon, Diplomatic Editor and Leader Writer for The Times; and Abi Amosu, EMEA Head of Corporate Diversity, J.P. Morgan.
Paying tribute to the achievements of the successful women, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission, said:
'I would like to congratulate Sayeeda Warsi and the other women who have been shortlisted for our inaugural Muslim Women Power List. The Power List was established to celebrate the achievements of Muslim women from across the business, arts, media, voluntary and public sectors, highlighting leaders in these fields and high performers whose successes suggest they are destined for great things.
Our list of female Muslim high achievers challenges many stereotypes, celebrating some truly impressive individuals. This list is just the start of a more ambitious project to create a network of women defined by their professional capabilities and interests, where faith and their background may just be one part of who they are.'
Having been named as Britain's most powerful Muslim Woman, Baroness Warsi, said:
'I personally come from a family of all girls and was brought up to believe that anything was possible and being a Muslim woman should in no way be seen as a barrier but as an asset to achievement.
'I'm extremely proud to be named as the most powerful British Muslim woman and I'm sure my Pakistani origins, my strong faith, and my Yorkshire upbringing has played a huge part.
Of course I've encountered prejudice as a woman, and as a Muslim woman. One of the most specific forms of prejudice is journalists who ask, "Are you a Muslim first or British first?", as if to say the two can't be reconciled. I think Islam is a hugely liberating religion for women. When Islam is interpreted properly, it is a religion that supports and reveres women. Unfortunately, I don't necessarily think that's always the way that some sectors of the Muslim community interprets it.'
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Find out more about how the Power List came about, and what it means to women from the list
Visit the Muslim Women Power List 2009 website
The list was chosen by a panel of judges chaired by Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The judges were asked to select women who had demonstrated significant results through strong leadership, successful performance in their chosen career and inspired their colleagues and peers.
The list is divided into sections. The women are not all individually ranked as the judge's considered a numeric listing would not be valid but they did want to acknowledge the particular achievements of certain women so the list is divided as follows. One woman is singled out to head the list. She forms the top five alongside four of her peers. The top five sit within a top twenty. Within the rankings the women are ordered alphabetically and not according to the judges selection.
1 Baroness Sayeeda Warsi - Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action, Life Peer
For more information, please contact:
Alex Brod
E: abrod@webershandwick.com
07912 477760
or
Priti Patel
E: ppatel@webershandwick.com
07894 485 213