Page 32 - Thetha Issue 7

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Empowering Muslim

Women to Succeed

nclusion, diversity and equity are only a rather than on career success.
few of the issues tackled in Dr Nuraan “So much so that I received
Agherdien’s PhD research on Muslim women feedback from participants saying,
Iin the workplace – but understanding their ‘finally’, ‘it’s about time’ and ‘more
importance is part of helping these women studies should be done on this’ – to
to succeed. mention a few,” she says.
Dr Agherdien graduated with a doctorate in “I am a strong, proud, practising
Human Resources Management (HRM) at Nelson Muslim woman. This has been a journey
Mandela University in April this year. Faculty of of self-discovery and through this, my beliefs Dr Nuraan Agherdien
Business and Economic Sciences Deputy Dean have only been strengthened,” she says.
Professor Michelle Mey was her supervisor. The Quraan, Sunnahs, Pillars of Islam, Shari’ah
Dr Agherdien, who leads the HRM and Hadeeths provide Muslims with guidelines
Department in the faculty, investigated barriers and laws on how to live, Agherdien notes.
that Muslim women face in the world of work, as “And, yes, inclusion is also about catering
well as interventions to enhance their success. for Muslims. For example, some Muslim women
Her study revealed that Muslim women stopped attending functions, not because they
valued a commitment from top management did not want to network but because they were
towards their career trajectories and creating not catered for.
opportunities to flourish. “Inclusion is creating the space where one
She found that this was more significant than feels valued and part of something, with a
the actual interventions such as professional supportive, open, transparent, gender-neutral
development, education and training, mentoring culture to allow individuals to fully integrate within
and coaching, promotion and inclusivity. their organisations.”
She says that there were many misconceptions Agherdien proposed a model any
and stereotypes around Muslim women organisation can use to create this kind of
regarding gender roles and expectations. In inclusive environment, and her study contributes
addition, current studies on Muslim women often to the scarcity of research in this field in South
focused on areas such as the hijab, or headscarf, Africa and abroad.

30 | Thetha Edition 7 | 2023