The contribution of Muslim Women’s Associations to the development of Kumasi, 1970-2019

Abstract

This paper investigates the contribution of Muslim Womens Associations towards the development of Kumasi. It argues that the urbanization of the Kumasi increased the number of women in Kumasi as in other cities and, eventually, resulted in the emergence of Women’s Organizations that, from the mid twentieth century, became advocates for women and women’ issues and rights. In the process, they negotiated a space for selfexpression as Muslim women. In this case, the Muslim Women s groups advocated for Muslim Women and played important roles in the development of Kumasi. They empowered women, offered seminars and skills-training programmes and provided opportunities for personal growth, religious and self-identity and self fulfillment through a deeper stiidy of the Qur ’an. They assisted with education for the young and sponsored people to study locally and in Saudi Arabia. The paper groups the,women’s association into five and highlights their contribution to the development of Kumasi.