Select employees of the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, appreciated how Islam promotes gender fairness and how it values women in so many ways after the GAD Refresher Training: Understanding Gender Roles and Family in Islam, conducted at the Apple Tree Resort and Hotel in Misamis Oriental on May 30-31, 2023.

Their realization was brought about by the comprehensive lectures and panel discussions carried out at the two-day activity.

Basically, the training was conducted to create awareness about gender roles at work and in the community, promote gender equity, foster inclusion by promoting and understanding gender roles, empower employees to become agents of change in their field of works, and to address issues on parenting which affect the work setting.

Topics presented were Family in Islam, Women in Islam, and Responsible Parenthood delivered and explained by resource speakers Uza. Anisa A. Taha and Uza. Jihan Batiting.

Meanwhile, panel discussions were conducted by the organizers for the topics Polygyny and Divorce in Islam for which, the speakers where Minister Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra, Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim, and Project Development Officer Sheikh Ibrahim A. Bagumbun with the participation of Uza. Taha and Uza. Batiting.

The participants were given the opportunity to ask questions and clarifications on the topics through which, they were enlightened by the speakers and were given the wisdom of the gender issues and concerns that they usually encounter.

Minister Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra mentioned verses from Surah An-Nisa that showcase the value and rights of women as he quoted “You cannot have faith in Allah unless you have that reverence to your mother.

“GAD is so important as one half of mankind is women and the other half is born out of women; any man who doesn’t respect a woman is not a man,” Minister Barra emphasized.

Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim corroborated Minister Barra’s statements and said the activity was very significant as it makes possible the understanding of gender roles especially the rights of women.

“The activity was as part of the Ministry’s advocacy on women’s rights and it reflected upon the importance of family and the rights of women in all settings, while embracing the diverse gender roles and identities of everyone, especially in the context and perspective of Islam,” said Zuhaira U. Ebrahim, MHSD GAD Focal Person who led the facilitation of the event.

Similar activities will be conducted by the MHSD, through its GAD, to cater those employees who were not yet accommodated at the refresher training.