Zara Mohammed, the first woman to become secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, has been named in British Vogue’s list of the 25 most influential women of 2021 for “laying foundations for a more equal future”.
“There’s a lot of stereotyping that Muslim women are oppressed,” Mohammed told Vogue magazine.
“I’m here to help smash the glass on that perception,” she added.
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In January and at the age of 29, Mohammed became the youngest person and first woman to be elected as secretary general of The Muslim Council of Britain.
Mohammed succeeded Harun Khan, who occupied the post for the past four years.
The training and development consultant from Glasgow said she is keen to show her peers – and the world – that young people can lead “and women can certainly lead, too. Don’t define us without us.”
“We’ll be the ones to say who we are and what we represent.”
Mohammed was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and studied at the University of Strathclyde where she graduated with an LLB in Human Rights Law.
In 2016, she became the first woman to lead the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS).
The list celebrating women includes Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton for their philanthropy work. It also includes Kate Bingham, the chair the UK Vaccine Taskforce.
The annual round-up, which is published in the magazine’s September issue, aims to celebrate the women who have “paved the way” for “a more equal future”.