Deaf Muslim Women Demand Equal Access to Education, Worship at ADMUN Camp in Gombe
From Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
Participants at the 12th National Islamic Training Camp of the Association of Deaf Muslim Women in Nigeria (ADMUN), held in Gombe State, have made a passionate appeal for equal access to education, religious participation, and economic opportunities for deaf women across the country.
Themed “Empowering Deaf Muslim Women Through Faith, Knowledge, and Unity,” the three-day camp was organized in collaboration with the Coalition of Muslim Women Organizations in Gombe State. It attracted attendees from multiple states, including Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Bauchi, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Kwara.
In her keynote address, Dr. Aisha Abubakar Kumo, Chairperson of the Muslim Sisters Organization (MSO), Gombe Chapter, and a lecturer at Gombe State University, emphasized the urgent need to develop sign language tools and make educational institutions more accessible to people with hearing impairments.
She also called for the enactment of laws that criminalize discrimination against persons with disabilities and decried the persistent barriers faced by deaf Nigerians in accessing both Islamic and Western education.
Dr. Aisha expressed disappointment over the absence of some invited dignitaries, noting it may reflect a broader societal neglect of persons with disabilities.
Dr. Dawud Muhammad, another speaker, urged mosques to adopt sign language and visual aids during Friday sermons and religious gatherings to foster inclusion.
ADMUN National President, Malama Hajarat Nasir Makarfi, explained that the camp aimed to empower deaf Muslim women through religious learning and personal development.
She highlighted ongoing issues such as exclusion from community life, lack of formal education, and widespread unemployment.
Malama Hajarat called for scholarship schemes, vocational training centers, and targeted support initiatives, while appealing to government agencies and philanthropic groups for sustainable funding and logistical assistance.
Hajiya Aishatu Salisu Abdullahi, a senior member of ADMUN, thanked scholars, volunteers, and supporters for standing with the organization since its inception in 1992.
She affirmed that ADMUN remains committed to the full inclusion and rights of deaf Muslim women across Nigeria.
