Muslim Women: Past and Present

Recommend a Muslim Woman

Throughout the ages, from the earliest days of Islam to contemporary times today, Muslim women have been and continue to be active leaders in their communities and countries across the world. This directory is a growing archive of leading Muslim women scholars, activists, writers, politicians, artists, religious and spiritual leaders, civil society leaders and more. Please contribute to this archive by suggesting Muslim women to be featured through our recommendation form.

  • By Category
  • By Name
  • By Century
  • By Country
  • Search


Yanar Mohammed

Known For: Co-Founder of the Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI)
Country: Iraq

About

Yanar Mohammed is the co-founder of the Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq, which works to promote women’s rights and liberties in Iraq (OWFI). Eight years after emigrating to Toronto, Canada in 1995, Yanar returned to her native country to begin her advocacy work and help establish OWFI, whose office was first housed in an abandoned bank in Baghdad. 

One of OWFI’s primary projects is to house women who have suffered domestic violence, honor killings, sex trafficking, and prostitution in secret shelters, located in places like Baghdad and Kirkuk. According to Yanar, as of 2008, an estimated 35 women have been spared death thanks to these shelters. Another OWFI initiative is the Women’s Prison Watch program, through which Yanar interviewed some 200 incarcerated women and shed light on their living conditions. Starting in 2005, Yanar began teaching courses on how to deal with local traditions and religious intolerance in Iraq to activists. She also operates a radio station and newspaper by the name Al Mousawat, meaning “equality” in Arabic. 

Yanar received her bachelor’s degree in 1984 and her master’s degree in Architecture in 1993 from Baghdad University. In 2008, she was one of three recipients of the $500,000 Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation’s Women’s Rights Prize.

Sources

“Exclusive: Yanar Mohammed, Iraqi Women’s Vigilant Champion,” The Women’s Media Center.
“Yanar Mohamed, two other activists, to share 2008 Gruber Foundation Women’s Rights Prize,” Gruber Foundation.
Interview with Yanar Mohammed, Women’s Worldwide Web.
Yanar Mohammed, Democracy Now.

RSS Bookmark and Share
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women alphabetically by their first names. Many Muslim names have alternative spellings once rendered into English so if you cannot find the name you are looking for, please try the general search tab where you can enter keywords of your choice.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women chronologically by the Common Era century. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women by their Country. We are actively building the archive of Muslim women leaders from the past, as well as from today, and we would welcome your recommendations of women to feature. Please complete our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.
This search feature will enable you to find Muslim women leaders by entering the keyword(s) of your choice. If you cannot find a particular woman that you are looking for, please let us know by completing our “Recommend Muslim Women” form and check the site again in the near future as we actively expand this section of the portal with your suggestions.