Hundreds of Muslim women from across the country visited the Bradford district at the weekend for a residential conference aimed at helping them find a greater voice in their communities.

The two-day Daughters Of Eve event at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Bingley included workshops, panel discussions, keynote speeches and theatre performances.

Feminist theologian Dr Riffat Hassan, Professor Emerita at the University of Louisville, who had travelled from the United States, was one of the main speakers.

Dr Hassan, who founded the International Network for the Rights of Female Victims of Violence in Pakistan, spoke about her decades of research into gender equality in the Qur’an.

After her speech she said: “I think looking at all these theological issues from a non-patriarchal perspective is crucial. Although a lot of work has been done by various agencies for women’s education and health there has been no attention paid to how they feel inside.

“I have a message to give. I think women, especially young women, need to hear it. I see a lot of women here, born and bred, second generation, but internally they still have a long way to go.”

Representatives from Birmingham, London, Leicester, Glasgow and Cardiff, spoke about issues in their areas, including child abuse, family relationships and female participation.

The event also included workshop discussions on issues identified by Muslim women in Bradford, which fell into the categories of well-being, aspirations, perceptions and participation.

Julie Siddiqi, executive director of the Islamic Society of Britain, which organised the event alongside the Bradford Muslim Women’s Council, said: “The topics that have been covered are very, very important. We need more of the same.

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