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LONDON (UK): The British Government has decided to train Muslim women for public office in a bid to involve them in national politics. The Muslim Women’s Advisory group have kicked off a project to attract more Muslim women into national politics through the grass root level.

According to available figures, there are at least 800,000 Muslim women living in Britain today but they are under represented in positions of influence in British civic society including roles such as school governors and local councillors.

The Muslim Women’s Advisory Group therefore wants to provide the support to increase the skills, knowledge, and confidence, of Muslim women to enable more to seek positions in civic society and public office.

The project ‘Play Your Part Make Your Mark’ will work with women that are already starting to get involved in public life in order to give them the extra support that they need to progress as far as possible, and it will also work with women who have not yet put themselves into the public sphere but who want to do so.

The project will involve: A residential weekend at a leading UK university which will focus on developing networking and communication skills and giving the participants the opportunity to meet with a range of existing mentors and role models such as established magistrates, councillors, school governors and public appointment recruitment specialists.

The follow up one day programmes will specialise in the finer skills of power and influence, pace and timing, leadership and teamwork, adapting to new environments as well as developing public speaking s kills such as negotiation and debating.

The Communities Secretary Hazel Blears speaking about the project expressed hope that as many Muslim women as possible will take advantage of the opportunity to increase their skills. She said the Muslim women can be a powerful force and as local leaders are vitally important in making their communities stronger. “We need to see more Muslim women getting involved in politics at all levels from school governors and local councillor’s right through to the national level.”

The National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group (NMWAG) was formed in November 2007 and is made up of 19 Muslim women from all over country representing a wide spectrum of communities, professions and traditions. It has been set up by Communities and Local Government as part of its work to prevent violent extremism.