Muslimah Today, Durban’s only conference for Muslim women, hosted by ILM for Women, a division of the Institute for Learning and Motivation – South Africa (ILM-SA) takes place Saturday 29 August, 9am-4.30pm, at the NMJ Islamic Centre.
A dynamic lineup of speakers – including Ebrahim Rasool, the former premier of the Western Cape and award-winning author Shubnum Khan – feature. Rosieda Shabodien a gender activist, human rights advocate and life coach will address the topic “Knowing your value as a Muslim woman.”
She has spent decades working at the intersection of women empowerment and social justice and played a pivotal role in developing gender equality legislation in South Africa. Shabodien has held leadership roles across human rights and women’s advocacy organisations, including serving as head of the Commission for Gender Equality.
The CEO of Actualize and Success Lab, she holds a Master’s;in Management Coaching from Stellenbosch University and is the author of What Women Want Coaches to Know.
The Springfield Weekly Gazette (SWG) caught up with her ahead of appearance at Muslimah Today.
SWG: You began your activism at fourteen, growing up on the Cape Flats during apartheid. What set that in motion so young?
Shabodien: Growing up on the Cape Flats, apartheid wasn’t an abstract idea; it shaped where we lived, the schools we attended, what we believed we could become, and how far we dared to dream. The moment I realised that apartheid was a system of oppression and would determine the course of my life, I decided I would not accept that as my destiny. Joining the anti-apartheid struggle was my way of resisting oppression and working for a just society. Looking back, I realise that decision became the golden thread running through every chapter of my life.
SWG: You went on to help shape South Africa’s gender equality legislation and later led the Commission for Gender Equality. Looking back, what are you proudest of from that chapter?
Shabodien: I’m humbled to have played a small part in helping move gender equality beyond aspiration into legislative reality. Laws matter because they create accountability and provide a framework for justice. As a Commissioner at the Commission for Gender Equality, I continued advocating for the recognition of Muslim marriages and the protection of Muslim women’s rights. But I’ve learnt that while laws can be enacted, lasting equality requires hearts, cultures and institutions to change too.
SWG: Your talk is on “Knowing your value as a Muslim woman.” Why do you think this is something so many Muslim women struggle with?
Shabodien: Too often, we inherit cultural narratives and mistake them for religious truth. Many Muslim women grow up hearing more about their limitations than their God-given dignity. Yet the Qur’an, the Prophetic tradition and Islamic history reveal women of intellect, courage, scholarship and leadership who shaped Muslim civilisation. Once we understand that Islam has always honoured our dignity, intellect and moral agency, we stop seeking permission to know our worth—we simply begin to live it.
SWG: You and Ebrahim will be doing a joint session on marriage and family. After everything you’ve built together publicly and privately, what do you hope couples take from it?
Shabodien: The foundation of our marriage has always been our shared faith, seeing each other as equal partners and treating one another with deep respect. From that foundation has grown expansive love, generous laughter and a shared commitment to helping one another flourish. Our hope is that attendees leave inspired to build marriages where both partners champion each other’s growth and wellbeing.
SWG: You often share glimpses of family life online — your grandchild, your children, beautifultributes to Ebrahim. What role does family play in grounding you, alongside everything else you carry?
Shabodien: My family keeps me grounded and fills my life with immense joy. My children, and now my precious grandson, remind me every day why the work I do matters. They inspire me to keep working towards a more just world where future generations can live with dignity, equality and peace.
About the conference
Tickets for the Muslimah Today Conference are R320 and pensioners’ and students’ tickets are R220.
Tickets include lunch, refreshments, stationery and a goodie bag. Please visit
www.ilmsa.co.za/MT for bookings. Queries may be WhatsApped to 0670568975.
