MUHAMMADIYAH.ID, PALEMBANG – Chairman of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Dahlan Rais stated that issues of gender and emancipation are no longer new for ‘Aisyiyah and Nasyiatul Aisyiyah (NA). He emphasized that ‘Aisyiyah is a pioneer of the women’s congress.

In the opening of Pra Tanwir (a conference of the NA prior to the congress) Hall of Administrative Center Office of Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang on Thursday (7/11), Dahlan mentioned one of the female figures of NA Baroroh Baried who highly contributed to the women’s development.

“I think that she was the first woman studying overseas in the 1950s and being a professor at the age of 39,” told Dahlan.

Indeed, she developed women through knowledge.

“Baroroh Barried conveyed that her life was for learning. In my point of view, the greatest potential of women is flourishing themselves by gaining knowledge. That is what Bu Baroro Baried did,” told Dahlan.

He thought that Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah have shifted Indonesian women’s roles in society.

“Women plays roles in not only domestic but also public areas, and can prove their capability in the society,” maintained Dahlan.

Additionally, he required all of the NA cadres to be educated to be able to disseminate dakwah.