![\"Faraz](\"https:\/\/satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/437\/2025\/02\/IMG_5610-edited.jpeg\")
‘It’s time for a change’<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The journey to becoming mayor was not without obstacles. Early in her political career, she encountered resistance, including prejudices and overt hostility. Campaigning in a historically male-dominated ward, she received threatening phone calls and was often discouraged from attending meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen I stood, I was told I would never be elected,” she said. “That pushed me further. I thought, \u2018It\u2019s time for a change, especially to the ward I was born in\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite scepticism, she rose above it all, and worked tirelessly to gain trust and foster relationships with her constituents. Her perseverance turned narrow victories into landslide wins, cementing her as a respected and trusted leader in her community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Faith, culture, and leadership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, her leadership represented a powerful statement of inclusion and identity. She faced questions about her faith and choices, with some making assumptions about her capabilities: \u201cSome people have asked me if my husband makes me wear the hijab,” she shared. “But when they hear me address audiences on various issues, they\u2019re often left surprised.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Juggling young family responsibilities with her demanding career, she proved that women could excel in public life while staying true to their cultural values. Despite long days that often started at 8 a.m. and ended well past midnight during her mayoral year, she prioritised family life, raising four children during her political journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Tameside\u2019s first Muslim mayor, she drew inspiration from historical Muslim women leaders like Khadijah (RA) and Fatima al-Fihri, and emphasised the importance of reclaiming Islam\u2019s progressive legacy on women\u2019s rights. \u201cOur religion teaches us that women are equal to men and have the right to participate in society in any way they choose; women can be strong, independent, and compassionate,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her advocacy extended beyond local politics, urging global communities\u2014especially in the Middle East and South Asia\u2014to create more opportunities for women in fields like politics, education, and engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn places like the Middle East, progress is happening, but it\u2019s still slow. Women need mentors and systems that support their ambitions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, as First Deputy and Cabinet Member for Population Health and Equalities, Cllr. Sharif continues to make an impact on both the local and national stage. In this role, she leads efforts to address health inequalities, tackle systemic barriers to equal opportunities, and ensure everyone in Tameside has access to the resources they need to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back on her groundbreaking career, she remains committed to creating a society where barriers are dismantled, and diversity is celebrated. She acknowledged the progress made in the UK, but still highlighted challenges such as the gender pay gap and underrepresentation of women in leadership roles as key issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s still a lot of work to be done,” she said. “Women should be paid fairly and equally, and barriers to success must be broken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her message to young people and aspiring leaders was clear: \u201cTap into your unique strengths and use them to make a difference in other people\u2019s lives: we all have a role to play in improving society.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the heart of Tameside\u2019s political history stands a trailblazer: a British-Kashmiri woman who broke both cultural and societal barriers to become the first ethnic…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1608,"featured_media":20921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4973],"tags":[1547,183,168,5575,5226,2631],"class_list":["post-20920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-muslim-women","tag-politics","tag-tameside","tag-women-and-equalities-committee","tag-women-in-islam","tag-womens-voices"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Cllr.](\"https:\/\/satellite.mmu.ac.uk\/northernquota-old\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/437\/2025\/01\/IMG_5617.jpg\")
A vision for the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n