Fatima Payman, who is only 27 years old, is making history in Australia’s parliament.
She is the youngest member of the current parliament, the first senator to wear a headscarf, and the first Afghan Australian to be elected.
She tells the BBC that the Australian Muslim community will benefit from her election.
“Who would have thought that a young woman born in Afghanistan and the daughter of a refugee would be standing in this chamber today?” said Payman.
“Knowing the sacrifices that my dad went through as a taxi driver and security guard to ensure he saved up enough money to make ends meet, to support his family, and to ensure my siblings and I had the future he wasn’t able to secure for himself.”
Who is Fatima Payman? First Hijab Wearing Australian Senator
When Payman, her mother, and her three younger siblings travelled to Australia in 2003, she was eight years old.
She went to university to become a doctor and attended the Australian Islamic College in Perth, but ended up getting active in politics.
Payman’s father, who sadly did not live to see her become a senator, passed away from leukaemia in 2018 at the age of 47.
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Concerns about her wearing a hijab were also addressed, and she emphasised that it was her choice.
“For those who choose to advise me on what I should wear, or judge my competency based on my external experience, know that the hijab is my choice,” Payman said. “I am young, I am progressive, and my family were born overseas – I am a representative of modern Australia.”
She's the face of the new generation of politicians. 27-year-old Senator Fatima Payman is the youngest senator in Parliament, and she's created history by becoming the first hijab-wearing Muslim in the Australian Parliament. @SenatorPayman #Studio10 #auspol pic.twitter.com/Q7VuO0Ri03
— Studio 10 (@Studio10au) July 20, 2022
| Real Name | Fatima Payman |
| Nick Name | Fatima Payman |
| Popular Name | First Hijab-Wearing Women Parliament Member Fatima Payman |
| Date of Birth | 1995 born |
| Birth Place | Afghanistan |
| From / Currently Living | Perth Australia |
| Higher School | Law |
| University / College Name | Graduated |
| Caste | Not Known |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Hobbies | Public Speaking, Writing |
| Profession | Politician. Advocate |
Fatima Payman Husband
Fatima Payman is unmarried and lives with her Afgan family.
Fatima Payman Relegion and Ethnicity
Fatima is an Afghan-born Muslim who lives in Australia. She was raised in Perth’s Northern suburbs as the eldest of four daughters.
Fatima’s dad arrived in Australia as a refugee and worked hard to provide for her, her mum and her siblings. Her mother took care of the family before launching her own side hustle of teaching driving while her father worked around the clock as a kitchen hand, security guard, and taxi driver.
Fatima’s father taught her the importance of perseverance and hard work. Many of the people she has seen throughout her time as an organiser with United Workers Union have experienced things similar to what he did.
Fatima lost her father to leukaemia in 2018. Fatima’s life reached a turning point at this point that allowed her to fully understand his challenges.
Fatima has offered her hand to stand in for folks like her father and other hard-working Australians who are doing their best to make ends meet. Fatima is passionate about removing obstacles in the way of women and young people and empowering them to speak out. Fatima wants to return the favour to the neighbourhood that has done so much for her.
Fatima started her charity work by instructing high school students and generating money for Penny Appeal Australia. She joined the Edmund Rice Center to assist in the training and upskilling of aspiring local leaders. Since 2017, Fatima has collaborated extensively with WA Police to improve their comprehension of the challenges encountered by young people and communities with varied ethnic backgrounds.
