Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged young Muslim women to get involved in politics and aspire to join the Scottish parliament.
Great show tonight thanks to FM @NicolaSturgeon for taking time to answer your questions on @RamadhanGlasgow
In a interview on Thursday evening with Radio Ramadhan, a Glasgow-based community radio station aimed at the city's Muslim community, Sturgeon discussed ethnic minority representation in parliament, as well as the Scotland bill currently passing through the Westminster parliament.
When asked what she would say to young Muslim women who wear scarves – hijabis – and think they could never become first minister, Sturgeon said: "If you want to do it, follow your dreams."
Sturgeon is leading the first gender-balanced cabinet in the Scottish parliament. She added: "If you want to be first minister, there's no reason why you can't be... To all young Muslim women listening out there, we want you in the Scottish parliament."
Later in the show, Sturgeon was asked about diversity in Holyrood and spoke of the need for more women and people with disabilities in political parties.
We're on air with @NicolaSturgeon on @RamadhanGlasgow. Get in touch if you've got a Q/comment & we'll read out on air
"The more representative of the country parliament is then the more it will take decisions that are represenataive of the needs and priorities of the people out there," she said.
In the interview, she was also asked about full fiscal autonomy, as well as whether or not Scots should expect taxes to go up if powers are transferred to the Scottish parliament.
But Sturgeon was more closely guarded on this front. "I'm not going to take taxation decisions tonight," she said, before adding," no matter how tempting it is to announce these things on Radio Ramadan."