COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (015) issued by The Government News Network
on 23 January 2008
Communities
Secretary Hazel Blears has today called on communities and local
authorities across the country to look at what more they can do to
improve the opportunities available to Muslim women to play a
bigger role in civic society as well as in tackling violent extremism.
The Communities Secretary said we need to step up work and
increase the number of projects which are supporting Muslim women
to play a fuller role in their communities - such as projects
aimed at increasing educational opportunities, employment,
leadership training and civic empowerment. She said that if we
are to create resilient communities we need get better at
listening to Muslim women and work together to open the door for
more women to get involved.
Hazel Blears will write to all local authorities across England
with a copy of the first ever Muslim Women's good practice
guide "Empowering Muslim Women: Case Studies". She
will encourage them to consider how they might work with local
groups already engaged with this hard to reach group and offer
Muslim women the programmes and training they need to take on a
wider role in the community and play a part in tackling violent extremism.
Hazel Blears said:
"Public debate about Muslim women too often reverts to
stereotypes and preconceptions. We pay too much attention to
Muslim women's appearance - with the perennial debate about
headscarves and veils- and too little to what they say and do.
"Resilient communities can only exist where women are
playing a full and active part. There are 800,000 Muslim women
living in Britain today. They have a unique viewpoint on the
challenges faced by the communities they live in and as such have
a unique role to play in tackling the spread of violent extremism.
That is why we are putting our work with them centre-stage - to
give the silent majority a voice and make it easier for more
empowered, confident women to play a part."
"I want to see more done in communities to build the
capacity of Muslim women to shape their communities and to engage
with disaffected groups. The projects I am highlighting today in
the good practice guide are designed to support communities and
local authorities in considering what more they can do to help
Muslim women overcome barriers to greater empowerment."
"This Government is committed to ensuring that Britain is a
place where people are proud to live and everyone can succeed.
That means building on what we have already done to deliver equal
opportunities and racial equality and giving people a greater say
in way that decisions that affect them are made - It is vital that
Muslim women share in these efforts to shape their lives and local
areas. "
The case studies in the guide are grouped into four key
categories: economic participation, education, civic
participation, arts culture and sports. In addition a number of
projects are focussed on directly supporting women in playing a
pro-active role in preventing violent extremism. The document is
designed to give a flavour of the breadth of opportunities
available to Muslim women and provide information and ideas to
local authorities and organisations thinking about setting up
similar projects in their area.
Some of the case studies highlighted focus on:
* projects that promote opportunities for women and young Muslims
to play a greater role in civic life such as becoming local
councillors, school governors, getting involved in volunteering
and having a greater say in local issues affecting them. These
help promote equality and the skills that strengthen
communities' resilience to extremism;
* leadership training courses for Muslim women and young Muslims,
including work around boosting self-esteem, assertiveness
training, citizenship classes, confidence building, communication
skills, management and mediation;
* education programmes to improve English language skills, higher
education courses alongside careers advice and increased
employment opportunities.
* mentoring and advice programmes run by local businesses and
advisors to support more Muslim women into work drawing on
positive role models from the community.
* community-led programmes that break down the barriers to the
progression and participation of Muslim women in mosques and wider
society, learning from organisations who are working with
community projects to encourage greater access to mosques and
mosque committees for women;
£70m has been allocated over the next 3 years for Preventing
Violent Extremism, of which £45m will be devolved to local
authorities for local work on preventing violent extremism. Some
of this money will go towards efforts to give Muslim women a
bigger role in creating strong, resilient communities.
Some examples of the projects featured include:
* Following terror raids in High Wycombe in 2006, local Muslim
women expressed their desire to get involved in the tackling
extremism agenda but felt they lacked the skills, confidence and
experience to participate. The Muslimah project was designed to
empower Muslim women and girls to discuss and play an active role
in tackling radicalisation and extremism.
* The FATIMA Women's Network has improved the ability of
Muslim women's groups to network and have a say on local
issues affecting them. Training is provided in policy development,
financial management and funding to equip women with the skills
they need to influence decision making and public policy.
* In 2004 almost a third (31%) of Muslims of working age in Great
Britain had no qualifications - the highest proportion for any
religious group and for many, language is a basic barrier to any
further qualification. The Southwark Muslim Women's
Association offers educational programmes in an environment that
Muslim women find conducive to learning and provides on site
creche facilities to meet the childcare needs of mothers. In many
cases the women progress to undertake additional educational courses.
In the coming weeks the Government will also formerly launch the
newly formed Muslim Women's Advisory Group. The specific
remit of the group will be to:
* act as ambassadors for Muslim women at grass roots and
represent their views and concerns to Government;
* provide leadership to communities and act as positive role
models for Muslim women in society;
* empower Muslim women to engage on a wide range of issues,
including a greater role in tackling the ideology spread by
extremists, and help dispel myths around the role of Muslim women
in society;
* meet in the form of a round table to discuss issues and
concerns that are affecting Muslim women e.g. breaking down the
barriers to the progression and participation of Muslim women in
mosques and wider society.
Notes to Editors
1) The document 'Empowering Muslim Women: Case Studies'
can be found at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/empoweringmuslimwomen
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom