LONDON, AUGUST 11, 2016 – A parliamentarian committee said on Thursday in London that Muslim women are the most disadvantaged group in Britain’s job market, facing a “triple penalty” because of their gender, race and religion.The parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee told the lawmakers that “the most significant of the penalties was religion, which is causing greater inequality in employment for Muslim women than other groups.
Maria Miller, the Chairman of the committee, said that more than 65 per cent of Muslim women are economically inactive.
She noted that it doubled the general rate for women in Britain, adding that the reasons for the gap were varied and complex.
“They include: discrimination and Islamophobia, stereotyping, pressure from traditional families and a lack of tailored advice around higher education choices.
“Others are; insufficient role models across education and employment,” she said.
Miller said that it was discovered through the report that stereotypical views of Muslim women can act as a barrier to work.
“The data suggests that in communities these patterns are shifting across generations, but we remain concerned that this shift is happening too slowly and that not all Muslim women are being treated equally,” she said.
Miller said that some Muslims were reluctant to speak to the lawmakers because they feared their inquiry could be part of the government’s counter-extremism programme, which was “cited as a significant source of tension” by several witnesses.
