CCMW Launches Multi-Year Project to Address Employment Barriers for Canadian Muslim Women

On this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination CCMW is proud to announce that the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth has awarded CCMW a multi-year grant for our “Addressing Barriers to Employment for Muslim Women” project. This funding will allow CCMW to better understand employment barriers that Canadian Muslim women face and to develop key strategies and tools to address these barriers; to inform employment-related policies and practices, thereby improving employment access and equity.

The announcement of this launch is especially significant as today marks Nowruz and we are also approaching Ramadan. The significance of launching this project on these three important occasions is that it is a reminder of the commitment of CCMW to promote and protect the rights of Canadian Muslim women and to promote equity and inclusion. 

This 35-month project will address barriers to employment for Muslim women, by focusing on developing tools and strategies to increase women’s recruitment, retention and advancement in non-traditional and/or growing economic sectors in Canada. 

CCMW will apply a Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) lens to the most recent census data in order to address gender gaps in labour-market recovery, as well as other factors of discrimination, that impact the economic participation of Canadian Muslim women.

"CCMW is honoured to receive a multi-year grant from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE)  to better understand employment barriers that Canadian Muslim women face and to develop key strategies and tools in order to address these barriers and inform employment-related policies and practices; thereby improving employment access and equity,” says Nuzhat Jafri, Executive Director of CCMW.

“We look forward to working with key partners and stakeholders in the employment sector, as well as diverse Canadian Muslim women to make this happen," adds Jafri.

As a 40-year-old national, feminist organization aimed at advancing the rights of Canadian Muslim women and girls, CCMW continues to advocate for Muslim women's equality, equity and empowerment in all aspects of their lives, including access to employment and career advancement.

About CCMW

The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) was founded in 1982 when Muslim women across Canada attended the founding conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Led by the late founder of CCMW, Dr. Lila Fahlman, these women sought to mobilize their passion for social justice and faith to enrich their communities and work towards the common good of Canadian society. 

CCMW is dedicated to the empowerment, equality and equity of all Muslim women in Canada. Its mission is to affirm the identities of Canadian Muslim women and promote their lived experiences through community engagement, public policy, stakeholder engagement and amplified awareness of the social injustices that Muslim women and girls endure in Canada, while advocating for their diverse needs and equipping local CCMW chapters with the necessary resources to maximize national efforts and mobilize local communities to join the movement. 

About WAGE Canada

Since 2015, WAGE funding to support women’s and equity-seeking organizations has increased five-fold. More than 645 organizations across Canada have received over $320 million in funding to improve women’s economic security and prosperity, address gender-based violence, advance women in leadership and support those who need it most.

Investing in women’s economic participation means their families, and their communities can prosper. The Government of Canada will continue to collaborate with women’s movements, organizations, and experts and to facilitate women's economic participation while further promoting intersectional strategies to advance gender equality.  

Since 2010, WAGE has provided a total of $2,363,992 in funding to CCMW.

Budget 2022 committed $539.3 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, “to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the forthcoming National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence” and we look forward to working together. VisitL https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca for more information. 

CCMW’S ASPIRE RESEARCH STUDY

We invite you to participate in CCMW's national ASPIRE Research Study. This study aims to support more diverse, equitable and inclusive Canadian workplace environments. The study will help us understand challenges in recruiting, retaining, and promoting Canadian Muslim women and other diverse talents.

If you are an employer and hold managerial responsibilities in Canada, you can help shape strategies to improve workplace diversity and inclusion. 

To participate, please contact firdaus.ali@ccmw.com.