Muslim Women in Canada: Overeducated and Underemployed
Muslim women in Canada are highly educated yet experience higher rates of underemployment and unemployment compared to other women in the country, according to a report to be released this weekend by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW).
The report entitled, Muslim Women: Beyond the Perceptions, is the first study of its kind and presents a demographic profile of Canadian Muslim women that challenges many of the myths and stereotypes associated with this segment of the Canadian population.
“Since September 11, 2001, interest in Muslims and Muslim women has increased tremendously, particularly in the context of images of Muslim women coming out of Afghanistan during the Taliban regime,” said Daood Hamdani, the author of the study, who has been studying Canadian Muslim demographics over the past two decades.
Based on the 2001 Census of Canada, key facts in the study reveal that:
Nearly one in three Muslim women has a university degree, compared with one in five among all women; twice as many Muslim women hold master’s and doctoral degrees as all women in Canada.
Nearly two-fifths (37 per cent) specialize in a science or engineering discipline compared with 31 per cent of all women.
Twice as many adult Muslim women compared to all adult women were enrolled in educational institutions for improving and upgrading their skills and qualifications.
Almost one-quarter of Canadian Muslim women were born in Canada, which is more than those born in the entire Middle East, Africa or entire South Asia.
The incidence of separation among Muslim women is the same as all women while the incidence of divorce and common law relationships is significantly lower.
Less than one-half (49 per cent) of the eligible Muslim women participate in the labour market compared with the national average of 60.5 per cent.
The rate of unemployment (16.5 per cent) among Muslim women is more than double the rate of 7.2 per cent for all women.
In spite of their higher levels of education, Muslim women are concentrated in lower paying clerical and sales and service occupations.
Over 57 per cent of Muslim women in the labour force are mothers of pre-school and school age children compared with 49 per cent of all mothers in the labour force with children in this age bracket.
“For the first time, the data in the report provide us with a fact-based picture of Canadian Muslim women,” said Razia Jaffer, CCMW’s National President. “We are now on a stronger footing to approach politicians, policy makers and service providers to address barriers faced by Canadian Muslim women in their daily lives.”
The study is the first in a series of fact-based research undertaken by CCMW to provide data and information about Muslim women to the media, governments, businesses and the broader Canadian society, including Muslim women themselves.
“We hope that the findings in this study will propel the Canadian government to address the underutilization of this highly skilled and knowledgeable segment of our population,” Ms. Jaffer said. “It’s tragic to see such talent and potential go to waste when Canada needs these resources to compete in today’s knowledge-based economy.”
Findings of the report will be presented at the INSCRIPTIONS conference sponsored by the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS) and the University of Toronto’s Department of Political Science, on November 27, 2004.
Canadian Council of Muslim Women is a pro-faith organization committed to equity, equality and empowerment of Canadian Muslim women.
For further information, contact:
Dr. Daood Hamdani, 613-226-6960
Nuzhat Jafri, National Board Member, CCMW, 416-487-8037
E-mail: info@ccmw.com
For information about the Inscriptions conference, contact amsscanada@yahoo.ca