Muslim women face a double discrimination on the basis of both their gender and their faith. According to available statistics, Muslim women in the UK face the highest inequalities in health and housing, and are up to 70 per cent more likely to be unemployed than white Christian women - even when they have the same qualifications and language skills. Muslim women report the highest rate of ill health among all faith and gender groups – 16 per cent, compared to 8 per cent of Christian women. 57 percent of Muslim communities live in the most deprived 20 per cent of Local Authorities. In addition, the portrayal of women and Islam in the media has distorted perceptions of Muslim women. Recent figures show a 70 per cent rise in hate crimes against Muslims in London between 2014 and 2015. 60 per cent of these incidences involved women, with women wearing face veils being the victims of the most aggressive attacks.

 

 

Sources: Office for National Statistics, Labour Force Survey; The Muslim Council of Britain, British Muslim in Numbers; Met Police statistics.