Muslim women wearing Hijabs are routinely passed over for jobs and are sidelined at the workplace, a Commons report has found. In what is seems as a form of “acceptable” discrimination highly qualified women who have overcome barriers to train in professions like law, are being written off because of crude assumptions ministers have found. The inquiry by the Commons women and equalities committee was told some women abandon wearing traditional Islamic dress to try and get a good job.
While other find themselves being interrogated at job interviews if they are married and have kids or want to, and those already working are passed over on important assignments because of the assumption they might not be “allowed” to travel. Hostility towards Muslims is acting as a “chill factor” putting off many people from even applying for jobs. This inquiry comes as it was revealed that unemployment among the Muslim community is over double that of the general population, some 12.8% compared to 5.4%.
Maria Miller, chair of the women and equalities committee says “The evidence was very strongly that…it was seen as acceptable to discriminate against Muslim women and that people almost didn't see it as discrimination. You can’t have some women more equal than others.”