Being A Canadian Muslim Woman in the 21st Century

This toolkit was developed by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW).

HERE’S HOW THE CREATORS DESCRIBE THIS TOOLKIT:

This educational resource kit is part of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women’s (CCMW) project, Being a Canadian Muslim Woman in the 21st Century. The objectives of the project are twofold:

• increase the understanding on the part of the education system of the issues and challenges facing young Muslim women (age 14-18)
• develop resources that can be used by educators who work with young Muslim women

We have anecdotal evidence about the stress and conflicts facing young Muslim women, such as racism/discrimination, clash of family and broader societal values, and the tensions in developing an identity that includes their multiple characteristics. Many of these young women are children of recent immigrants and are grappling with adaptation issues such as the integration of culture and religion in their lives. In schools, educators and other students often do not understand the issues that young Muslim women are dealing with. Two recent incidents demonstrate the need for action to overcome this lack of understanding: the killing of a young Muslim woman in Mississauga by her father and brother, and the alleged sexual abuse of a female Muslim student at a Toronto high school, which only came to light because of other problems at the school.

As schools play a vital role in young people’s lives, CCMW believes it is in school settings that issues can be addressed.

This kit has a total of 8 modules and covers a broad range of issues, including, for example, violence against women and children, stereotyping of Muslim women, the politics of representation, and racism/discrimination. Each module also has specific learning objectives. These are listed in the curriculum overview along with suggestions of courses in which the module can be used. Each module can stand alone, and therefore users of the kit can pick and choose the modules relevant for their specific purpose.

While the kit is primarily aimed at educators and meant for use by teachers in the classroom, there are other potential uses of the information presented in the kit. For example, it can be used to sensitize social service providers and other front line workers to the issues and challenges faced by young Muslim women

Click here to access the toolkit.

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