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Free training to get Muslim women jobs
Last updated at 16:22pm on 11.09.06
Ruth Kelly wants to promote Muslim women in the workplace
Muslim mothers are to be offered free job training as part of a new government drive to combat Islamic extremism and get more women into work.
See also:
• New measures to help working mothers
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly today unveiled the £10 million pilot scheme as part of a wider campaign to help women break into male-dominated jobs.
All schools will be told to overhaul their careers advice to girls to encourage them into the computer, engineering and building industries.
Firms are to be helped to create job shares for senior managers and 80 large companies including Accenture, BAE Systems and BP have signed up as "exemplar employers".
They will be committed to helping women take time off to have children and work f lexibly. A £500,000 fund is being created for organisations specialising in flexible working.
The two-year London scheme will offer A-level standard training to women with few skills, with Muslims a key target of the project.
The scheme is also aimed at ending the isolation felt by some Asian women who speak little English and stay at home to raise their children.
Ms Kelly is also in charge of "community cohesion" and government efforts to marginalise extremists within Muslim areas.
Setting out the Government's response to a scathing report on the state of women in the workplace, she said she wanted to transform the culture in Britain "from the playground to the boardroom".
On a visit to the East End, Ms Kelly said that increasing women's participation in work and enabling them to get better jobs could be worth up to £23 billion a year to the UK economy.
Among the initiatives are new rules for careers officers to ensure no "gender stereotyping" from next April.
From the same date, public-sector employers will have to guarantee equal pay and opportunities for men and women.
Ms Kelly said: "The best of business already understands the benefits that flexible working delivers, but it's time the rest (did).
"This is not about political correctness, this is about improving profit margins.
"Just because a woman decides to trade down her hours doesn't mean she should (have to) trade down her status."
Reader views (4)
After reading everyone's comments I can understand where they are coming from. As all women should be helped to find work, if they would like to work that is, regardless of thier religion or ethnic background. However, I can also emphathise with Ruth Kelly, as after 7/7 and more recent events discrimination against Muslim men and women has increased making it more difficult to get employed. All due to a small minority who choose to against the teachings of Islam. But should we disregard what we're doing in other Muslim countries. Although it's not justifiable what some individuals may choose to do, but shouldn't we look at the full picture?
- Saiqa, London, UK
Yeah, let's just create more segregation in our country - that'll really work...
- St, London
This looks like standard Socialist government tactic: defeat any form of popular resistance to the regime by breaking up close-knit families.
- Kevin, London, England
what about those Asian women, like me, and Black women who are not Muslims who also don't get jobs because of the stereotype perception still held by most employers.
Helping only Muslims breeds resentment only in the non Muslim (white and non white) communities.
The way forward is to for Muslims to become educated and tackle the stereotype view of women that are held by men.
This is what the government should be focusing on.
- Roshan, UK
