The Government needs to overhaul its “broken relationship” with the Muslim community in order to unlock the potential of British Muslims, a new report has found.
“The Missing Millions – Unlocking British Muslim Potential for the Benefit of All” makes a number of recommendations for government, businesses and civilians as to how the participation of Muslims in public life could be improved.
The current relationship is “broken,” it says, and “both sides parties need to be proactive in addressing this.”
The report’s recommendations include recommending a code of conduct for UK mosques created with a view to “reforming mosque committees and improve access for women.”
It suggests that mosques should focus on hiring British-born Imams who are to be paid a “decent living wage” and would be well placed to understand the challenges currently facing British Muslims.
The report warns that employment disadvantages and discrimination act as barriers for British Muslims, particularly women.
Media accuracy is also addressed, with the report criticising the “increasing discrimination, misrepresentation and distorted perceptions of Muslims within popular media narratives.”
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The Chair of the Commission, the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve MP, QC said: “The shocking terrorist attacks in Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park demonstrate the terrible impact extremism has on innocent citizens. The response to those attacks; with communities coming together in unity and defiance demonstrates why the recommendations in this report should be actioned as a matter of priority, so the UK can build on the positive work already happening.”
In the wake of the Islamic extremist and anti-Islamic terror attacks in the UK, the report looked at the best way of tackling extremism within the Muslim community.
It said that the Government’s Prevent Strategy was a subject that came up time and time again during the hearings, concluding that the current strategy was not effective as it is not trusted within the Muslim community.
The study found that radicalisation would be more effectively combatted with “a programme that is more greatly trusted, particularly by the UK’s Muslim communities.”
The study found that Prevent was seen to “unfairly target Muslims, leading to a ‘police state’ atmosphere” and to be responsible for some “conflation of religion and culture with extremism,” concluding that an independent review of Prevent should be carried out.
Neil Jameson, executive director, Citizens UK said: “This Commission is absolutely not about seeking ‘special treatment’ for British Muslims. Rather it is an ambitious and timely attempt to find ways of encouraging full and active participation in public life for all communities, challenging the systems and narratives that threaten this, and promoting the many examples of good practice by our Muslim communities that the Commission has heard up and down the country.
“Citizens UK appreciates that the hard work starts now, but we welcome this challenge and know the importance of harnessing any untapped talent pool of energy and enthusiasm from which UK public life and the common good can benefit.”
Commissioner, Ifath Nawaz, said: “The Commissioners have had the opportunity to hear from a range of different Muslim and non-Muslim voices, going beyond the traditional gate-keepers who all too often are seen as the ‘voice’ of a community. What’s clear is that there is huge appetite from civil society, including Muslim institutions, to expand current successful schemes and to address some difficult questions about how Muslim communities currently operate, which is sometimes at odds with the direction many Muslim citizens consider their institutions should take, and that would see more public facing roles for women and young people.
“The individuals we met are passionate about promoting the benefits of being active within civil society and working together for the common good, but set against a backdrop of the need for some state action; particularly around anti-Muslim prejudice, and a more robust stance against the accuracy of reporting around Muslim issues.”
