Hazel blears launches Muslim Women "Assertiveness Courses"

Published on the Asian Image Website

By Majed Iqbal- After the joke and unsuccessful attempts of former Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly in launching her Nasiha project for imams and mosques to tackle extremism in Muslim communities, her new successor Hazel Blears has shown that she is even more far ahead than Kelly when it comes to Political entertainment.



Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is to give instructions that some of a £70 million Government fund set up to encourage "cohesion" should be used to try to bolster the confidence of women. Sounds great, sounds ambitious and what a nice way to help British women feel involved, especially after the sexual harassment received at workplaces, having been victims of domestic violence which constitute a quarter of all crimes reported yearly, the un-equality in pay which has been raging on for decades and the gender stereotypes for particular employments. Thanks hazel.

But that's not all yet. The funding has nothing to do with the above!! Hazel Blears has selected Muslim women. What a privilege! Finally there is some recognition that funding is not equally distributed in areas- especially Muslim ones. Thanks a bunch hazel. So how do you plan to help Muslim women in their communities?

Hazels answer- Muslim women should be sent on assertiveness training courses as part of the fight against extremism. Lessons in confidence building and communication will help them resist intimidation or recruitment by Al Qaeda or other violent or hard-line groups, they believe. Money will also be poured into Islamic women's groups to try to boost their influence in Muslim areas.

Hmmmmmm

The Muslim community has been singled out time and time again to fulfill measures- embark on this project and receive x amount of funding, spy on your children, mosques should report radicals in their midst, we should change our curriculum's taught in the Mosques and now women should stand up against extremism!!!!

The same government that is so aloof from a whole range of Political, Economic and social issues that are plaguing British Society seem to be experts when it comes to the affairs of the Muslim Community! Why is this? Why is their a continual effort to interfere in such issues? What is the government trying to achieve? Can £70 million not be spent on our ever un-efficient health-care system, or on gang crime which is spiralling out of hand, on the pensioners who have been scammed systematically or on developing tighter security systems such that Benefits and driving licence ID's don't get lost again?

Once again jack straw has backed these initiatives. He said: "Muslim women play a really important role in society and this initiative will give them a stronger voice in their communities".

Hazel Blears is also to publish a document arguing that women have the potential to become a voice for moderation in Muslim communities and steer young people away from the clutches of extremist recruiters.

The government needs to understand that the propaganda war on extremism and connecting it to the Muslim community just doesn't work- and it is no longer admissible for anyone to disconnect British Foreign policy as not being the catalyst for these unfortunate incidents.

The Muslim community need not be lectured on how our women need engaging. These are community issues for the community itself to get involved in, address and lay down plans to resolve without any interference from government whose sole motives are to score points in the Propaganda War in this country against the Muslim community.

Yes, we need to put our hands up and see where we are going wrong with Muslim women. On the other hand, there are several amazing projects that have been launched, even here in Rochdale which have empowered women ranging from gyms, health clubs, IT classes, NVQ's, Girls Youth groups, Regular Political circles on Current Affairs and making our women active in Islamic Politics through marches, demonstrations and journalistic writings. So can someone demonstrate to me in plain language what exactly is it that Hazel Blears plans on emabrking on for change?

Final note is- the government has their strategy wrong and the Muslim community will not tolerate intimidation.