National Muslim Women's Advisory Group

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This article is part of the Counter-Terrorism Portal project of Spinwatch.

Picture of members of the NMWAG with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears at 10 Downing Street on 21 November 2007 for the launch event of the group.[1]

The National Muslim Womens Advisory Group (NMWAG) is an initiative set up by the Department for Communities and Local Government in November 2007 to "influence and challenge the false and perverted ideology spread by extremists and give our young people the skills and knowledge to turn their backs on hate".[2] In essence, the NMWAG is one "part of a grassroots counter-terrorism strategy",[3] which is known as Preventing Violent Extremism.

The NMWAG is led by 19 women, who "represent a wide spectrum of communities, professions and traditions" who will not only work toward preventing violent extremism, toward "discuss[ing] issues and concerns...[that] affect Muslim women, for example access for women to mosques and their management committees and cultural barriers including honour crimes and forced marriages".[4]

Objectives

According to the DCLG, the specific remit of the NMWAG will be to:

  • "act as ambassadors for Muslim women at grass roots and represent their views and concerns to Government;
  • provide leadership to communities and act as positive role models for Muslim women in society;
  • empower Muslim women to engage more with the media on a wide range of issues and help dispel myths around the role of Muslim women in society;
  • meet in the form of a round table to discuss issues and concerns that are affecting Muslim women eg access for women in Mosques."[5]

Criticisms

The BBC reported in January 2008 that certain members of the NMWAG had informed the BBC that they had faced "direct criticisms" from within their communities that "they [were] being recruited to inform for government".[6]

The BBC also reported that "Muslim women tend to be more marginalised than men - and in some communities face an uphill struggle to be heard outside their own homes."[7]

Notes

  1. Picture taken from Shaista Gohir - Can Muslim women tackle extremism?, Muslim Women's Network UK, February 2008, accessed 20.03.10
  2. Muslim women to advise Government on preventing violent extremism, Department for Communities and Local Government, 21 November 2007, accessed 20.03.10
  3. Dominic Casciani,Muslim Women Advice on Extremism, BBC News, 23 January 2008, accessed 20.03.10
  4. Muslim women to advise Government on preventing violent extremism, Department for Communities and Local Government, 21 November 2007, accessed 20.03.10
  5. Muslim women to advise Government on preventing violent extremism, Department for Communities and Local Government, 21 November 2007, accessed 20.03.10
  6. Dominic Casciani,Muslim Women Advice on Extremism, BBC News, 23 January 2008, accessed 20.03.10
  7. Dominic Casciani,Muslim Women Advice on Extremism, BBC News, 23 January 2008, accessed 20.03.10