Project Duration: 24 months
Start/End Date : April 2009-March 2011
 
The objectives of this project are two fold:  First, to increase understanding on the part of the education system of the issues/challenges facing young Muslim girls/women (ages 14 – 18) and develop resources which can be used by educators. Second, to empower young Muslim girls/women and their peers to understand and face these challenges. Provide young girls with the skills to act as leaders within their schools and their communities

The emphasis on partnering with educators/schools will encourage young women to value education so as to develop skills leading to better employment opportunities. Furthermore, we believe assisting educators about issues facing Muslim students is crucial. As children are in the educational system for a major part of their lives, that it is in these spaces that they can learn skills to be active participants in all aspects of living. Newer immigrant children will learn about common shared values of being Canadian

Partnering Organization(s): Funded by the Status of Women Canada

Canadian Council of Muslim women
Canada
 info@ccmw.com
www.ccmw.com
00+1+(613) 382-2847
The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is a national organization of believing women committed to the equality, equity and empowerment of Muslim women. CCMW promotes Muslim women’s identity in the Canadian context and encourages mutual understanding between Canadian Muslim women and women of other faiths. 

The national board works to further CCMW's vision and objectives countrywide, while local chapters are active in their communities.
 
Project Mission: To develop leadership among young Muslim women/girls and increase their capacity to benefit in the, social and democratic life as fully participating Canadians.  To prevent discrimination/violence against young Muslim women/girls

Project Objective(s): Increase the understanding on the part of the education system of the issues/challenges facing young Muslim girls/women (ages 14 – 18) and develop resources which can be used by educators. Empower young Muslim girls/women and their peers to understand and face these challenges. Provide young girls with the skills to act as leaders within their schools and their communities

Target group(s): Young Muslim Women, educators, social service providers and others working with young Muslim women.
 
Geographical scope(s) of project: Canada
Countries involved: Canada
 
One page summary about the project: Attached

Achievements/progress to date:  CCMW has set up school steering committees in the schools and conducted leadership skills training with students on the committees. The training workshops equipped youth with the skills and knowledge to act as leaders within their communities. Topics covered during these sessions included, but were not limited to, qualities of a good leader, how to develop an action plan and active listening skills.

Apart from receiving leadership training, the students have also had opportunities to practice the skills they learnt while planning/organizing and conducting activities within their schools. The activities conducted by the schools include students delivering a presentation on Islam/Muslims to all the teachers in their school. The committee at another school decided to hold a bake sale to raise awareness regarding violence against women, and donated the money raised to a local women’s shelter. As one of their activities, the committee at yet another school invited a young Muslim woman social activist to come and give a talk at the school assembly.

As mentioned earlier, the other arm of this project involves developing an educational resource. We have hired a consultant to conduct a needs assessment, based on the results of which an educational resource kit is to be developed. We have conducted the needs assessment. Three separate questionnaires were developed for teachers; pre-service teachers and Muslim youth. Focus groups have been conducted and the data has been gathered. We are now in the stage of developing the resource kit.

Contact person for the project: Eman Ahmed