The Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, UWA Centre for Muslim States and Societies and the Office of Multicultural Interests have announced an initiative to address Islamophobia in Western Australia to mark WA Harmony Week.
WA Equal Opportunity Commissioner Allanah Lucas said the initiative was in the initial planning stage and will involve community outreach through education programs and public events.
“Religious conviction discrimination can be unlawful in many areas of public life, including employment, provision of goods and services and clubs such as sporting clubs,” she said.
Ms Lucas said over the last three years the Commission had received around 30 to 40 public enquiries each year regarding Religious Conviction discrimination.
“Public enquiries are always just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to issues of discrimination in WA, so we know that it is a concern for the state,” she said.
Ms Lucas said the number of enquiries as well as concerns expressed by Western Australian Muslim community groups through the Commission’s outreach work provided enough incentive to be a part of the initiative.
Director of UWA’s Centre for Muslim States and Societies Professor Samina Yasmeen said she wanted to be a part of the initiative to show Australian Muslims, and their contribution to the community, in a positive way.
Part of the community education aspect of the initiative will be to address some of the negative stereotypes that exist about Australian Muslims.
Professor Yasmeen said she would like to bust some of the existing myths and provide a greater understanding of Australian Muslim culture.
OMI Executive Director Rebecca Ball said it was timely during Harmony Week to promote religious and cultural acceptance in WA’s multicultural society.
“We proudly acknowledge and celebrate our cultural diversity as one of our State’s great strengths, and recognise the many benefits that diversity brings to us all.
“I hope that we can reinforce this through our collaboration on this project,” she said.
Ms Lucas said it was invaluable to bring the WA community together in this way.
“Education is a very powerful tool when it comes to bringing people together and this is really what we hope to achieve through this initiative,” she said.
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