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Our articles provide in-depth analysis and commentary on legislation and policy developments that impact Muslim communities in the UK. We produce briefings, legal responses, and research-led insights to inform public debate, support advocacy efforts, and equip allies with accurate, accessible information.

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· August 11, 2025 ·

1 min read

#Equality#Inclusion#Human Rights#Justice & Accountability

M-Legal Submits Evidence to Parliamentary Inquiry on Gendered Islamophobia

M-Legal has submitted written evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee for its one-off inquiry into gendered Islamophobia. The inquiry examines the specific challenges facing Muslim women in the UK, including barriers to reporting, the difficulties in agreeing a definition of Islamophobia, and how gendered prejudice can be effectively challenged.

 

Our evidence is grounded in legal and policy analysis, engagement with Muslim women and community organisations, and international best practice. It sets out how gendered Islamophobia is shaped by the intersection of faith, race, and gender, and the compounded impact this has on safety, equality, and participation in public life.

 

Our Position

 

We define gendered Islamophobia within the same overarching framework as Islamophobia more broadly — religious bigotry, racial bigotry, or a combination of both — racialised religious bigotry — with gender acting as a compounding factor.

 

It manifests across three domains:

 

  1. Othering – negative stereotyping and narratives about Muslim women’s identity, autonomy, and role in society, often perpetuated in public discourse and media.
  2. Discrimination – structural and institutional barriers in employment, housing, public services, and civic participation.
  3. Hostility – verbal abuse, harassment, and physical violence, disproportionately affecting visibly Muslim women, particularly those wearing hijab or niqab.

 

Why This Matters

 

Gendered Islamophobia is persistently underreported, due to:

 

  • Low trust in reporting mechanisms and public institutions.
  • Lack of confidence in achieving redress.
  • The normalisation of prejudice and stereotyping in public and media narratives.

 

We also highlight significant gaps in equalities law — particularly the weaker harassment protections for religion in the Equality Act 2010 compared to race — leaving Muslim women without the same legal safeguards as other racialised religious groups. These gaps have real-world consequences for dignity, safety, and equal access to opportunities.

Our Key Recommendations

 

We have urged the Committee to:

 

  • Ensure any definition of Islamophobia explicitly recognises its gendered impacts and is acceptable to the majority of the Muslim community.
  • Strengthen legal protections by aligning harassment provisions for religion with those for race in the Equality Act 2010.
  • Improve reporting pathways through trusted community partnerships, specialist training, and independent oversight.
  • Challenge negative stereotyping through public leadership, education initiatives, and strengthened media standards.

 

Next Steps

 

Addressing gendered Islamophobia requires coordinated action across law, policy, and public engagement. M-Legal will continue working with Parliament, government, and community partners to ensure Muslim women’s experiences are reflected in equalities policy and that protections are applied consistently and fairly.

 

Read our full written evidence here: View PDF

 

For further information, please contact: enquiries@m-legal.org.

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