By Siobhan Fenton, Independent
Muslim people are much more likely to be unemployed than any other faith group in the country, a House of Commons committee has warned in a report outlining stark differences in the social and economic experiences of different communities in Britain.
12.8 per cent of Muslims are unemployed, compared to 5.4 per cent of the general population. Within this figure, a significant gender divide emerges, as 65 per cent of unemployed Muslims are women.
It is unknown if this gender disparity is due to Muslim women being more visible due to wearing more overt religious attire such as a hijab, meaning that employers are able to identify their religion more readily and subsequently discriminate against them. Or conversely, if cultural attitudes regarding gender in Muslim communities mean they are more reluctant for female community members to work.