Muslim Women's Power List 2009
12 January 2009

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) today launched the Muslim Women Power List 2009, a celebration of Muslim women within the working community in Britain who have already reached the top of their chosen field or are on the fast track to success. This is the first time an organisation has sought to identify and celebrate professional Muslim women in this way. The project is piloted this year with a view to maintaining a network of women who can benefit from each others' experiences of forging a career. There are currently over 100,000 Muslim women working in Britain.

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:"Society is in the habit of putting labels on people. There aren't many groups I can think of who are more stereotyped yet less understood by the wider community than working Muslim women. I hope our first Muslim Women Power List will make the rest of Britain sit up and take note - many members of the Muslim community are making a valuable economic and social contribution to our future."

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the Government's statutory body charged with challenging discrimination and promoting fairness and human rights in Britain - identifying groups in society whose talents may go unrecognised forms a key strand of its work.

The Muslim Women Power List 2009 forms part of the Commission's 'New Voices' strand of work, which aims to search for new audiences, who may often go unheard, and give them a platform to speak. The Commission is now accepting nominations for the list to be revealed at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester on the 24th March 2009.

Shortlisted nominees are required to:

• demonstrate significant results through strong leadership;
• illustrate successful performance in their chosen career;
• demonstrate how their actions have made a positive difference to their work and the work of others;
• demonstrate that they are viewed as a role model/figure of leadership/inspiration to their colleagues and peers

Any British Muslim woman over the age of eighteen and in employment may apply - nominations may be submitted by or on behalf of an individual. Nominations can be submitted up until 16 February 2009 via www.thelist2009.com.