Living Spirit - Muslim Women's Project 2006: Appendices 3 and 4

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Appendix 3: Living Spirit: Muslim Women and Human Rights Forum

The Right to Participate in Social Change

Thursday, 21 September 2006

Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre

Cnr. Bell St & St Georges Rd, Preston, Victoria

PROGRAM

MC: Helen Szoke, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Conciliator of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria

REGISTRATION

9.00 – 9.30 Venue: Foyer

WELCOME

9:30 – 10.00 Venue: Courtyard

• Indigenous Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony - Joy Murphy, Senior Woman Elder of the Wurundjeri People
• Saara Sabbagh, Women's Network Coordinator, Islamic Council of Victoria
• Introduction and overview of forum - Margaret Donaldson, Director, Race Discrimination Unit, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)

DVD Presentation (Combined session): ‘The Chaser's War on Everything'

10.00 – 10.10

Venue: Theatre

Hypothetical (Combined session): ‘Righting the Wrongs': How would you respond?

10.10 – 11.00 Venue: Theatre Facilitator: Hana Assafiri Panelists include:

• Victoria Police
• Ken Nguyen, Legal Affairs Reporter, The Age
• Joanne Bonighton, Acting Human Resources Manager, Woolworths Supermarket
• Bob Morgan, School Principal, Alia Private School
• Sheikh Isse Musse, Imam of the Virgin Mary Mosque, Hoppers Crossing
• Benjamin Rice, Senior Legal and Policy Officer, Equal Opportunity Commission Victoria
• Julie Ouaida, Muslim woman
• Nurjan Eser-Salman, Multicultural Services Officer, Centrelink
• Maria Vamvakinou MP, Federal Member for Calwell

Questions to consider: Using scenarios based on true stories of racial and religious discrimination and abuse under the themes of human rights, negative stereotyping and misconceptions, the hypothetical will ask the panellists ‘How would you respond'? This addresses the sets of standards policy and decision makers use to respond to incidents of discrimination and abuse.

MORNING TEA with politicians hosted by Maria Vamvakinou MP, Federal Member for Calwell

11.00 – 11.30 Venue: Foyer

Session 1: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" (Martin Luther King)

Exploring Human Rights

11.30 – 1.00

Plenary (Combined session)

Speakers

• Islam and human rights - Tasneem Chopra, Chair, Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria (IWWCV)
• Human rights issues facing Muslim women - Omeima Sukkarieh, Acting Senior Policy Research Officer, Race Discrimination Unit, HREOC

11.30 – 11.45 Venue: Theatre

Concurrent Workshops

(Please choose one of the following workshops)

11.45 – 1.00

Workshop 1: ‘My rights are your rights' Human rights and young women

(For young women only)

Facilitator: Nadia Mohamed, Youth Worker, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues (CMYI) and Dakhylina Madkhul, Board of Management, IWWCV, Probationary Psychologist and Student Welfare Coordinator and Counsellor

Questions to consider: What is the role of Islam in your life? What are your human rights issues? How can you practically apply human rights to your life?

Venue: Courtyard / Foyer

Workshop 2: ‘Out of the shadows'

Human rights issues facing Muslim women

Facilitators: Sultan Cinar, Citizenship and Anti-Violence Project Worker, IWWCV

Questions to consider: What are your human rights issues and how can you address them? What do you know about human rights? What is the role of Islam and human rights in your life?

Venue: Jacaranda Room

Workshop 3: ‘‘A new world': What the new anti-terrorism laws mean to you?

Facilitators: Marika Dias, Community Lawyer and Legal Education Worker, Western Suburbs Legal Service

Questions to consider: What are the new anti-terrorism laws? How do they impact on your life? How are your rights protected?

Venue: Acacia Room

Workshop 4: ‘How I can, NOT why I can't'? Why should I make a complaint and how to cope with crisis

Facilitators: Susan Newell, Senior Policy Research Officer, Race Discrimination Unit, HREOC and Najwa Yassin, Community Development / Parenting Worker, IWWCV

Questions to consider: What are the complaints procedures/mechanisms available? Where can you go for help? How can the complaints process be improved? Why is it important to report incidents? What can I do if I do not wish to make a formal complaint? What are some conflict resolution skills I need?

Venue: Theatre

Workshop 5: ‘Lost in translation, found in respect' Helping Muslim women cope with racial and religious discrimination and abuse

Facilitators: Hutch Hussein, Business Development Manager, Northern Migrant Resource Centre and Laila El-Assaad, Education Officer, Muslim Women's Association of South Australia

Speaker: Rebecca Smith, Community Development Worker, Western Suburbs Legal Service will provide a brief overview of the impacts of discrimination on Muslim women identified in the Racial & Religious Discrimination, Vilification and Harassment Project

Questions to consider: What are the personal and social impacts of discrimination on Muslim women? What are some of the preventative measures you can take in the workplace? How can Muslim women be supported? What are the skills needed for social support services to help Muslim women cope in crisis situations including racial and/or religious abuse? What cultural and religious competency is necessary in the workplace and how can policies and procedures be improved to reflect the needs of Muslim women? Is translation enough?

Venue: Grevillia Room

LUNCH

includes drumming workshop facilitated by Tania Bosak, Pulse Drumming

1.00 – 2.00

Venue: Foyer / Courtyard

MC: Voula Messimeri, Chairperson, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia

Session 2: ‘I'm not racist but…' Confronting negative stereotypes and misconceptions

2.00 – 3.30

Plenary: ‘Learning from history - an Indigenous perspective'

(Combined session) 2.00 – 2.15

Speaker: Joy Murphy, Senior Woman Elder of the Wurundjeri People

Venue: Theatre

Concurrent Workshops

(Please choose one of the following workshops)

2.15 - 3.30

Workshop 6: ‘Critical Connections' - Freedom of speech vs racial vilification

Facilitators: Peter Manning, Adjunct Prof. of Journalism at University of Technology (UTS) and Author of "Us and Them: a journalist's investigation of Media, Muslims and the Middle East" (Random House, Sept. 2006) and Farah Farouque, Social Affairs Editor, The Age

Questions to consider: A question and answer session focusing on the following, Muslim women and the media and how can Muslim women engage in them? When does freedom of speech violate human rights? What is the role of media? How can you engage in the media debate? What do media need to know?

Venue: Theatre

Workshop 7 ‘Image vs Reality – how to answer the hard questions' Our responsibility to combat negative stereotypes

Facilitators: Doug Weller, Director and Team Leader, Corporate Media Services, and Joumana El Matrah, Manager, IWWCV

Questions to consider: How can you combat negative stereotyping? What are the FAQ's that you need to know the answer to? How do you respond to basic questions, e.g. ‘why do you wear the hijab?' ‘Why are Muslim women oppressed?' ‘Why are all terrorists Muslim?' ‘What does Islam say about terrorism?' ‘What does Jihad mean? Why do Muslim women get married so young?' etc.

Venue: Acacia Room

Workshop 8: "Race is just lines drawn on a map" (Voices of Australia contributor, Marat, SA)

Understanding Stereotypes for Young Women

(For young women only)

Facilitators: Faten Mohamad, Citizenship and Anti-Violence Project Case Worker , IWWCV and Moona Hammoud, Youth Women's Project Worker, IWWCV

Questions to consider: What are stereotypes? Confronting your own prejudices and how can you combat negative stereotypes? How does cultural, religious and national identity relate to your self-esteem and affect stereotypes? Why is self esteem important? How do you empower yourself and others?

Venue: Courtyard / Foyer

Workshop 9: ‘Educate a woman, educate a nation' The importance of combating negative stereotypes

Facilitator: Gabrielle Fakhri, Cultural Consultant

Questions to consider: using a role play and examples of existing stereotypes of Muslims and non-Muslims, how accurate are these stereotypes? Have you ever used these stereotypes? Correcting the stereotypes? How do these make you feel? Confronting your own prejudices and how can you combat negative stereotypes? How does cultural, religious and national identity relate to your selfesteem and affect stereotypes? Why is self esteem important? How do you empower yourself and others?

Venue: Jacaranda Room

Workshop 10: ‘Creating possibilities' – a conversation between generations about experiences of discrimination

How to make a difference together in your family, community and life

Facilitators: Fatima Kourouche, State Advisor, Active After school Communities, Australian Sports Commission, South Western Sydney Area Health Service, Bilingual Community Educator, Women's Health, and former Coordinator of Parenting Education Network, and Mariam Kourouche (Fatima's daughter),16 year old student at Malek Fahd Islamic School

Session will also include Leadership Training conducted by Nurcihan Ozturk, Executive Officer and Dalal Samaan, Vice President from the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition

Questions to consider: Using a mother and daughter style role play, how do different generations of women experience and cope with discrimination and abuse? How can they make a difference to the way they respond to discrimination and abuse? What are the issues mothers and daughters face? How can they better understand each other? How can they better engage themselves in each other's lives? How can they help empower each other and themselves to change their lives and the people around them?

Venue: Grevillia Room

AFTERNOON BREAK

includes the screening of ‘Veiled Ambition' for optional viewing

(‘Veiled Ambition' is an inspiring documentary about "a little Aussie battler in a scarf" and her dream to create a fashion empire')

3.30 – 4.00 Venue: Foyer

Plenary: What's available and how to get involved in projects that affect you?

4.00 – 4.10 (Combined session)

A presentation on existing state government and community projects presented by Robyn Morgan, Acting Director, National Action Plan and Jane Teafey, Project Officer, Community Support Section, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA)

Venue: Combined Jacaranda and Grevillia Rooms

Closing: ‘Participating in change ' - capacity building and empowerment

Strategies for the future

(Combined session) 4.10 – 4.30

• Vision for a better future – overview of suggested strategies of forum, question and answer – Joumana El Matrah, Manager, IWWCV
• Where to from here – closing and what next, including future strategies Margaret Donaldson, Director, Race Discrimination Unit, HREOC

Venue: Combined Jacaranda and Grevillia Rooms

CLOSING DINNER TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF RAMADAN

CAFE UMUT (TURKISH RESTAURANT) – 369 HIGH STREET, PRESTON

5.30 – 7.30

(THIS WILL BE FREE AND ALL FOOD IS HALAL. CHILDREN WELCOME. (PLEASE RSVP FOR THIS ALSO)

Other Details:

Waratah Room - Childcare available in Waratah Room with qualified child care workers

Exhibition Hall - ‘Why Women Matter' – personal achievements, amazing contributions Exhibition profiling achievements of everyday Muslim women.

Exhibition Hall – all day prayer space available

Foyer – ‘Living Spirit' Mural – available for women throughout the day to draw, write, paint, etc expressing their hopes, needs, future aspirations in the context of human rights and Muslim women. We hope that this mural will express what participants want the broader community to learn from what they have throughout the day.

For further information please visit: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/racial_discrimination/livingspirit/

Location & Map

Address:

Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre Cnr Bell St & St Georges Rd Preston VIC 3072

Parking: Car Parks: The Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre Car Park provides 180 unrestricted car spaces. Enter the car park via Peter Street, or St Georges Rd.

Street Parking: Unrestricted parking is also available on St Georges Rd (East end).

Disabled Parking: 4 disabled car spaces are available in the car park.

Public Transport The Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre is easily accessible by train, tram and bus. The nearest public transport is Bell train station a short 2-3 minute walk along Bell St, Preston.

Train Catch the Epping line train to Bell Station. The Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre is a further 2-3 minute walk along Bell St.

Tram Catch the Route 86 Tram - Docklands to Bundoora RMIT (Plenty Rd/McKimmies Rd). Stop 44 at the corner of Bell St and Plenty Rd, a further 7-10 minute walk to the Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre. Catch the Route 112 Tram - South Melbourne / St Kilda Beach - West Preston. Stop 40 at the corner of Bell St and Gilbert Rd, a further 10 minute walk to the Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre.

Bus Catch Route 513 - Eltham - Glenroy (via Lower Plenty Rd & Greensborough), which runs along Bell Street.

Bus Stops are located 20-50 metres from the corner of High St and Bell St, Preston. For more public transport information please call 131 638 or visit the Metlink Melbourne website: www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au

Appendix 4: Profiles

Dalal Oubani

Dalal is originally from South Lebanon. She is 27 years old and recently married, has completed a university degree in Medical Science and a degree in Business. Dalal is currently a secondary school science teacher in Sydney.

"Over the years my contributions to both my local and general communities have been through assistance in writing reports on human rights and participating in projects, which aim to facilitate this crucial goal. I left the corporate sector to pursue teaching not just to achieve a balance in my life but to also use my skills to help the many disadvantaged Australian youth struggling to make sense of the world. I care about all Australian youth regardless of their background, but my heart especially goes out to the alienated Australian Muslim and Arab youth in our schools who are not given a ‘fair go' and often with not enough support to fulfil their potential. I believe this minority group has unfairly become the underdog of Australian society for no reason other than believing that ‘God is one'.

I believe that there can be no harmony and justice in society if inequality is accepted and endorsed by our politicians and the general public. Working towards better human rights is everyone's responsibility. There can be no winners when there is inequality because society is like a stream where a ripple in one end can affect the harmony and peace of the whole stream. My hope is to work in a school populated with Arab youth as I feel this is where I would be most effective. Later I would like to manage a tutoring business part-time and work overseas. I feel this would increase my understanding and skills and help me become a greater resource as a teacher."

Mariam Rind

Mariam is an Indigenous Australian Muslim who is in her 5th year of medicine at the University of Western Australia. "I'm lucky to have come from such a diverse background. I was born in Port Hedland in Western Australia in 1980 and have lived in Australia for most of my life. My mother is an Indigenous Yamatji woman and her family originated from Mount Magnet. My father is from an area called Balouchistan which is near the border of Iran and Pakistan. My Indigenous legacy began when my great grandfather travelled to South Australia as a camel driver in the late 1800's. He then ended up marrying an Indigenous woman who reverted to Islam, and from there our family became!

My interest in becoming a doctor is driven by my cultural and historical background. I have seen so much growing up. I don't think you have to travel to a 3rd world country to appreciate humanity and the importance of the provision of basic resources. Living in Australia and seeing my Indigenous people experience conditions which should not even be present in such a country, has given me some insight into the great need for more Aboriginal doctors. As a Muslim I also appreciate the need and demand for more female Muslim doctors, and thus, hope to benefit both the Muslim and Indigenous communities by sharing a similar background and offering culturally appropriate care.

Studying medicine has not been easy. But giving up is not in my vocabulary. I have been awarded various scholarships to assist me in my studies. Both academic achievement and the desire for doing more community work in the future have helped me achieve much both academically and personally. I have been a mentor at camps targeting Indigenous youth and have been actively involved in encouraging tertiary education amongst Indigenous youth. It is important that our youth have good role models and that's what I hope to be.

I'll continue to study and one day I hope to be able to use my knowledge to help people, regardless of religion, background, or culture. I think that's why medicine was so appealing. It's a great avenue to helping others and easing the suffering of others is a basic human right which I'm proud to be part of. Ultimately, saving lives is in the hands of God, but God has also given us hands to help save lives too."

Chahida Bakkour

Chahida is a Victoria University student currently undertaking a Bachelor of Business (Computer Systems Management). She is also a Sessional IT teacher at Victoria University. In 2006 Chahida was awarded the Victoria University TAFE Student of the Year – Vocational Award and Victoria University Outstanding Student Award – School of Human Services, Science and Technology.

"I left Secondary School in 1992 without completing year 11. In 2003, after getting married and having two children I returned to study. I enrolled in and completed Certificate I in Information Technology during 2003. By the end of 2004 I completed Certificate IV in Information Technology. By 2006 having completed a Dual Diploma in Information Technology (Web Development and Internetworking) and Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training I was offered the opportunity to do some sessional teaching at Victoria University (VU). I also do web design which has become my new hobby.

I felt hesitant about returning to study and was not confident as to how I would fit within the study environment being a Muslim and mature age student. I was also apprehensive as to what was expected of me as an adult learner and was not aware of my capabilities.

Whilst studying I have faced many obstacles, but my greatest achievement was having the strength to keep going no matter what type of obstacles were in my way. I was able to show the people around me and more importantly prove to myself that I was capable of studying and at the same time successfully fulfilled my role as a wife and mother of two school age children. Learning has presented me with challenges both personally and academically. My achievements have come from perseverance and the support of family, friends, peers and the excellent teachers at Victoria University. I encourage everyone to go for their dreams."

Fatima Killeen

Fatima was born in Casablanca, Morocco and is an accomplished Australian and international artist based in Canberra.

I studied at the school "Les Beaux Arts" of Fine Art in Casablanca. During this time I was selected for an engraving workshop at the Asilah Arts Festival and on my graduation I was presented with the Award of Excellence.

In 1988 I was accepted into the Corcoran School of Art in Washington DC where I studied painting and photography. While at the Corcoran, I was awarded the Dean's Merit Scholarship.

I came to Australia in 1994 and continued my Bachelor Degree in painting and printmaking at the Canberra School of Art (ANU). In 1997, I graduated with First Class Honours and three Graduation awards (VETA, Mallesons Acquisition Award & Megalo printmaking residency).

Since my graduation in 1997, I have taken part in group and solo exhibitions in Canberra and Sydney. The work "Stored Memories" was acquired by the Canberra Museum and Gallery in 1998. During 2001, I received the Wattan Art Prize at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

I have received a number of art grants to assist in the production of new works. My artworks are held in the Australian War Memorial, the Australian National University, and in private collections in Sydney & Canberra, Morocco, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Germany, Switzerland, Los Angeles, Ohio & Washington DC.

My wish is that the great need for communication between different communities, countries and faiths will be fulfilled in order to achieve peace, tolerance and a positive dialogue. Art is one vehicle of expression for such communication. The resolve of the people to change is in their own hands and not in the hands of deceptive politicians who are only interested in electioneering and self promotion."

Rawan Abdul-Nabi

Rawan is a Palestinian Australian currently completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours at Sydney University combining the disciplines of Sociology and Arabic and Islamic Studies to sustain for what she believes is exciting and compelling research.

"In the past few years I have participated in and achieved a number of things which have laid the foundations for a fairly active life in the pursuit of social justice. After finishing high school successfully I set off to take on an academic pursuit in the social sciences and humanities.

As in during my later years in high school where I was elected to various roles in leadership, including school Vice- Captain and through on to university life, I am an active member of the community, striving to raise awareness, provide support bases and promote understanding and foster social and cultural awareness by continuing to campaign for human rights and social justice. My most passionate defence remains in the struggle for Palestinian human rights and justice and the fair representation of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim peoples. I was a founding member and President of the Sydney University Arab Students Association and an Executive Member of the Sydney University Muslims Students Association. I served on Union committees and was a Councillor of the Student Representative Council, a delegate to the Asia-pacific Model United Nations Conference with a passion for advocating for human rights. My public role remains and I participate and speak on many panels, at rallies and meetings giving voice to Palestine and Arab and Muslim women.

I think Australia must urgently improve its defence and waging of human rights. We cannot any longer demonise those seeking refuge here and it is abhorrent to detain those who arrive deemed ‘illegally'. Certainly we also cannot be part of wars that intend to wage peace but bring nothing but death and destruction."

Zahra Shafaq

Zahra is 20 years old and a refugee who fled Afghanistan in 1998 and escaped to Pakistan. Zahra arrived in Australia in 2001. She is currently undertaking her Higher School Certificate (year 12) at Holroyd High School.

"I was in a refugee camp across the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan for a year. For two years after that I lived outside the camp as normal as possible hoping to come to Australia and have a better future in my education, life and with my family. When I first arrived in Australia in May 2001 I arrived in Sydney. I came to Holroyd High Intensive English Centre and was there for a year. With my determination I moved to mainstream classes at Holroyd High School in the last term of Year 9.

I am one of the young ChillOut (Children Out Of Detention) Ambassadors and was made one in 2004. Since then I have been going to private, public and primary schools to talk about and share my amazing experiences as a child refugee and the coping strategies of the hardships I come to face everyday as a refugee in Australia. This whole experience has been a great benefit. I realised that there are still good human beings out there because once upon a time I forgot they ever existed, especially after witnessing the war in my country of birth.

I started writing my own unpublished poetry and short stories regarding true life stories. I was also invited as a guest speaker at the Sydney Writers' Festival in 2004, speaking about my experiences.

As for the future of human rights, I believe and hope that everyone in the future will have equal rights whether it's in a business, in a home, or in a country, or even around the world. Everyone deserves the same rights because everyone is born with those rights just like everyone is born with a brain.

I hope also that the Human Rights Commission in Australia continues to give voice to the public."

Faten Jamalaldin Mohamed

Faten was born in Khartoum, Sudan and migrated with her family to Australia over 12 years ago. She has completed a Social Science Degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Faten is currently working at the Islamic Women's Welfare Council of Victoria as the Citizenship and Anti-Violence Project Case Worker.

"My father is Sudanese and my mother is from Eritrea. I have always been involved in both the Eritrean and Sudanese communities in Melbourne from a young age, and enjoy being involved in community activities.

My biggest achievement has been my involvement in a group called ‘Sudanese Youth for Reconciliation and Hope'. It is a group of eleven young people from North and South Sudan working together to reconcile a country and community divided by a devastating 50 year civil war. We aim to empower young people from Sudanese background living in Australia and around the world to take up a leadership role and to actively participate in sustaining peace in Sudan and to work together on building a nation free of religious and racial hatred."

Yasmine Ahmed

Yasmine is a lawyer who is currently working as an Associate to the Honourable Justice Sultan at the Supreme Court of South Australia. Yasmine has completed her Honours in Law at Adelaide University, a program in International Law at Uppsala University in Sweden and a Bachelor of Media at Macquarie University in Sydney. Yasmine has been awarded numerous scholarships for her achievements, worked in The Hague, was the Founder and President of the Australian Refugee Support Group and a member for the South Australian Muslim Reference Group.

"Who am I and what do I aspire to do? Good question! Well, I am many things. I am Australian, I am Muslim, I am a daughter, I am a lawyer, and I am a human rights activist. I hope to be the voice for those who do not have one. I hope to give others the confidence, encouragement and love to fulfil their dreams as I have been given. I currently work as an assistant to a Jewish Judge in the Supreme Court of South Australia and I hope to work in the field of human rights law and continue to do what I love.

I hope to one day see a typical ‘Aussie' identified as someone who is not of a particular religion, race, colour or creed, but whose identity is accepted as one which is made up of many facets and which is so much the better for it."

Khadija Sukkarieh

Khadija is 60 years old and has 7 children and 11 grandchildren. She has been the primary carer of her physically and intellectually disabled son for over 30 years.

"I came to Australia in 1978 from Lebanon, after escaping the civil war. It took me 14 years to go back to Lebanon to see my family again. It has always been important for me to make sure my children and grandchildren remember their origins and heritage. They all speak Arabic and I love having my grandchildren sitting around me while I make Lebanese woodfired bread and yoghurt and cheese and things like that. I believe that if your children respect there heritage, they learn to respect the country and the environment of which they live. Respecting human rights is like making yoghurt. It's an easy recipe but takes a long time to make possible. It's also like taking care of someone who has a severe disability. It is in your blood. It takes a lot of nurture and patience. I live human rights every day especially as a carer. The human rights of people with a disability are often forgotten but as a mother I have had to fight for that all along in order to provide for my children and especially to make sure that my son has the best quality of life he can. That's what I live for.

I encourage every Muslim woman in Australia to do something good for herself. For her children and for her family. God created human beings to live not to live to be judged by anyone. Every person has basic human rights. They should live in freedom and without misery and threat. God created people to live in dignity and not to be treated in any other way."

Frida Dakiz

Frida is 29 years old and married with a baby. She is a young Lebanese entrepreneur with a fashion boutique in the heart of Melbourne's Sydney Rd. With a background in catering, four years ago Frida made the leap from food to fashion when she opened her first clothing store ‘Frida Boutique' catering exclusively for Muslim women. Over the past twelve months she has diversified and expanded her business into the competitive world of after-five and on-line fashion retailing with her flagship store ‘Sassy Boutique'. Her dreams for the future are to be successful in her chosen field and have a number of stores across Australia.

Frida was recently the subject of ‘Veiled Ambition', a half hour documentary for SBS TV and winner of the ‘Best short film promoting Human Rights' at the 2006 Melbourne International Film Festival.

"My future aspirations for Muslim women are that more venture out into the business world and not be deterred by the general community's reaction to how they look and what they believe in. Understanding on both sides is important."