ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Muslim women, looks at the inclusion of Muslim women in the Western Australian workplace. It situates their participation in the context of Muslim migration to Australia and the current discourse of Muslim integration and inclusion of Muslim women in the wider community. Historically, female workforce participation in Australia has been a reflection of migrant populations that have come largely from Europe. As Australia's population becomes more multicultural, increasingly more women in the workforce are from ethnic, cultural, linguistic as well as religiously diverse backgrounds. Traditionally, Muslim women's participation in the public sphere in Australia has largely seen as restricted by assigned gender roles that are determined by ethnic, as well as religious gender responsibilities. Studies also document direct and indirect discrimination faced by Muslim women in the labour market. Muslim women are stereotyped as less capable and lacking agency. Even though they are increasingly visible in the workplace, their competency in professional positions is questioned.
