AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Australian Islamic Medical Association (AIMA), in collaboration with Muslim student organizations, held a special workshop aimed at combating Islamophobia in academic and professional environments. The event, attended by around 30 Muslim students and healthcare professionals, took place in Queensland.
At the opening session, Mustafa Hamimi, AIMA’s Queensland State Secretary, emphasized the importance of empowering the new generation of Muslim doctors to recognize, report, and consciously confront discrimination.
Dr. Nora Amath, Co-Executive Director of Islamophobia Register Australia, described Islamophobia as a form of racism rooted in negative perceptions of Islamic identity or appearance. Citing national data, she explained that Islamophobia often manifests through social exclusion, stereotyping, and structural discrimination rather than overtly hostile behavior.
Participants worked in small groups to analyze real-life cases of workplace discrimination, including denial of protective equipment to bearded doctors, neglect of fasting patients during Ramadan, and ridicule of Muslim attire or religious practices. Dr. Amath also stressed that hijabi Muslim women are disproportionately targeted by verbal harassment and social exclusion, leading to anxiety and withdrawal from healthcare services.
In the legal segment, Rita Jabri Markwell, a lawyer at Birchgrove Legal, outlined Australia’s legal and ethical frameworks for combating discrimination, teaching attendees how to document violations of their rights and seek redress through human rights commissions and workplace institutions.
Concluding the event, participants shared insights in an informal discussion and reaffirmed their collective commitment to fostering academic and professional spaces free from discrimination. The workshop was part of AIMA’s broader effort to cultivate a new generation of Muslim doctors grounded in faith, ethics, justice, and community service.
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