(OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 4/24/2019) – The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-OK) announces the release of the 2018 Civil Rights Report, detailing the work of the Civil Rights Department from January-December 2018 and highlighting an increase in employment-related claims as well as heightened targeting of women who wear hijab, or religious head coverings. CAIR-OK will be holding a media availability to discuss the results of the report.
Media availability: Wednesday, April 24, 2:00PM – 4:00PM, CAIR-OK Office, 3000 United Founders Blvd., Suite 226, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
SEE: 2018 CAIR-OK Civil Rights Report
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/2018-cair-ok-civil-rights-report/
The 2018 Civil Rights Report details the work of the CAIR-OK Civil Rights Department throughout 2018, including a breakdown of the complaints reported, trends in civil rights issues, and accomplishments of the Civil Rights Department.
“This report represents the hard work of one of the state’s top civil rights advocacy organizations,” said CAIR-OK Civil Rights Director Veronica Laizure. “It is of vital importance that we are able to track, document, and analyze the trends in civil rights issues that the Muslim community faces, so that we can determine where our efforts are the most needed.”
Some key findings of the 2018 Civil Rights Report:
- While the total number of discrimination complaints was lower than 2017, a higher proportion of calls showed evidence of discrimination or anti-Muslim bias.
- Hijabs remain the most common triggering factor for a discriminatory incident at 35%.
- The proportion of complaints related to employment increased from 19% in 2017 to 30% in 2018.
- The most common issue referred to other legal practitioners is immigration-related cases, consistent with data from previous years.
CAIR Oklahoma has in recent years produced Guides to Islamic Religious Practices, which outline basic Islamic religious practices and suggest best practices for teachers, administrators, and healthcare professionals to use in supporting their Muslim students, clients, patients, and families. The guides are all available free of charge from the Civil Rights Department.
SEE: Healthcare Provider’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/the-healthcare-providers-guide-to-islamic-religious-practices/
SEE: Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/an-educators-guide-to-islamic-religious-practices/
SEE: Employer’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
https://www.cairoklahoma.com/resource/an-empoyers-guide-to-islamic-religious-practices/
The Civil Rights Report also tracks the activity of the Civil Rights Department in community outreach, youth leadership, and coalition building. It highlights the role of CAIR-OK in a variety of areas and locales, including lobbying at the nation’s capital, speaking engagements in other states, and appearances at many workshops, seminars, and other events.
It also notes that CAIR-OK was named the 2018 CAIR Chapter of the Year and that Civil Rights Director Veronica Laizure was listed as one of 100 Women Trailblazers by the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma, joining other prominent women throughout the state’s history such as civil libertarian Angie Debo and civil rights activist Clara Luper.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.