Sarwa Abdelraheem

Human Rights - Education - Australia

Terrorist attacks all over the world affect the Muslim minorities in different countries. Also in Australia new forms of hatred and racism have come up.

“This causes isolation to the whole of the Muslim community in Australia. Young people especially have now felt the real division that exists between themselves and the rest of society.”

As a member of the Muslim community Sarwa wants to put an end to the mutual intolerance and ignorance. She believes that people need to be educated about Islam so that Australia can be a peaceful, multicultural nation in the future. Sarwa stresses everyone’s right to an identity without being looked upon as ‘strange’ and ‘dangerous’.

Sarwa's original Action Plan consisted in workshops and seminars on the Islamic culture. She wants to change attitudes, increase tolerance and minimise racism. Concerned about the media’s false representation of the Muslim community, Sarwa now focuses on a documentary on refugees.

Sarwa has been a presenter on a Muslim radion station (Quran Kareem Radio) in Sydney. The program called Generation Drive is dealing with youth issues.

She has also been involved in several community and youth organisations. Sarwa has been the secretary of the Muslim Society of UTS and she is an executive member of the Australian Council of Women’s affairs.