Muslims enjoy full rights in Switzerland: expert

"The number of Muslims in Switzerland has increased from 20,000 in 1970s to 50,000 in 1990s. Survey conducted in 2000 showed that the number had gone up to 310,000 representing five per cent of the total population of the country, mainly centering around Zurich," said Nadia bint Ahmed Al Rachedi Kharmoose, President of the Association Culturelle des Femmes Musulmanes de Suisse (ICFM) or Cultural Association for Muslim Women in Switzerland, yesterday.

Nadia was delivering a lecture at the Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-Up (ZCCF) on the "Muslim community and the role of Muslim Women Cultural Association in Switzerland."

About 40,000 of the Muslims in Switzerland are of Swiss origin while others hailing from around 40 different countries, including Bosnia, Albania, Iran and some Arab countries and occupy senior level professions in the Swiss society, she said.
"Most of the Muslims in Switzerland are also political refugees," she added. Nadia also heads the Institut Culturel Musulman de Suisse (ICM) or the Swiss Islamic Cultural Institute.

She said that Muslims enjoy full rights as Swiss nationals. "Muslims in Switzerland have the right to practise their religious beliefs freely. The country has about 120 mosques. However, we as Muslims have not yet obtained the official recognition of the Swiss government, so as to guarantee financial sources for our programmes that serve the Muslim community and their families," said Nadia.

"Muslim women in Switzerland are active in different walks of life - even the political field - whereby women are allowed to vote and express their opinions on political matters," she said.

Nadia, however, said that Islamic studies and Arabic language are not included in the basic and elementary education system in the country and there is a lack of qualified teaching cadres. "This prompts the ICM and other Islamic organisations in Switzerland, including the 'Ligue Des Musulmans de Suisse' (Swiss Muslim League) to strengthen their contribution in organising Islamic lessons for students and increasing the number of khutbas which focus on reviving the Islamic teachings," said Nadia, who is member of the International Islamic Committee for Women and Children.

She revealed that there is a programme for introducing Islamic syllabus at schools during the current academic year (2003-2004) at the Swiss town of Neuchatel.

The ACMS, which was established in 1992, is a volunteer association to spread the Islamic culture in the West.