David Cameron calls on Muslim women to learn English to combat radicalisation

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Much more needs to be done to help Muslim women learn English and integrate more as a key part of the fight against Islamist extremism, David Cameron will say.

Investigations into the 700, mainly young, Muslims who have left the UK to join Isis reveal that in most cases parents had little idea of their children’s radicalisation.

As a result Mr Cameron is expected to call for more Muslim women to be given help to learn English. Mr Cameron’s comments come ahead of a report by Louise Casey, of the Government’s Troubled Families unit, who has been carrying out a review of how to combat the call of extremism.

Her findings will provide the framework for a new Cohesive Communities Programme, designed to “improve integration and extend opportunity” among Muslims.

The PM said during a visit to Islamic centre in Leeds: “The evidence is that there are some 40,000 women in our country who really don’t speak any English at all and, perhaps altogether, some 190,000 with very poor English. I think it’s quite right to say to people who come to our country that there are many rights that you have here – it’s a fantastic country to live in – but there are also obligations that we should put on people who come to our country, and chief amongst them should be obligations to learn English because then you can integrate, you can take advantage of the opportunities here and you can help us to build the strong country that we want.”

Women arriving in the UK under a spousal visa are currently expected to have English skills at the internationally-recognised A1 beginner level – roughly equivalent to a native-born child starting primary school.

Under the PM’s proposal, the women would be expected to have reached the A2 – elementary – level after two-and-a-half years, and B1 – intermediate – after five years.

– See more at: http://www.geo.tv/latest/100412-Cameron-under-fire-for-singling-out-Muslim-women-over-English-learning#sthash.srp7ZIZl.dpuf

 

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