Statement from The Cordoba Foundation on the Government’s Proposed Islamophobia Definition
The Cordoba Foundation welcomes efforts to confront rising Islamophobia in the UK and affirms that a clear and effective definition is essential for promoting genuine equality, social cohesion and mutual respect.
As an organisation committed to dialogue and peaceful coexistence, we recognise that British Muslims continue to face hostility and discrimination across many areas of daily life. Such realities must be fully acknowledged in any definition seeking to combat the rise of Islamophobia.
We are therefore concerned by suggestions that the government may adopt a weakened definition that fails to reflect the structural and racialised nature of Islamophobia.
Diluting this understanding risks undermining the very communities such a definition is meant to protect.
For any definition of Islamophobia to be effective, it must command genuine legitimacy among the communities most affected. This requires a transparent process that listens to and reflects the lived experiences of British Muslims. Community buy-in will only be achieved if the definition recognises the full spectrum of anti-Muslim prejudice, including its structural and racialised dimensions, and provides clarity for institutions tasked with addressing it.
We urge the government to work closely with Muslim communities and civil society partners to ensure that the definition is robust, inclusive and capable of guiding real action against anti-Muslim prejudice.
[End]
