SWIMMING FOR MUSLIM WOMEN - An Evaluation Report

A Collaborative Project between Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne) and the Network of Australian Muslim Women.

The availability of suitable swimming facilities for Muslim women and their children is a major issue for Muslim communities across Victoria. Many Muslim women and their children including teenage girls are unable to use public facilities for swimming and as a result, they are unable to gain the health benefits of swimming or for some women, the safety benefits of learning to swim and supporting their children around water.

In July 2000, the Network of Australian Muslim Women received a community grant of $1000 from the City of Banyule to subsidise swimming for Muslim women at the Olympic Swimming Centre in Heidelberg. As a result of this funding, swimming sessions of five consecutive weeks were held to coincide with terms three and four of the school year in 2000.
This report includes an evaluation of the swimming sessions from both the perspectives of community organisers as well as participants, and it aims to raise the awareness of local government and other sport and recreational organisations to the needs of Muslim women in relation to swimming.

Muslim women and their children do not have equal access to public swimming facilities.
There is a demand and need for swimming facilities for Muslim women and their children.
Public swimming facilities need to develop strategies for providing privacy to Muslim women and their children i.e. provide women only sessions and privacy from being viewed by the public whilst swimming.
Swimming programs for people with special needs should be developed to meet the needs of Muslim women.

To download the Evaluation Report, please choose from the formats below.