The integration of Muslim immigrants made “real progress” in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Austria, despite the obstacles in education and access to employment, according to a study by the German Institute of Bertelsmann.
“The second generation at the latest, the majority (of Muslim immigrants) joined The Générale society “, the Bertelsmann Stiftung underlined in a statement released on the occasion of the publication Thursday of a ‘religion monitor’ (1,000 people representing the population, as well as 500 claiming to be Muslim, interviewed in each of the countries studied). The Institute has retained several indicators of integration for Muslims – who represent about 5% of the population in Western Europe, according to the study-, such as level of education, employment and remuneration, the link expressed with the host country, or even the free time spent with non Muslims.
“This successful integration is even more notable that none of these five countries offer adequate structural means for participation (in society) and that Muslims are facing a rejection opened on behalf of about one-fifth of the population,” says Institute Bertelsmann.
The study says that the second generation, 67% of the descendents of immigrants claiming to be Muslim continue their education beyond high school (17 years). They are overwhelmingly “connected” with their host country (96% in France and Germany) even if in some countries, expressions of rejection can be strong.
As well as, 28% of respondents in Austria say not wanting to Muslim neighbors. They are 21% in the United Kingdom, 19% in Germany, 17% in Switzerland and 14 percent in France, and rejection rates are much lower if asked on the possibility of having “gay” neighbors or “of a different skin color. If the France is lauded for the low rate of schooling interruption after 17 years (11%, up from 36% in Germany), it is on the other hand pinned to the ‘discrimination on the labour market ‘. This translates into an unemployment rate of 14% for immigrants from Muslim, against 8% in the representative sample of the population.
Lower paiment,
The situation is almost reversed in Germany, with a judged too early guidance of students to professional schooling (64% of Muslim immigrants continued the school after 17 years) which “tends to perpetuate the originally-related disadvantages. On the other hand, “the absorption capacity of the labour market is relatively good and barriers to access for relatively low migrants”, hence a rate of 5% unemployment among immigrants of Muslim (compared with 7% of the total population). In all cases, their pay levels remain below average.
“Practising Muslim” showing their faith are facing stronger discrimination, both at the level of unemployment as compensation, according to the Bertelsmann Institute. He argued that countries encourage diversity according to islam “the same legal status as other institutional religious groups” and promoting “intercultural and inter-religious contacts.”
(afp/nxp)
