Women’s faces hidden on Australian Islamic Peace Conference flyer, sparking outrage

A CONTROVERSIAL Islamic peace conference has sparked outrage after hiding the faces of three women advertised on a flyer to promote the event.

A CONTROVERSIAL Islamic peace conference has sparked outrage after hiding the faces of three women advertised on a flyer to promote the event.

The Australian Islamic Peace Conference posted the pamphlet on Facebook last week with the leaders who are set to speak at the event next month.

But three female speakers — psychologist Monique Toohey, social worker Nina Trad Azam and Islamic teacher Umm Jamaal ud-Din — had their faces replaced with black ink.

The faces of all other 12 male speakers are displayed.

Organisers have been slammed on social media with one user posting: “I came across the flyer earlier and was shocked. I couldn’t articulate myself or write something about it. Seeing sister Monique’s name made me sure that it’s not their choice and also made me feel sick”.

A spokesman for organisers the Islamic Research and Education Academy said they were trying to protect the women from right-wing extremism.

“Muslim women are particularly (being) humiliated and targeted in our streets, threatened and abused on social media,’ he told the Daily Mail.

‘Due to the growing Islamophobia our campaign team wanted to be extra cautious with female guests so they wouldn’t be targeted in the streets.”

The Herald Sun has contacted the Australian Islamic Peace Conference for further comment.

The conference will feature discussions, panels and youth affairs and is on between March 11 and 12.