Fri 06 January 2023:
The second-most-popular name for newborn boys in the Netherlands in 2022 was Muhammad, according to new figures.
According to data released by the Dutch Social Insurance Bank (SVB) on Thursday, the top name for newborn boys in the country last year was also based in faith – Noah, with 871 – while Emma was the top girl’s name with 677.
Combining the various spellings of the name, Muhammad took second place among the names given to baby boys with 671.
Discrimination
Muslims in the Dutch capital Amsterdam believe that Islamophobia is “becoming increasingly normalised in society,” with many of them experiencing discrimination and hate crimes based on their outfit and names, according to a study.
In February 2022, a study into Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crimes conducted by the Amsterdam municipality found that Muslims living in the city regularly face discrimination, the English-language newspaper NL Times reported.
65% OF WOMEN WEARING HIJAB DENIED JOBS IN NETHERLANDS, SPAIN AND GERMANY
It said that researchers in the study found that “respondents believe the normalisation of Islamophobia is fuelled by the increasing influence of the extreme-right spectrum of politics.”
“The media also plays a role, with many respondents saying that the way Muslims are portrayed has a polarising effect and contributes to a negative self-image,” the study showed.
“The Muslim community also has a role in this, with some respondents saying incendiary preachers harm society by magnifying the differences between secular and Muslim Amsterdam.”
Citing a local newspaper, Het Parool, the NL Times said: “They [Muslims] report being unable to find an internship because of their religion, being called names for wearing a hijab, and facing hate speech on social media without anyone batting an eye, researchers found.”
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FOREIGNERS AND MUSLIMS INCREASES IN THE WEST: RESEARCH
Online hate
Social media is another area where Muslims encounter “so much hate speech that some have decided to develop thick skin,” the report explained.
“Others say they’ll never get used to it and find it incomprehensible that this type of discrimination almost always happens with impunity,” it added.
According to the newspaper, the researchers suggest Amsterdam municipality “to do more to hold employers and employment agencies accountable for discrimination.”
Citing alderman Rutger Groot Wassink, the newspaper wrote: “The study makes it clear that Muslim discrimination deeply affects and hinders many Amsterdammers on a daily basis.”
“It contains useful, but also painful insights into their environment, as well as recommendations that are of added value for the municipal policy,” Wassink said.
According to the Hamburg-based data website Statista, around 5 percent of the Netherlands population are Muslims.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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