2007 Women Of Distinction recipient Talat Muinuddin: diversity

Talat Muinuddin

Bridging gaps, celebrating differences

YWCA Toronto woman of distinction 2007, diversity

Talat Muinuddin has been an advocate for women of all faiths and backgrounds for over forty years. Best known for establishing the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, she is currently President of the Women’s Intercultural Network, which brings together women of various religions and cultures to join hands in creating peace and understanding. With a fierce passion and drive for what she believes to be true, her dedication to helping women and their families is boundless, working to bring people together and establish organizations that have gained international attention. Talat Muinuddin is the 2007 YWCA Woman of Distinction for Diversity.

Born and raised in India, Ms. Muinuddin came to Canada in the sixties after completing a Masters in Science, for which she was a Gold Medalist. Raised in a home where the principles of philanthropy were paramount, she began her career as an elementary, middle and high school teacher, where she passed on those values to hundreds of students, encouraging them to think broader and reach farther. Applying these ethics to her volunteerism, she began to organize a series of conferences on issues effecting women locally and globally, including woman abuse; Muslim women’s engagement with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; pornography, drugs and violence; and family life education.

A president of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) from 1982 to 1995, she provided women with a forum to speak and share their experiences and fight for justice. Founded in 1982, the council is predicated on the mandate that Muslim women must develop their own identities and make a significant contribution to Canada by acting as positive role models for Muslim youth. To date, it has forged major inroads in public life, most recently acting as part of a Provincial consortium (including YWCA Toronto) that was successful in making changes to the Arbitration Act by outlawing religious arbitration in Ontario family law.

Many multicultural and multi-faith organizations have experienced the benefit of her wisdom and vision. Ms. Muinuddin has been an active member and leader in community organizations such as the Urban Alliance for Race Relations, Interfaith Dialogue, the National Christian Muslim Liaison Committee, as well as the Canadian Multicultural Counsel, the Ontario Advisory Council on Multiculturalism and Citizenship, and the International Development and Refugee Foundation.

An advocate for women, Ms. Muinuddin has spoken internationally, fought for changes in legislation, participated in task forces, spoken at public forums, and taken an advisory leadership role in countless initiatives and organizations, including the North York Women’s Shelter, where she sat on the Board. She has worked and spoken on behalf of women and children in China, Pakistan and throughout North America. During the Gulf War she was a member of an ad hoc Committee to advise the Honourable Gerry Weiner, the former Minister of Multiculturalism.

A devout Muslim, Ms. Muinuddin sees herself as part of all communities as they are a part of her. In her life of unselfish service she has earned the respect of everyone she meets, inspiring a second and third generation of diverse women nationwide. She is currently completing "Traditions and Transitions," a documentary profiling women activists from immigrant communities. Ms. Muinuddin is an active board member of the REH’MA Foundation for seniors, a resource and referral organization that serves Muslim and other seniors across the Greater Toronto Area, where she has worked to develop a support group for women from diverse backgrounds who gather weekly to learn, share information and socialize.

In recognition of her contribution to the community, Ms. Muinuddin has been honoured with many awards. She is a three-time recipient of the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship Community Volunteer Service Award, the winner of the Women for P.A.C.E. Canada, the Christian Children’s Fund Award for Volunteer Community Service, the Canada Bicentennial Award and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women Award of Distinction. In addition to her many achievements, she is the 2007 YWCA Woman of Distinction for Diversity.