Cassandra is a freelance researcher, writer and human rights advocacy trainer, specialising in the interconnections between gender, law and culture.  She is a convert to Islam and has been involved in initiatives to strengthen women’s rights in Muslim communities for nearly 20 years, as a staff member at Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre in Pakistan, part of the International Council of the international network Women Living Under Muslim Laws and the Planning Committee for Musawah: a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family.

Fariha has worked in community development and race equality in both the statutory and voluntary sectors in Scotland for over 30 years. She has worked with a wide range of minority ethnic community groups;  been involved in providing anti racism and cultural awareness training to a range of organizations; and has coordinated and undertaken research, which has fed into policy development. For the last 15 years Fariha has been involved in the establishment and running  of Amina – the Muslim Women's Resource Centre, a Scotland wide Muslim women's organisation of which she is currently a Management Committee Secretary

Gemma (Dua) Ibrahim has a background working in development of health and social care services, in particular, services for physical and sensory disability.  She also has expertise in learning disability, acquired brain injury and has enjoyed researching barriers to health and social care for people in minority groups during post graduate research at Oxford Brookes University and the University of Washington where she worked closely on the Honor Project.

Gemma has worked with and on behalf various minority groups and communities and has spent time working in Palestine with refugee families and children of Palestinian origin. Specializing in equality and social inclusion, Gemma also works to raise money and support educational trips for the Palestinian children as part of the Oxford Ramallah Friendship Association.

Robina Iqbal is a community worker employed by Birmingham City Council working with Muslim women and children around education, health, confidence building, leisure/social activities and citizenship. For many activities she has to seek funding so filling in funding applications, project management, and evaluations all her responsibilities. Along side this work she has done projects in Mental Health, Capacity Building for community organisations, Ward Development Work and Consulting with NHS on community engagement. She is the chair of Sparkhill Asian Womens Association and WAITS (Women Acting In Todays Society) Policy Forum and a board member of Groundwork UK. She is on many local committees, such as Balsall Heath Childrens Centre, The Rainbow Playgroup. She is hoping to be part of the CEDAW Steering Committee this July. She is an active member of the Institute of Asian Businesses and the MOSAIC mentoring project Muslim Youth.

Mussurut Zia has been involved in the areas of community cohesion, community enhancement and diversity for over thirteen years. During this time she has managed and developed a four year project for disadvantaged women and children in a deprived area of Lancashire. From here she went on to work for Lancashire Constabulary, where she worked initially in Burnley just after the disorder of 2001. This role was centred on community cohesion; dispelling myths; stereotypes; and working with Black Minority Ethnic Women.

Eighteen months ago she set up a community organisation, Practical Solutions, which raises awareness of forced marriage, honour based violence and much more. She currently chairs Lancashire Wide Network for Minority Ethnic Women, and sits on the Corporation Board for Blackburn College. She is also a mentor for young people, through Mosaic Mentoring, and also sits on the Mayors committee for the year 2008/09.

Dr. Sattar is a full-time GP with a keen interest in addressing inequalities in health. Currently she’s involved in setting up an innovative way of treating patients in the community. In her spare time she works for a medical charity running free clinics for the homeless, non documented migrants and commercial sex workers. She has helped run health check stalls for the Muslim community in mosque and bazaars. She is a committee member of a homeless charity. She is an associate member of a community empowerment organisation. Iram has a passion for football and plays for a Muslim women’s football team. She is enthusiastic about teaching and medical education and has co-authored a chapter in a book, ‘Learning to Consult.’ She is undertaking a Post Graduate Certificate in Medical Education at Warwick University. She is committed to advocacy for those members of the community who do not have a voice.