November 9, 2025
Nashwa Lina Khan, Senior Research Associate at DAWN Canada; Maureen Haan, President and CEO of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW); and Nuzhat Mahmud, Career Talent Consultant at CCRW, delivered a plenary session titled Building Equitable Futures: Inclusive Hiring & Intersectional Approaches to Disability and Employment at the ASPIRE National “I Belong, You Belong” Employment Conference.
Hosted by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women in partnership with the Diversity Institute, the conference brought together expert facilitators, community leaders, researchers, policymakers, employers, and advocates. The event focused on addressing the systemic employment barriers that continue to impact Muslim and racialized women in Canada.
The plenary session highlighted the important work underway at the intersection of disability, gender, and racial justice. It centered on inclusive hiring and recruitment strategies that intentionally support Muslim and racialized women with disabilities. Throughout the session, the presenters shared concrete strategies and tools to help employers develop more equitable hiring frameworks – ones that actively uplift those who are too often left behind.
