South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) is celebrated between 18th July and 17th August each year to explore the shared cultures and histories of the UK and South Asia.
It was set up in 2020 to learn more about South Asian culture and history and how it has impacted the world today. The goal is to help people better understand our diverse present-day Britain, to bring to the foreground issues faced by members of South Asian communities, and to improve social cohesion across the country. It aims to celebrate South Asian cultures, history and communities and seeks to understand the rich and diverse heritages and cultural links between the UK and South Asia.
The theme of this years’ celebration is “Free to be me”.
Unlike other awareness months, it runs over 2 western calendar months and respects the traditions of the South Asian solar calendar. The start and end dates of the celebration are also of significance: 18th July being the date the Indian Independence Act 1947 received royal assent from King George VI, and 17th August being the date the Radcliffe Line was published, setting the international borders between India, West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
South Asian Heritage Month honours the diverse cultures, traditions and contributions of people from the Indian subcontinent. This comprises of 8 different countries which make up South Asia:
South Asia is incredibly diverse with over 2000 distinct ethnic groups and more than 1600 spoken languages across the region.
The main religions are Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. The Indian community is Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. The Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities are each predominantly Muslim. There are also Jains and Buddhists.
According to Minority Rights Group, in the UK there are approximately 1.5 million Indians, 1.2 million Pakistanis, 452,000 Bangladeshis and other people who identify as Asian, which includes Sri Lankans, as well as third-generation Asians, those of mixed Asian parentage, people from Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldive Islands and parts of the Middle East.
2021 Census data for England and Wales found that London (20.7%) and the West Midlands (13.3%) had the highest percentage of people who identified as Asian or mixed Asian, and the South West (2.8%) and Wales (2.9%) had the lowest percentages.
South Asian culture has had a huge impact in the UK and to the millions of people of South Asian heritage who live in Britain today. South Asian communities make huge contributions to British life in many areas of business, medicine, science, the arts, academia, politics and sports. There are thriving British Asian film and music industries, and many British Asian writers and actors at the highest levels.
It is hard to celebrate South Asian Awareness Month within a Midwifery MedTech company without acknowledging the significant contributions, dedication and expertise South Asia has made in the UK to the NHS. People from South Asian heritage make up a significant proportion of the NHS workforce from doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, support workers, caterers, domestic staff and other healthcare professionals.
I recently had the opportunity to speak to Benash Nazmeen, Co-Founder & Co-Director of Association of South Asian Midwives (ASAM), to discuss the work that they do and the reasons behind why ASAM is so needed. She discussed the two main driving factors for starting ASAM. Firstly, to support and increase representation of South Asian midwives within the maternity workforce, and secondly, to reduce health inequalities and advocate for the rights of birthing people from the global majority.
Maternity care in the UK remains generally safe, but perinatal outcomes are not equal for everyone using maternity services. There are differences in outcomes for women and birthing people and their babies from different ethnic groups and those who live in the most deprived areas. Statistics show that Asian women experience disproportionately poor outcomes in maternal and neonatal care compared to their white counterparts. Asian women have a higher chance of developing or experiencing pregnancy and birth complications such as pre eclampsia, gestational diabetes (twice as likely), severe perineal injuries at birth (6 times as likely), stillbirth, preterm birth and even maternal death (which is double that of white women).
With startling figures such as these, it got me thinking whether awareness days and months are really making a difference to the most marginalised and vulnerable members of the community. The ultimate purpose of bringing awareness to the particular challenges, stigmas, and discriminations faced, is to bring about meaningful, sustainable, systemic and social change to those most affected. Awareness and education is needed for members outside of the community to learn and spark conversation around the fight for equitable services and equal representation of safety and rights.
Don’t get me wrong, public visibility and education is still important, and awareness days should absolutely remain on the pages of our calendars – not only do they serve to bring awareness, but they can also bring celebration and a sense of pride and diversity. A chance for members of the community to publicly celebrate their heritage and cultures with pride with others from outside of the community, possibly in a way that they do not ordinarily do. It’s a time to celebrate the steps that have already been taken, and acknowledge the distance still needed to travel and the barriers still faced. They can also be a time for mourning or memorialisation for those who have gone before us too.
But raising awareness comes with responsibility. We should not need a specific day or month to celebrate who we are, or remember the stigma, discrimination and inequities faced. This should be at the heart of everything that we do, every day. We should be striving for safe and equitable health care for all. As Benash put it, “We need less talk and more action”.
Our work needs to go far beyond raising awareness. We all have a responsibility to back our awareness up with action. It’s not enough to celebrate and think about these issues for one day or month of the year, and then the next day move on with our normal activities. We need to be;
● Actively investing in systems and process that support the most vulnerable members of our communities
● Advocating for the rights of all through campaigning, lobbying and fundraising
● Investing in research to further develop our understanding and break down barriers, stereotypes and taboos
● Adapting our curriculums and education systems to focus more on cultural awareness – moving away from the Euro-centric (often male dominated) ‘norms’
● Investing in regular mandatory cultural competency training for all staff at all levels
● Actively recruiting into the workforce to increase representation among staff and professions at all levels including senior management
● Increasing and developing opportunities within the workplace for career progression and development
● Amplifying the voices of those who are marginalised and who often go unheard and unrepresented
● Actively listening and working directly with communities
● Working with Unions and Government to raise concerns and challenges faced by members of the community
● Communicating with those in power and in decision making positions to bring a greater voice to the South Asian community to bring about change.
How can you Support South Asian Heritage Month?
When asked if there was anything else Benash wanted to add at the end of our discussion, she said, “If you do anything to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month this year, do it with food. Food is love. Food is community. Food is how we bring people together”.
So with that in mind, here are a few suggestions for things you may consider doing to support South Asian Heritage Month this year.
1. Spread the word! – South Asian Heritage Month does not normally get the coverage it deserves, so make an occasion of it within your office or organisation, discuss it with your friends, or even share a post on social media.
2. Share a South Asian recipe – Enjoy a cooking evening with your family, partner or children, or share a traditional South Asian recipe amongst your friends. Why not try something new – South Asian cuisine is bursting with flavour and spice, so pop on your apron and get your taste buds tingling!
3. Donate to a specific South Asian cause – If you feel able, donate to a specific South Asian cause that affects a community within South Asia.
4. Learn about the experiences of South Asian individuals in your community – Take the time to get to know individuals from South Asian communities in your local area. Take the time to ask about their lives, their stories and experiences.
5. Support South Asian owned businesses – Whether you are buying online or in your local community, search for businesses that are owned by members of the South Asian community. You’ll probably be surprised by how many local shops, boutiques and restaurants in your area are owned or run by South Asian individuals. Take time to learn about the items, crafts or cuisine and how the proceeds can help to support them.
