Southall Black Sisters
“We will not remain silent, because silence is complicity.”
Southall Black Sisters
In the history in the UK, the Southall Black Sisters (SBS) symbolises the continued struggle of south Asian and black women’s rights. Over the past four decades, this third-sector body has challenged all forms of abuse perpetrated against women.
SBS has pioneered the empowerment of women to gain more control over their lives and live without fear, as well as asserting a their rights to justice, equality and freedom.
Pragna Patel, Meena Patel and Hannana Siddiqui are the pioneers of this campaign group.
Throughout its existence, SBS has been brave in tackling unpalatable truths in the south Asian communities. For example, it highlighted the then hidden issues of domestic violence, forced marriage and so-called honour-based killings when others failed to do so.
In 1980, SBS successfully campaigned to stop “virginity tests” being carried out on Asian women arriving in Britain to marry their husbands. The organisation also stopped the “one-year rule”, where a husband and wife had to live together for at least one year before the immigrant spouse was allowed to apply for residency in Britain.