Agenda item

Notice of Motion Regarding "Adopting the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims' Definition of Islamophobia" - Given By Councillor Abdul Khayum and to be Seconded by Councillor Abtisam Mohamed

That this Council:

 

(a)  notes that as part of the response to the Race Equality Commission, the Council has committed to making continuous improvements, develop racial literacy and eradicate racial inequalities which exist within the Council and the services it delivers, across the diverse communities we serve, and as part of this has developed a three-year improvement plan to help the Council, and more widely the city, to become an anti-racist city;

 

(b)  believes that to better understand all facets of islamophobia it is important to have a clear definition and, therefore, suggests the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia, that “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”, together with the explanatory guidelines put forward by the Coalition Against Islamophobia, should be considered;

 

(c)  notes that Islamophobia is a growing issue, both locally and nationally; Muslims were targeted in 45% of all religious hate crime offences recorded in England and Wales in 2020/21;

 

(d)  notes that these national figures are borne out in Sheffield, with South Yorkshire Police reporting a 43% increase in reports of Islamophobic hate crimes in Sheffield in 2021 compared to the previous year;

 

(e)  notes that the records show that the majority of hate crimes targeting Muslims in Sheffield do not reach a resolution, whether that’s a charge brought, a caution issued or a community-based resolution, with fewer than 15% of hate crimes in 2021 resolved in one of these ways;

 

(f)    agrees that, as per the Public Sector Equality Duty enshrined in the 2010 Equality Act, the Council must give due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and advance equality of opportunity for members of communities with a protected characteristic, including Muslims and believes this should mean they are able to participate in society on an equal footing with their non-Muslim counterparts;

 

(g)  believes that Islamophobia is one of the principal barriers to the participation of Muslims in public, economic, political, and social spheres of life and must urgently be addressed;

 

(h)  believes that:-

 

(1)  adopting a definition of Islamophobia is essential to tackling    Islamophobia in a targeted and effective manner;

 

(2) without a definition of Islamophobia, one cannot identify how Islamophobia manifests itself and functions and therefore, cannot devise meaningful strategies to address it; and

 

(3)the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee should consider if this definition of islamophobia, and the supporting guidelines, is incorporated as part of its on-going work into the Race Equality Commission; and 

 

(i)    requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers whether to add to its work programme consideration of:-

 

(1)    working with schools, transport companies, the police force, and other public and private bodies, to tackle Islamophobia at a local level;

 

(2)    collaborating with the local Muslim community to challenge Islamophobia and to meet their needs such that they are encouraged and safe to participate in public life;

 

(3)    taking further steps to tackle and raise awareness of Islamophobia, such as organising Islamophobia training, holding local events on the issue of Islamophobia, etc.; and

 

(4) working with other local stakeholders such as local MPs to raise awareness of Islamophobia in Parliament and urge the UK Government to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia.

 

 

Minutes:

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Abdul Khayum, and seconded by Councillor Abtisam Mohamed, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)      notes that as part of the response to the Race Equality Commission, the Council has committed to making continuous improvements, develop racial literacy and eradicate racial inequalities which exist within the Council and the services it delivers, across the diverse communities we serve, and as part of this has developed a three-year improvement plan to help the Council, and more widely the city, to become an anti-racist city;

 

 

 

(b)      believes that to better understand all facets of islamophobia it is important to have a clear definition and, therefore, suggests the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia, that “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”, together with the explanatory guidelines put forward by the Coalition Against Islamophobia, should be considered;

 

 

 

(c)      notes that Islamophobia is a growing issue, both locally and nationally; Muslims were targeted in 45% of all religious hate crime offences recorded in England and Wales in 2020/21;

 

 

 

(d)      notes that these national figures are borne out in Sheffield, with South Yorkshire Police reporting a 43% increase in reports of Islamophobic hate crimes in Sheffield in 2021 compared to the previous year;

 

 

 

(e)      notes that the records show that the majority of hate crimes targeting Muslims in Sheffield do not reach a resolution, whether that’s a charge brought, a caution issued or a community-based resolution, with fewer than 15% of hate crimes in 2021 resolved in one of these ways;

 

 

 

(f)       agrees that, as per the Public Sector Equality Duty enshrined in the 2010 Equality Act, the Council must give due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and advance equality of opportunity for members of communities with a protected characteristic, including Muslims and believes this should mean they are able to participate in society on an equal footing with their non-Muslim counterparts;

 

 

 

(g)      believes that Islamophobia is one of the principal barriers to the participation of Muslims in public, economic, political, and social spheres of life and must urgently be addressed;

 

 

 

(h)      believes that:-

 

 

 

(1)      adopting a definition of Islamophobia is essential to tackling Islamophobia in a targeted and effective manner;

 

 

 

(2)      without a definition of Islamophobia, one cannot identify how Islamophobia manifests itself and functions and therefore, cannot devise meaningful strategies to address it; and

 

 

 

(3)      the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee should consider if this definition of islamophobia, and the supporting guidelines, is incorporated as part of its on-going work into the Race Equality Commission; and 

 

 

 

(i)       requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers whether to add to its work programme consideration of:-

 

 

 

(1)      working with schools, transport companies, the police force, and other public and private bodies, to tackle Islamophobia at a local level;

 

 

 

(2)      collaborating with the local Muslim community to challenge Islamophobia and to meet their needs such that they are encouraged and safe to participate in public life;

 

 

 

(3)      taking further steps to tackle and raise awareness of Islamophobia, such as organising Islamophobia training, holding local events on the issue of Islamophobia, etc.; and

 

 

 

(4)      working with other local stakeholders such as local MPs to raise awareness of Islamophobia in Parliament and urge the UK Government to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia.

 

 

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ann Woolhouse, and seconded by Councillor Barbara Masters, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (d) as follows, and the relettering of original paragraphs (b) to (i) as new paragraphs (e) to (l):-

 

 

 

(b)      notes that this country is comprised of many different ethnic groups who have joined over the centuries, that our country has rightly welcomed those who have faced persecution in their home country, and notes with pride Sheffield’s role in becoming the first city of sanctuary;

 

 

 

(c)      welcomes the contribution at all levels of society made by immigrant communities and those born here, and regrets that prejudice holds back the contribution that they make to our society;

 

 

 

(d)      reaffirms that discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation and other protected characteristics has no place in our society;

 

 

7.3

After contributions from two other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Abdul Khayum, the amendment moved by Councillor Ann Woolhouse was put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

 

 

7.4

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried unanimously:-

 

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY:  That this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)      notes that as part of the response to the Race Equality Commission, the Council has committed to making continuous improvements, develop racial literacy and eradicate racial inequalities which exist within the Council and the services it delivers, across the diverse communities we serve, and as part of this has developed a three-year improvement plan to help the Council, and more widely the city, to become an anti-racist city;

 

 

 

(b)      notes that this country is comprised of many different ethnic groups who have joined over the centuries, that our country has rightly welcomed those who have faced persecution in their home country, and notes with pride Sheffield’s role in becoming the first city of sanctuary;

 

 

 

(c)      welcomes the contribution at all levels of society made by immigrant communities and those born here, and regrets that prejudice holds back the contribution that they make to our society;

 

 

 

(d)      reaffirms that discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation and other protected characteristics has no place in our society;

 

 

 

(e)      believes that to better understand all facets of islamophobia it is important to have a clear definition and, therefore, suggests the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia, that “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”, together with the explanatory guidelines put forward by the Coalition Against Islamophobia, should be considered;

 

 

 

(f)       notes that Islamophobia is a growing issue, both locally and nationally; Muslims were targeted in 45% of all religious hate crime offences recorded in England and Wales in 2020/21;

 

 

 

(g)      notes that these national figures are borne out in Sheffield, with South Yorkshire Police reporting a 43% increase in reports of Islamophobic hate crimes in Sheffield in 2021 compared to the previous year;

 

 

 

(h)      notes that the records show that the majority of hate crimes targeting Muslims in Sheffield do not reach a resolution, whether that’s a charge brought, a caution issued or a community-based resolution, with fewer than 15% of hate crimes in 2021 resolved in one of these ways;

 

 

 

(i)       agrees that, as per the Public Sector Equality Duty enshrined in the 2010 Equality Act, the Council must give due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and advance equality of opportunity for members of communities with a protected characteristic, including Muslims and believes this should mean they are able to participate in society on an equal footing with their non-Muslim counterparts;

 

 

 

(j)       believes that Islamophobia is one of the principal barriers to the participation of Muslims in public, economic, political, and social spheres of life and must urgently be addressed;

 

 

 

(k)      believes that:-

 

 

 

(1)      adopting a definition of Islamophobia is essential to tackling Islamophobia in a targeted and effective manner;

 

 

 

(2)      without a definition of Islamophobia, one cannot identify how Islamophobia manifests itself and functions and therefore, cannot devise meaningful strategies to address it; and

 

 

 

(3)      the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee should consider if this definition of islamophobia, and the supporting guidelines, is incorporated as part of its on-going work into the Race Equality Commission; and

 

         

 

(l)       requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers whether to add to its work programme consideration of:-

 

 

 

(1)      working with schools, transport companies, the police force, and other public and private bodies, to tackle Islamophobia at a local level;

 

 

 

(2)      collaborating with the local Muslim community to challenge Islamophobia and to meet their needs such that they are encouraged and safe to participate in public life;

 

 

 

(3)      taking further steps to tackle and raise awareness of Islamophobia, such as organising Islamophobia training, holding local events on the issue of Islamophobia, etc.; and

 

 

 

(4)      working with other local stakeholders such as local MPs to raise awareness of Islamophobia in Parliament and urge the UK Government to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia.