November is Islamophobia Awareness Month

At the beginning of the month, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) marked the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) 2024. This year, again, we observe IAM against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in Palestine and an exceptionally hostile political environment for British Muslim communities.

This year’s theme is 'Seeds of Change', with the goal of emphasising the importance of how small actions contribute to big change (Islamophobia Awareness Month, 2024). It is therefore important for us to continue to share the lived experiences of British Muslims. By taking part in open conversations, understanding unconscious bias and participating in training, these are all small ways to sow the seeds of change that will tackle Islamophobia at its roots.

In terms of Islamophobic hate crime alone, per Home Office data, where the perceived religion of the victim was recorded, 2 in 5 of all religious hate crime offences were targeted against Muslims, as of March 2023. As such, 39% of all religiously motivated hate crimes targeted Muslims, making Muslims the most targeted faith group. (Muslim Council of Britain, 2023). This hasn't changed a year on as 38% of all religiously motivated hate crimes have been targeted at Muslims. (Islamophobia Awareness Month, 2024)

What is Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM)

Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) is a campaign founded in 2012 by a group of Muslim organisations. It aims to showcase the positive contributions of Muslims, raise awareness of Islamophobia and free society from it in all of its forms.

The goal of this year’s campaign is to emphasise the importance of how small actions contribute to big change (Islamophobia Awareness Month, 2024). For more information about the campaign, you can find it on the website here.

Everyone has a story to tell. It can be based on your own experiences or those of someone who you love or admire. If you do wish to share a story with the rest of the student community, please get in touch with us via email at help@bedssu.co.uk.