16 Oct 2023
Agenda Alliance’s Chief Executive Indy Cross reflects on this year’s theme for Black History Month, and what it means for organisations working with women and girls experiencing multiple unmet need.
This year, the theme for Black History Month (BHM) is Saluting Our Sisters – celebrating the contributions Black women have made to society which are often overlooked. This blog by Cherron Inko Tariah perfectly articulates the response to the question ‘Why Black women’: well, why not? The campaign showcases these stories, providing resources and information on “the crucial role that black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities” across a huge range of fields. It shares the experiences, triumphs and struggles of “pioneering black women who have made remarkable contributions to literature, music, fashion, sport, business, politics, academia, social and health care, and more.”
BHM so far has told us so many stories we didn’t know about Black women in our sector. These women have worked tirelessly to change the picture for women and girls, speaking out against sexism, racism, misogynoir, social injustice and on so many other issues. It is about time we heard these stories, and centred them in the narrative of our sector’s history. But it has also made me think: when Black History Month is over, how can we as an Alliance (and as the wider women and girls’ sector) continue to follow in their footsteps? When so many systems and structures continue to harm and discriminate against Black women and girls, what do we need to do to take their work forward, without creating more labour for the Black women who have already done enough?
None of this should be a surprise anymore, but we have heard time and time again that for Black women and girls, their multiple unmet need is compounded by the institutional racism baked into public services. We know that Black women and girls are disproportionately likely to be in contact with the criminal justice system; to face poor mental health compared to their white counterparts; to experience adultification at school; and to face additional barriers when accessing services due to the hostile environment for Black and migratised women. Freedom of information requests we submitted to all local authorities as part of our Girls Speak research found that 90% of local authorities do not provide any gender-responsive services for Black, Asian, minoritised and Migratised girls and young women. Policymakers have a long way to go to truly address these disparities.
Agenda Alliance advocates for systems and services to respond appropriately to women and girls with multiple unmet needs – and this means addressing racism and racial disparities in public service design and delivery. Policy which comes from these places and is not co-produced will continue to harm and exclude Black women and girls unless we make a concerted effort to call this out where we see it and demand better. At Agenda Alliance, we believe that as a matter of course:
- Public policy should be co-produced with Black women and girls to understand how the status quo continues to disproportionately impact their lives and access to services;
- Public policy should never be designed around an assumed or generic service user – this harms Black women and girls. All public policy should be gender-, age-, trauma- and culturally responsive.
These are big asks, but they’re not impossible. We are on our anti-racist journey at Agenda Alliance and we are continuing to learn about how to place these issues at the heart of our work meaningfully. Black women and girls have done so much for the women’s movement, calling out where we have not been inclusive and trying to create conditions where our services as a sector present something better, and don’t mirror institutionally racist public structures.
We must not lose sight of this. Following Black History Month, our sector must champion Black women and girls not only through positive words and storytelling – although this is vital – but through interrogating where we have power and influence, and where it is our responsibility to challenge racism and bring the needs of Black women and girls to the fore.