In a startling report released by the Sikh Coalition, it has been revealed that there is a constant stream of bias and prejudice against Sikhs in New York. Based on the findings of the report, Making our Voices Heard: A Civil Rights Agenda for New York City’s Sikhs, it includes a list of recommendations for government agencies to live up to their promise of equal rights for all.
“We hope that this report will serve as a wake-up call to all those who take civil rights for granted. The Sikh community has faced discrimination for too long,” said Amardeep Singh, executive director of the Sikh Coalition. “We are standing up to demand that we enjoy the same rights as everyone else.”
Making Our Voices Heard is based on surveys of more than 1,000 Sikh New Yorkers. The data reveals the extent to which the Sikh community is under siege by prejudice at all levels. Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion, with approximately 21 million adherents worldwide.
The key findings of the report include:
* Forty-one percent of Sikhs in New York City have been called by derogatory names or slurs.
* One in 10 report that they have been refused employment or a job promotion because of their Sikh identity.
* Half of the city’s Sikh students have been harassed in school, based on their religion or national origin.
The report goes on to propose a Sikh Civil Rights Agenda. The agenda describes a comprehensive list of concerns – ranging from language access at area hospitals to violent hate crimes or employment discrimination – for which the reality on the ground has been at odds with the requirement of the law. It makes recommendations for state, city and national government agencies, as well as the media, hospitals and the Sikh community itself.
The report’s findings are a sobering reminder that, although the community has come a long way in protecting their civil rights in America, there is still a long road ahead. It is the coalition’s intention to continue to address these significant issues of bias and discrimination both through continuing education and advocacy for Sikh rights, said the Sikh Coalition.
