Birmingham City Council has committed to improving inclusive data collection practices.
In a recent motion put forward by Birmingham Labour group, councillors Jamie Tennant and Rinkal Shergill proposed that Sikh and Jewish identities should be recognised in public data sets, according to the BBC.
Highlighting the exclusion of Sikh and Jewish communities in questionnaire categories, the group argued that both ethnic groups must be included in policymaker’s data sets to ensure they are no longer ‘rendered invisible’.
‘It is absurd that most public bodies don't include these groups in the equalities data they collect’, Cllr Shergill reportedly said.
The group pointed out that for over 40 years, both Sikh and Jewish people have been legally recognised as ethnic groups, and called for the council to implement the policy change to help combat discrimination in the city.
‘I am delighted Birmingham City Council is taking action to put this right’, Cllr Shergill added following the local authority’s approval of the motion.
