Introduction

Sikhs are one of the most visible and least known minorities. This toolkit aims to go beyond to the exotic stereotypes to present the reality and the diversity of the Sikh community. We believe that Sikhs are an exceptionally easy minority to accommodate provided that there is a basic understanding of the ethnic and religious identity of Sikhs. This toolkit provides that necessary understanding in an accessible and easy available manner.

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a one-stop service for HR professionals and other public sector managers and providers who may have to deal with issues which arise involving Sikhs. It will also be useful to members of the Sikh community who may be unsure of their rights and responsiblities.

While Sikhs are a well-integrated but distinctive minority within British society, a number of mostly avoidable issues arise from time to time. This toolkit aims to pre-empt such conflicts so that the UK benefits from the full contribution of the Sikh community to the development of our society. Such a commitment is a fundamental tenet of Sikhi. No barriers based on misunderstanding or lack of awareness should be allowed to create unnecessary conflicts.

Sikhs are both a religious and ethnic minority. Beliefs and practices are diverse. To ensure that the guidance presented here is accurate and reliable, it has been necessary to conduct the most intensive and extensive consultations within the Sikh community since the 1970s. We are convinced that the information presented here accurately reflects the practices and beliefs of the vast majority of British Sikhs.

We have also consulted extensively with HR and equality and diversity officers in order to ascertain their needs. We are grateful to all those who have helped in this project and hope that this toolkit will be a substantial asset to them and their colleagues.

The authors recognise that the public sector is varied and complex. Issues which may arise in one context may not in another. For ease of use we have therefore compiled specific guidance for the NHS and the police and emergency services. These can be accessed by clicking on the tabs provided. Other specific sections will be added as the need and opportunity arises.

This toolkit is designed to be a permanent and evolving resource, updated regularly to reflect legislative and policy changes as well as relevant decisions in the courts.We will continue to monitor developments in the UK, the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights and other relevant jurisdictions with significant Sikh communities such as the US, Canada, India and other Commonwealth countries. The toolkit is available on request in printed, Braille and CD formats. As a small organisation with a big learning curve, we are striving to improve accessibility and will modify the website accordingly in the near future.

The authors will be grateful for any feedback on the content and presentation of the toolkit. We can be contacted at toolkit@shrg.net.

The Sikh Human Rights Group would like to thank all those who helped in the project. We also wish to acknowledge the support of the Sikh Welfare and Research Trust and the Equality and Human Rights Commission of Great Britain.

Further information on the Sikh Human Rights Group can be found on the rest of this website (or click on the about section on the SHRG website)

	Introduction
	Support
	Toolkit in Use
	faq's
	Case studies

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