Petition delivered to No 10 demanding a Jain tick box for the 2021 Census

Tuesday 16th July 2019 02:22 EDT
 

The UK Jain community, collectively called OneJain and represented by the Institute of Jainology delivered a petition of 5000 signatures to 10 Downing Street on 11 July 2019, urging the Prime Minister for her intervention to include a Jain tick box in the next UK Census. The delegation included Gareth Thomas MP, Chairman of Jain All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and Navin Shah, London Assembly Member from Brent and Harrow, who started the online petition.

Nemu Chandaria, the Chairman of the Institute said, “There is much confusion in the census terminology and Jainism is the only major religion not to be included in the next census. The 2011 Census only captured 30% of the known UK Jain population and the current plans from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) will not significantly improve that.”

The Census data is used to determine policy and funding for health, education and social care, as well as programming by broadcasters like the BBC. Capturing correct data from Jains living across the UK is vital to ensure the Jain community is included in decisions by the public sector.


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