Southall Black Sisters - Mayor Questioned Over Funding Cut

Today at Mayor's Question Time, Hina Bokhari AM asked Sadiq Khan why he'd stopped funding for Southall Black Sisters' life-saving support service for migrant and minoritised women, particularly those with no recourse to public funding. 

His answer was incredibly disappointing - he refused to meet them and failed to commit to reviewing the rules which threaten their survival by precluding organisations that work in partnership with other small grassroots organisations from being eligible for the next funding pot from April 2026.

Assembly Member Hina Bokhari commented – “Today, Southall Black Sisters battled the tube strike to get to City Hall today to ask the Mayor for his help – it’s incredibly disappointing that he refused to either meet them or acknowledge the funding crisis that threatens the survival of this essential London service.”

"It's utterly shameful that this Mayor allowed a funding crisis that put hundreds of the most vulnerable women in London at risk," said Hina Bokhari. "Southall Black Sisters provide an absolutely lifesaving service to migrant victim-survivors and minoritised women, yet they have been completely abandoned by City Hall."

Hina added: “The Mayor’s own Violence Against Women and Girls strategy commits to supporting the most vulnerable, including migrant victim-survivors and those from minoritised backgrounds, yet cutting off public funding for six months and threatening the survival of this lifesaving service directly contradict these promises.”