Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is an outer London Borough with a population of 273,559 (2001 Census). There is a large and varied ethnic minority population of 38.8% in the 2001 Census. According to the Council this figure continues to rise sharply, possibly now reaching 50%. The BME communities are diverse and come from a range of backgrounds. The census figures are potentially much larger if the whole of the large Greek and Turkish speaking communities are included. The Asian population in 2001 was approximately 23,500 (8.6%) and includes major groups speaking Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu and Punjabi. |
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These groups are mainly in eastern and southern Enfield . The highest concentration of the South Asian population is in areas such as the wards of Edmonton Green, Ponders End and Bowes, which are also the areas of highest deprivation. Compared to outer London as a whole a significantly higher proportion of people who live in Enfield say that their health is not good. There are very large differences in expectation of life.
The information we have shows that public and private sector agencies providing services in Enfield do not adequately serve Asian women. Language and cultural barriers prevent women from getting access to services and equal opportunities. Asian culture can sometimes suppress women's legitimate aspirations and racist attitudes can limit their opportunities. Hence the need for organisations that provide access and referral to appropriate agencies and offer support – such as Enfield-Saheli.
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