World afro day calls for changes in schools within 30 days

This year’s World Afro Day (15 September) marks the start of a 30-day call to schools and headteachers, asking for compliance with the Equality Act to eradicate any discrimination around afro hair in schools. The simple, five-point initiative is led by World Afro Day Live, an international online event dedicated to change, education and celebration of afro hair sponsored by Cantu. The end-date of this initiative (15 October) will arrive during Black History Month. According to a study supported by De Montfort University, one in six children with afro hair have a bad experience in UK schools. The initiative believes this can be “swiftly and effectively changed by head teachers and leaders in a matter of days.”

Within the next 30 days, World Afro Day is calling for:

- Headteachers and leaders to comply with the Equality Act. - Teachers to fulfil the PSED commitment to ​eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010. - Equal respect for children’s appearance according to all protected characteristics. - Read and act on the Hair Equality Report. - Teaching unions/organisations to commit to eradicate discrimination against Afro hair.   World Afro Day founder, Michelle De Leon, says: “2020 has been a global cry from black people for freedom and equality. Something as natural and normal as our Afro hairstyles have been a struggle for centuries. 95% of people with Afro hair in the UK, want policies that punish our children to be removed from schools. The time for action is now.” The online event World Afro Day Live will be hosted by TV presenter Dr Zoe Williams and Antoine Allen, with guests such as Misan Harriman, the first black male Vogue cover photographer; supermodels Eunice Olumide and Celai West; and Afro campaigner, Ruby Williams. During the event, the winners of the Top Ten Model competition will be revealed, a competition held during lockdown encouraging young people (6-18 years)  to send in videos of their catwalks and hair stories as a way of building their confidence. You can help promote the cause by posting #EndHairBias or #WADWonderfulHair on social media. Let's talk about the black UK hairdresser.