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Helplines Awareness Day: Empowering Women Through Support

20th February 2025

by Sadia Ul-Haq

23rd February 2025 marks Helplines Awareness Day. In today’s society, Muslim & BME women often face challenges that can leave them feeling isolated and overwhelmed. Resources like the Amina Helpline provide essential support and guidance to women in need. Amina MWRC is dedicated to empowering women and offering a safe space for those seeking support.

The Helpline is a support service for Muslim & BME women in Scotland. All calls are free, strictly confidential, and non-judgemental. We always deal with our clients in a faith and culturally-sensitive manner. The Helpline also acts as a pathway to other Amina services such as Financial Advocacy, Volunteering, Employability, and Creative Well-Being. We also have a live chat service, which provides a platform for women to contact us if they need support. Our Helpline is available on 0808 801 0301, Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm

What Services are Available on the Amina MWRC Helpline?

  1. The Alima (Female scholar) offers callers Islamic advice on women’s rights and is available every Tuesday from 10am to 3pm.
  2. The Immigration Law Clinic is a free service for Muslim and BME women seeking legal advice. Our clinic can provide an initial consultation for half an hour, followed by additional legal advice as required. This service is available on the last Wednesday of every month, from 10am to 1pm.
  3. Our Telephone Befriending service works with Muslim and BME women who are experiencing social isolation, loneliness, lack a social network, or poor mental health. We provide 1:1 emotional support to socially isolated women, with weekly calls to empower them towards independence.
  4. Sahara Scotland, our Independent Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service for Muslim & BME women, offers 1:1 support and advocacy for those experiencing or at risk of domestic or sexual abuse, including women with insecure immigration status and no recourse to public funds. Our caseworkers are qualified Independent Domestic Abuse Advocates (IDAA), providing advocacy, risk assessment and safety planning, immediate to high-risk support, and crisis intervention.

How can you join the Amina MWRC Helpline Team?

Volunteers are at the heart of Amina; they help deliver many services such as the Helpline and Befriending service. Helpline and Befriending training takes place twice a year, equipping volunteers with necessary skills to effectively and confidently perform as helpline call handlers. The training covers Amina’s values and projects, confidentiality and boundaries, active listening, we explore topics such as domestic abuse, hate crime, suicide awareness, Islamic questions, and the befriending project. Volunteers work together through mock calls and case studies. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please register here. We will be in touch when our next training sessions will take place later on in the year.

The Amina Helpline is a beacon of hope for women navigating through difficult times. By providing confidential, compassionate, and comprehensive support, Amina MWRC aims to empower and support Muslim & BME women by offering culturally sensitive support, advice, and training, bridging the gap between the daily barriers they face.