Portfolio
Career Highlights
CEO | BETTER COMMUNITY BUSINESS NETWORK
As CEO of BCBN, Sabah Gilani led over a decade of strategic community investment — raising over £1.4 million for grassroots and national causes. Under her leadership, the organisation became a trusted bridge between philanthropy and the everyday realities of communities across the UK.
FOUNDER | MUSLIM WOMEN FOUNDERS
Muslim Women Founders (MWF) is a platform and agency dedicated to elevating Muslim women’s leadership, enterprise, and systems-level impact. Established to meet a clear and urgent gap, MWF exists to shift visibility, build power, and create spaces where Muslim women lead and belong.
CO-PRODUCER | MWTR PODCAST
Muslim Women Talk Ramadan is a podcast created to centre the voices and lived experiences of Muslim women during one of the most spiritually significant times of the year. Co-produced by Sabah Gilani, the series explores themes of leadership, purpose, identity, and inner reflection — offering listeners an honest and affirming space to hear from Muslim women shaping change across sectors.
STRATEGIC ADVISOR | MUSLIM MIND COLLABORATIVE
Muslim Mind Collaborative is the UK’s first multi-agency platform focused on faith equity in mental health. Founded in response to systemic gaps in how Muslim communities are understood and supported within mental health services, the collaborative brings together voices from across education, health, and social care to shift both practice and policy.
PR & PA | PALESTINE MISSION UK
Sabah’s early career was shaped by her academic and advocacy work on Palestine. With a focus on the intersections of media, politics, identity, and power, this chapter took her from university campuses in the West Bank to diplomatic circles in London. Her work during this period laid the foundation for her long-standing commitment to justice, visibility, and systems-level change.
PUBLICATIONS
Sabah Gilani has authored and commissioned over six influential publications and articles that have informed systems thinking and shaped national conversations across mental health, education, and care for Muslim communities. Several of these have led directly to the creation of new services and organisations that continue to serve those most underrepresented.
Her publications reflect a commitment to data-driven, community-informed change — using insight as a tool for advocacy, innovation, and practical reform.
Mental Health & Faith Equity
- Mental Health: Muslim Students Need Our Attention – Schools Week
An urgent call for school leaders and policymakers to embed faith-aware approaches to supporting Muslim students’ wellbeing. - The ‘Muslim Problem’ Is Actually an Opportunity for Schools – Schools Week
A challenge to move beyond token inclusion and towards innovative, community-rooted educational practice. - Hidden Survivors Report – BCBN
A groundbreaking report commissioned during Sabah’s leadership at BCBN, addressing mental health stigma in Muslim communities. This report laid the foundation for the Muslim Mind Collaborative and helped reframe national policy discussions. - Women in Prison & Mental Wellbeing Report – BCBN
Examines the intersection of incarceration, gender, and faith-based mental health challenges — offering a faith-sensitive lens for justice reform.
Fostering, Care & Education
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The Muslim Fostering Project Report – BCBN
One of the first national reports of its kind, this research shaped what would become the Muslim Foster Network and later, My Family Group — both of which continue to advocate for and serve Muslim heritage children in care. -
Annual Roundtable Report on Muslim Heritage Children in Care – MMC / My Family Group
Co-produced through the Muslim Mind Collaborative and My Family Group, this report gathered multi-agency insight to improve care outcomes and cultural competency in the social care sector.
