Reaching Ethnic Minority Women

1. Reaching Ethnic Minority Women 13th October 2005

2. Presentation Structure • Background and Objectives • Key Findings • Taking The Research Forward

3. Background and Objectives

4. Who are the EOC? • Established in 1975 • Promotes equality between women and men • Very successful campaigns recently in the areas of pregnancy discrimination at work and promoting non-traditional careers to women • Looking to develop a closer relationship with ethnic minority women

5. Why ethnic minority women specifically? • Race Relations Amendment Act 2001 • Demographic changes • Forthcoming single Commission for Equality and Human Rights • Credibility issues • Staff requests

6. Research Background • Focus on three ethnic minority groups • Black Caribbean women • High economic activity rates • Under represented at senior and professional levels • Pakistani and Bangladeshi women • Lowest economic activity rates • Family run businesses • May face language and cultural barriers

7. Qualitative (March 2004) Four focus groups 2 Black Caribbean, 1 Pakistani and 1 Bangladeshi Employed full or part time 21-54 yrs London, Manchester, Glasgow Objectives Identify key workplace issues Identify constraints Aid development of 2004-5 communications strategy Quantitative (Sept 2005) 812 in-street interviews White, Black Caribbean, Pakistani and Bangladeshi (c. 200 each) Employed full or part time 16-34 year olds London, Birmingham, Bradford/Leeds Objectives Quantify key issues Generate press coverageto help launch the formalinvestigation Research Programme To Date

8. Key Findings

9. Aspirations vs. Expectations • High aspirations/ambition • But low expectations regarding career opportunities and progression • Subject to racial and gender stereotyping and discrimination • Perceptions vs. reality?

10. Aspirations vs. Expectations (cont’d) • Career aspirations were usually focused on narrow range of industries • ‘For women like me’ • Labour market data confirms that employment of EM women is concentrated in certain sectors and occupations

11. Industries Perceived To Be Less Welcoming to Ethnic Minority Women • Medicine at senior level • Financial services • Scientific/technical industries • IT/Computing • Engineering • Driving jobs – buses, taxis, trains etc. • Fire Service • Armed Forces • The Police

12. Reasons Why Certain Industries Perceived To Be Less Welcoming • ‘Institutional racism’ • Class barriers/’old school tie’ etc. • Stereotypes • Physical strength • Levels of assertiveness • Women drivers • Levels of education among ethnic minorities • Demands of the job vs. motherhood

13. In Their Own Words… “We don’t appear to fit with an employer’s expectations of what a professional woman might look like” Caribbean woman “It’s an old boys’ network - who’s gone to school with who and who knows who. We’re not going to be mixing with those people” Caribbean woman “You’re not one of them and it makes you feel withdrawn” Pakistani woman

14. Experiences of Discrimination • Race discrimination of most concern initially • Religion and language issues important for Muslim women • Given more time, many EM women realised they had also experienced gender discrimination: • Childcare/pregnancy issues • Being passed over for promotion • Sexual harassment • Receiving less pay for the same job

15. Caribbean women Think employers presume they are not intelligent Feel they have to work harder than white colleagues to be recognised Feel need to ‘Westernise’ their looks and behaviour to get on Find mainstream populationculturally unaware Pakistani/Bangladeshi women Feel employers believe they: Stop work once they get married Have children young Have large families to look after Find mainstream population lack cultural understanding e.g. pub after work Would sometimes prefer to wear traditional dress at work Would like their languageskills to be seen as anasset Racism At Work

16. Sexism At Work • Mainly related to pregnancy/maternity issues • Employers perceived to be unsympathetic to mothers • Frown at time taken off • Reluctant to change duties of pregnant women • Perceive that mothers are less committed • Many think men are given more opportunity to shine • Tough to be a woman in ‘a man’s world’ e.g. Fire Service

17. Making Complaints • General reluctance to complain • And lack of confidence as they were largely unaware of their rights • Those brave enough to do so had encountered problems • Very little awareness of EOC • CRE more widely known • Those aware of the EOC perceived it as fighting casesfor white high fliers

18. Key Conclusions • Race issues were far more top of mind than gender issues • But further discussion highlighted that a number of respondents had suffered gender discrimination and ‘double discrimination’ on the grounds of their gender and ethnicity • Most did not know where to go for advice or support • Existence and relevance of EOC not well known

19. Taking The Research Forward

20. “There is no doubt at all that the focus group reporthas fundamentally influenced the key objectives andstrategic priorities of the EOC” Helen Wollaston, Director of Campaigns for the EOC

21. Policy Development • Prompted by focus groups, EOC is about to launch a major investigation into the experiences of ethnic minority women at work • To find out how far certain ethnic minority women are being held back from reaching their full potential • Funded by European Social Fund • Will also be collaborating with DWP • Focus group research has been critical in strengthening the case for alarger scale project • And has challenged commonly held myths and stereotypes

22. Raising Awareness of The Issues and How EOC Can Help

23. Raising Awareness of The Issues and How EOC Can Help • New advice leaflets: • ‘Her face doesn’t fit’ for ethnic minority women • Advice booklet for employment advisers • Promotion strategy targeting advisers who give advice to ethnic minority women • Exhibition stand using ‘Her face doesn’t fit’ design

24. Raising Awareness of The Issues and How EOC Can Help • ‘Her face doesn’t fit’ leaflet is central to PR strategy: • Demonstrates commitment to listening to EM women’s concerns • Uses respondents’ own words in title and content • Focuses on the issues raised by women in the focus groups • Visually relevant and appealing images • Thus, research used to create new and unique materials • Not appropriate to translate existing publications into different languages

25. PR Campaign/Press Coverage • Launched ‘Her face doesn’t fit’ campaign • December 2004 at City Hall in London • March 2005 at Manchester Town Hall • Coverage achieved in specialist ethnic media including • Sunrise Radio • India Weekly • Asian Times • The Voice • Pride magazine • Ad developed using image, quotes and a case study examplefrom the focus groups and placed in BHM magazine

26. Employers/workplaces Libraries GPs/Health centres Schools/colleges Jobcentres Gyms Hair & beauty salons Community centres Ethnic food shops/restaurants Specialist training organisations Local media Other Channels To be supported by inclusive messages in mainstream media

27. Next Steps • Launch of formal investigation to coincide with Black History Month (20th Oct) • Case studies from individuals who took part in the research • ‘Best practice’ guidelines to be drawn up after consultation with employers