Eo/S3/09/4/A Equal Opportunities Committee

EO/S3/09/4/A

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE

AGENDA

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3)

Tuesday 10 March 2009

The Committee will meet at 10.00 am in Committee Room 1.

1. Declaration of interests: WIllie Coffey MSP will be invited to declare any relevant interests.

2. Witness expenses: The Committee will be invited to delegate to the Convener responsiblity for arranging for the SPCB to pay, under Rule 12.4.3, any expenses of witnesses arising from the evidence session on the Scottish Government's Race Equality Statement.

3. Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement: The Committee will take evidence, in a round table discussion, from—

Rami Ousta, Chief Executive, Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland;

Colin Lee, Chief Executive, Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations Scotland;

Jatin Haria, Director, Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance;

Joe Bradley, Chair, Irish Diaspora in Scotland Association;

Simon Hodgson, Director of Policy & Communication, Scottish Refugee Council;

Roseanna T. McPhee, Scottish Gypsy Travellers Law Reform Coalition;

Zaffir Hakim, Development Manager, Scottish Trades Union Congress Black Workers Committee.

4. Decision on taking business in private: The Committee will decide whether its consideration of a timetable for taking oral evidence on its inquiry into female EO/S3/09/4/A offenders in the criminal justice system should be taken in private at its next meeting.

Terry Shevlin Clerk to the Equal Opportunities Committee Room T3.40 The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh Tel: 0131 348 5216 Email: [email protected] EO/S3/09/4/A

The papers for this meeting are as follows—

Agenda item 2 witness expenses paper EO/S3/09/4/1

Agenda item 3

Briefing paper EO/S3/09/4/2

Written submission - CEMVO EO/S3/09/4/3

Written submission - GARA EO/S3/09/4/4

Written submission - STUC EO/S3/09/4/5

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Equal Opportunities Committee

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3), Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement roundtable — witness expenses

Background

1. Under Rule 12.4.3 of the standing orders, the Committee may arrange for payment of expenses incurred by any witness invited to give evidence at a Committee meeting. Reimbursement is entirely at the discretion of the Committee.

2. The witness expenses scheme was established by the Parliament on 6 July 2000 (motion S1M-1086) and sets out the categories of claim that may be considered.

Action

3. The Committee is invited to delegate to the Convener responsibility for arranging for the SPCB to pay, under Rule 12.4.3, any witness expenses which arise during the Committee’s evidence session on the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement. However, in the event of the Convener rejecting a claim, it will be referred back to the Committee for consideration.

Terry Shevlin Clerk to the Committee March 2009

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Equal Opportunities Committee

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3), Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement roundtable — issues for discussion

Background

1. At its meeting on 10 February, the Committee agreed to hold a roundtable discussion on the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement.

2. The Committee’s invitation to witnesses appearing at today’s meeting asked the following questions:

a. to what extent do you consider that the measures set out in the statement will be sufficient to realise the Scottish Government’s aspiration of a Scotland free of racism, discrimination and prejudice?

b. the evidence base section of the statement only considers employment rates and educational attainment for minority ethnic and faith communities; are there any other areas in which there are significant differences between groups?

c. the statement discusses themes of multiculturalism, diversity, inclusive national identity and cohesive communities. Are there tensions between these concepts and if so how can they best be overcome?

d. what lessons can Scotland learn from the rest of the UK/ rest of the world to improve its record on race equality?

3. For members’ information: • Annexe A (page 2) contains the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement; • Annexe B (page 14) contains brief background information on relevant legislation relating to race; • Annexe C (page 15) summarises work carried out by previous equal opportunities committees on Gypsy/Travellers that is of relevance to the Race Equality Statement; • Annexe D (page 20) contains brief biographical information on the roundtable participants.

Terry Shevlin Clerk to the Committee March 2009

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ANNEXE A: SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’S RACE EQUALITY STATEMENT

This Statement sets out our approach to race equality over the next three years. It is placed within the context of fast changing demographics, the current economic and global challenges facing Scotland and its communities, and the shifts in the equality landscape. It is informed by, and will contribute to, the delivery of the Scottish Government’s economic strategy and its national objectives and outcomes. It is designed to indicate a direction of travel for race equality work in the short term and to lay foundations to assist us all, central and local government, voluntary and public sector bodies and communities to make the changes necessary to advance race equality in the longer-term.

In this statement, the Scottish Government;

• Sets out the key headline issues and our overall approach to achieving race equality; to increasing refugee integration and to addressing race discrimination in Scotland • Identifies broad objectives which provide the basis for action that will be taken in the next three years to make progress on race equality

This statement is not a description of all that is being done or planned on race equality by the Scottish Government. We expect race equality to be an integral part of our work across the range of policies and activities, the detail of which is provided in the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Scheme, published in November 2008. This Statement is focused on the activities to be taken forward by Ministers with regard to the overarching work on race equality.

OUR VISION

Our vision is for a more equal Scotland that is fair and just. A Scotland which embraces diversity whilst also fostering a sense of common purpose and goals. A place where people from all backgrounds - irrespective of their race, faith, belief and place of birth - feel respected , have a sense of belonging and are confident that they can achieve their potential. Where we acknowledge our shared aspirations and common goals as we work for the good of Scotland. A Scotland where all of our communities are recognised as threads which make up the tartan of our nation’s life.

We aspire towards a Scotland where

• Equality and fairness are evident • Racism, discrimination and prejudice are eliminated • We have tackled the significant inequalities in our society • Diversity of backgrounds and personal characteristics are positively valued and respected

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• Everyone is enabled to achieve their potential, and is not held back by prejudice and discrimination. We all feel safe to live free from fear, harassment, abuse or threats and our human rights are respected • Our institutions have fully embedded equality and are responsive to and reflective of the communities they serve.

Taking into account our public sector equality duties and drawing on the evidence from our stakeholders, our Review of Race Equality Work in Scotland and the work of the Equal Opportunities Committee of the Scottish Parliament, we will structure our work towards race/ equality and refugee integration around the following themes:

Improved opportunities for people from minority ethnic (including Gypsy/Traveller), refugee, asylum seeker and faith communities – taking action to address the barriers which are at present preventing people from those communities from achieving what they are capable of.

More responsive communities, where people from minority ethnic (including Gypsy/Traveller), refugee, asylum seeker and faith communities are better supported by services, whether specialist or mainstream.

Safer communities, with lasting connections between people from all communities - minority ethnic (including Gypsy/Traveller), refugee, asylum seeker and faith communities and the wider community. Communities where all feel valued and able to live safely, respecting and valuing the contributions of all. Communities where hate crime based on race or faith is tackled effectively and where such crimes, in time, are reduced.

More active and vibrant communities, with increased participation by people from minority ethnic (including Gypsy/Traveller), refugee, asylum seeker and faith communities in all aspects of mainstream community and civic activity. Increased engagement will help the integration and strengthening of community relations and develop understanding of our shared goals and aspirations. It will also contribute to the delivery of better services and provisions as the needs of communities become better understood.

Over the next three years we will be working across government and with stakeholders, local government, community planning partners and communities to align our work to the wider equality agenda and to the new delivery landscape afforded by the Concordat with local government and the national performance framework.

Setting the context

Scotland looks very different today from a short time ago and faces a number of challenges and opportunities.

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Scotland, like many parts of the world, is facing an economic downturn and the prospect of recession. At this time it is important that we properly draw on the talents and skills of all our workforce and that we remove the barriers which preclude some in our minority ethnic communities from achieving their full potential in education, skills, training and employment. We also need to ensure that our minority ethnic communities are not scapegoated as the pressures of a recession bite.

Demographic changes –. Asylum dispersal since the year 2000, followed by migration from the A8 and subsequently A2 states, has produced the most rapid change in our demographics in living memory. And while asylum dispersal has been largely located within the City of Glasgow, EU migrants have settled in all parts of Scotland, bringing diversity to new areas. In a climate of declining population, migration is enabling Scotland to meet its population targets. However the new patterns of migration are different in character to that which we have been used, they are more fluid and longer term trends are harder to predict. Further exploration of the issues which arise from these changes is required. The impact of the current economic downturn on inward migration and retention of migrant workers is yet to be determined. However, creating a positive environment free from racism and xenophobia will be important in the fight to maintain Scotland’s reputation as a place to live and work. Scotland’s population is ageing but the age profile of minority ethnic communities is much younger. Our plans for the future need to reflect this.

New relationship between national and local Government - The political context in Scotland has also changed, most obviously following the election of the Scottish Government in May 2007. Not only has Government been streamlined but it has also forged a new relationship with local government and has shifted its focus to delivering on and improving outcomes for the Scottish people. This means improving the ‘opportunities for all of Scotland’ as indicated in its overall Purpose: “To focus Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.” In order to measure how well progress is being made the Scottish Government has identified a suite of national economic targets and outcomes, a number of which have particular relevance to race equality: to have tackled the significant inequalities in our society; we live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger’ and ‘we take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive Scottish identity

Security – events such as 7/7 and the Glasgow Airport attack have created a very different environment for all of our communities. Issues of security impact on community relations and so not only do we need to tackle violent extremism, from whatever source, but we need to engage communities in that work. We share a common goal in tackling terrorism and in building the resilience of our communities.

New equality framework – There is a new equality landscape. Discrimination law has been extended to cover religion, sexual orientation and age; public

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sector equality duties now exist for race, gender and disability and a new Equality and Human Rights Commission has been established to cover the range of equality issues and human rights (also the SHRC). We expect further changes with the introduction of a Single Equality Bill and with it a single equality duty. In addition we are working with the EHRC and partners to ensure that the equality framework we develop in Scotland is fit for the 21st century, helps develop a shared understanding of equality and enables us to measure progress. Over the next three years we will work to ensure that race equality is properly placed within this broader framework without losing focus or diminishing our effectiveness in bringing about change and improvement.

Dialogue- All of the above have led to a debate about issues such as identity and community relations, and what these mean in a Scottish context. We wish to see this debate extended and developed and will take forward actions which will enable this to happen. Furthermore we believe that academics and practitioners have much to offer in helping the discourse around these issues and we will explore how best to engage both.

Race Equality – for Whom?

Sometimes people assume that race equality or tackling racism are issues for and about minority ethnic communities. They are not – they are matters for all of us. We believe that the changes we make to improve the life experience of minority ethnic communities or to promote good relations between communities, will be of benefit to all.

We should also make very clear that we include Gypsies/Travellers in this statement. During the period of the current Spending Review, i.e. to March 2011, we will commit significant resources towards improving the position of Scottish Gypsies/Travellers where it is in our power to do so. We have been guided in the development of this Statement by the Equal Opportunities Committee’s second Inquiry and the work of the former Commission for Racial Equality in this area as well as the Strategic Group which we convened to examine issues for Gypsies/Travellers. We have also drawn on the ongoing contacts with communities.

One important area in which it is not in our power to make change is in relation to the legal recognition of Scottish Gypsies/Travellers as an ethnic group. Race legislation is a reserved matter. However the Scottish Government continues to recognise Gypsies/Travellers as an ethnic group for it work and encourages others to do likewise. A recent judgement in relation to an employment tribunal (K. MacLennan v Gypsy Traveller Education and Information Project) has set a precedent in this regard, which is an important step forward for this community, which is particularly marginalised and discriminated against.

We recognise that people from minority ethnic communities may also experience issues as a result of their gender, age, faith, sexual orientation or disability – compounding the disadvantage or discrimination. Our work will

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continue to explore the complexities of people’s multiple identities and the links between the other equality strands.

This Statement includes specific reference to faith issues to the extent that it sets out work which is being taken forward around faith which impacts on the race equality agenda and therefore should be considered at the same time.

Building Links

Race equality has to be embedded across the range of our activities. Key strategic initiatives being taken forward by the Scottish Government, including the anti poverty strategic framework; Equally Well; early years strategy; work on population and demographics and international branding will also influence and be influenced by, this Statement.

The public sector is an important partner in any work to promote race equality and tackle racism and religious intolerance. Through our shared responsibility to meet the race equality duty and in the context of the new Concordat with local authorities, there is now the possibility of greater coherence across Scotland to work in this area. As the new relationship with local authorities in particular continues to evolve there will be a need to explore how future work to advance race equality can best be supported and delivered.

National and local government, in addition to the voluntary sector, will have their own roles to play, and we will work closely with all partners to ensure resources are maximised and that we drive change together. Our strategic partners in the voluntary sector (BEMIS, CEMVO and the Scottish Refugee Council) have particular responsibilities to deliver on many of the themes of this Statement through the funding agreements we have negotiated with them. They will therefore be accountable alongside the Government, through our reporting on progress on the national performance framework.

Our partners in local government have responsibilities across all of their functions to ensure the elimination of racial discrimination, and the promotion of race equality and good relations. While this Statement sets out the actions which the Scottish Government will take over the next period, our work will complement that of local authorities across Scotland. The provision by local authorities of important services such as social work, education and housing can have a major role to play in ensuring that all people in our communities have access to services that are appropriate for their needs and that they do not experience disadvantage or discrimination. Our voluntary sector partners equally have an important role in providing specialist services, and providing expertise to inform mainstream services. Over the next three years we will build capacity in the voluntary sector to ensure that there is a lasting legacy of our work.

Evidence base

The information which we have on the experiences of people from minority ethnic and faith communities in Scotland is improving. There are numerous

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sources of information, including the Census, large surveys such as the Scottish Household Survey and smaller studies. For example the high level summary of equalities statistics shows that, in 2005, adults from minority ethnic groups have a markedly lower employment rate (58%) than those from white ethnic groups (75%); a difference of 17 percentage points1. A similar difference can be observed for economic activity rates. Correspondingly, people from minority ethnic groups have higher economic inactivity rates (37%) than people from white ethnic groups (20%)1.

Economic Activity Rate, Employment Rate and Inactivity Rate, by Combined Ethnic Group1, Scotland, 2005

Rate (%) Rate 40

White Ethnic 30 Groups

Minority Ethnic 10 Groups

0 Economic Activity Rate Employment Rate Economic Inactivity Rate

Source: Annual Population Survey in Scotland, 2005 Notes: 1. Rates for minority ethnic groups are based on small sample sizes and as such, these data are subject to a high degree of sampling error. 2. Rates are for females aged 16 to 59 year and males aged 16 to 64 years.

These statistics are all the more striking when it is considered that the percentage of S4 pupils gaining 5 or more Standard Grades at credit level (or equivalent) in 2004/05 was markedly higher for females from minority ethnic groups (46%) compared to females from white ethnic groups (39%). There is little difference in attainment by males in each group (around 30% of males in both groups). These proportions have remained relatively similar since 2002/03.

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Pupils Gaining 5+ Awards at SCQF Level 51, by Combined Ethnic Group & Gender2, Scotland, 2002/03 to 2004/05

Females

2004/05 (All)

Males Minority Ethnic Groups

Females

2003/04 (All)

Males White Ethnic Groups Combined Ethnic Group & Gender & Group Ethnic Combined

Females

2002/03

Males Ethnic Group Not Known

0 102030405060 Percentage

Source: SQA Attainment and School Leaver Qualifications in Scotland: 2004/05. Notes: 1. Figures are based on attainment in S4. 2. Ethnic groups have been combined due to small numbers.

We have located this Statement in the existing evidence base, and have used resources such as the Scottish Government’s High Level Summary of Statistics as a source of data. The State of the Nation Report recently produced by the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance also supported the development of the Statement, and is a very welcome addition to our knowledge about minority communities in Scotland.

However we are aware, however, that data is still limited in some areas and not always available on issues of interest to race and faith equality. We have committed to carrying out further work to develop a more complete evidence base. An area where data is particularly poor is on EU Accession state migrants. Better information will be essential to enable public services to be responsive as well as to aid longer term planning.

How will we achieve our Vision?

We recognise the importance of legislation in bringing about change and the opportunities for the race equality duty to lever considerable improvement across the public sector. However changes in policy, practice, attitudes and approach are also key to delivering real and substantial shifts in the experiences of our communities. Over the next three years we will progress our work in the following areas:

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Race Equality Duty – Single Equality Duty

We will be working across Government to improve the embedding of equality into policy and within that the understanding and consideration of race equality. Our Race Equality Scheme was published at the end of November and outlines our activities across a range of areas to advance race equality over the next three years. There is no place for racism in Scotland and there is certainly no place for institutional racism or discrimination. With the prospect of a single equality duty we will be working over the coming period to determine how best to ensure no diminution in the consideration of race equality issues as we move to a broader equality framework.

Challenging racism and religious intolerance – With our stakeholders and partners we will be moving the One Scotland campaign into a new phase linking into building a strong, fair and inclusive Scottish identity and beginning with activity to l complement the Homecoming theme which will run through Government communications during 2009. We will be exploring other avenues to assist in preventing racism, challenging discriminatory attitudes and raising understanding including the development of new or updated educational resources. We will continue to work with the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland and other partners to improve the reporting of race and faith hate crime.

Representation – we will support activity to increase the participation of people from minority ethnic and faith communities in all aspects of Scottish society including in employment and in democratic decision making structures. We will wish to particularly focus on the needs of women from minority communities in relation to representation and employment. We will work with a range of partners such as the Workers’ Education Association and others to support projects in this area. such as looking at developing a leadership/ business network for minority ethnic women, linking into existing networks across Scotland, as recommended by the Equal Opportunities Commission’s Moving on Up Report.

Community relations – we will support activity in local areas aimed at building strong, cohesive communities, in which all can thrive and feel safe. We will move forward, in concert with communities, noon tackling violent extremism and ensure that disenfranchised groups feel they have a voice. We will ensure that the learning from our groundbreaking work to integrate asylum seekers and refugees is used to tackle issues arising in local areas from the arrival of new migrant communities. We will support local and national projects to support new migrants, provide information about their rights to lessen the risk of them being exploited and facilitate their engagement in local communities and at national level. Our One Scotland campaign will be a vehicle to help our local communities to work together to face and overcome issues which threaten their stability.

Identity – we will promote dialogue about identity, the meaning of multiculturalism/pluralism in modern day Scotland and encourage the development of a strong, fair and inclusive national identity. We believe this

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The Race, Religion & Refugee Integration funding stream will provide around £2m per year to support work relating to the strategic objectives and national outcomes of the Scottish Government. Projects supported through the funding stream, which must demonstrate outcomes linked to the four themes of Improved Opportunities, More Responsive Communities, Safer Communities and More Active and Vibrant Communities include: • Projects such as the Govanhill Law Centre will be working to promote race equality and promote good relations in some of the most deprived communities in Scotland; • Skillnet Edinburgh and the Bridges Programme will be working with minority ethnic communities to reduce unemployment and under employment; • various projects, including the Gypsy/Travellers Education and Information project will be aiming to provide advice services and improve the lives of Gypsy/Traveller communities; • a number of projects, such as Bridging the Gap, Dundee International Women’s Centre, Amina and Saheliya will be working to improve employment opportunities and empower minority ethnic women; • West of Scotland Racial Equality Council and the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, among others, will be working to reduce religious intolerance and promote interfaith activities, particularly among young people; and • other projects such as Minority Ethnic Carers for Older People Project will help mainstream services meet the needs of minority ethnic people.

In addition, we propose to provide resources to take forward work in the following areas:

i. develop and implement an education strategy for Gypsies/Travellers, including Travelling Showpeople, provide funding for transit sites, support community development work with Gypsy/Traveller communities aimed at laying the ground work for the eventual emergence of representative bodies for the communities, and develop further engagement work with young Gypsies/Travellers for example to facilitate their input into work to increase the relevance of the curriculum for young G/Ts. Both the Gypsies/Travellers Strategic Group and the Equal Opportunities Committee in their Interim Report, identified these as priorities for action. By March 2011, we expect the education strategy to be in place and in the initial stages of implementation, with young G/Ts having had an input into its development; a number of transit sites to be operational, 2 – 3 local representative networks to be established.

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ii. support the capacity building of existing inter faith groups and the development of new groups in areas without such provision. By March 2011, we expect to have an active network of local inter faith groups around Scotland, with 4 – 6 new groups formed, playing a role in relation to improving community relations their local areas and informing national policy making about the needs of faith communities in local areas.

iii. develop a framework for relations between religion and belief communities and those of no religion or belief to encourage constructive dialogue and promote positive activity between these communities. By March 2011, the framework will have been developed and implemented, with a positive impact on community relations in local areas and the engagement of faith and belief communities in civic life.

iv. facilitate the development of representative groups for Scotland’s Muslim communities and support activity aimed at encouraging the participation of young Scottish Muslims and Muslim women in civic society. By March 2011, we expect to have a recognised national body/bodies functioning and liaising with Government enabling the views of Muslim communities to be articulated, and a programme of activities in place for young Scottish Muslims and Muslim women providing them with opportunities to influence decision making locally and nationally.

v. take steps to address the deficit in data about Scotland’s minority ethnic and faith communities, by for example commissioning an ethnic boost to the Labour Force Survey, carrying out a utilisation of skills audit and re-interrogating evidence from existing sources to enable the setting of appropriate targets to boost employment for people from minority communities, in particular women. By March 2011 we will have through negotiation with public sector bodies, identified appropriate employment targets, although we anticipate it will be too early to have seen any positive results arising from the targets by this point.

vi. build the capacity of business advisers to provide appropriate services to clients from minority communities and consider developing support packages and benchmarking opportunities for employers, to promote the business case for race equality and diversity. These were identified by the Strategic Group on Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market as actions which would improve employment opportunities for people from minority communities. The Equal Opportunities Commission’s report ‘Moving on Up?’ which examined visible minority ethnic women’s experiences in relation to education and employment identified establishing a national network of minority ethnic women as a key action. By March 2011, we expect to have a network of advisors specifically trained to support minority ethnic and faith clients working through Business Gateway across Scotland and to have

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established a route through which we can encourage businesses to tackle racism and promote race equality. In addition, we will have an established national network of minority ethnic women linked to existing women’s networks where relevant, providing peer support and mentoring opportunities.

vii. support enhanced provision of advice services for minority ethnic and faith communities in rural Scotland. The need for advice services in rural areas was clearly identified by the Strategic Group on Rural Issues as an important aspect of building the infrastructure in rural parts of Scotland. By March 2011, we expect to have access to advice services in place in Highland, South West Scotland and Tayside enabling people experiencing discrimination in rural Scotland to access the support currently available in urban areas.

viii. implement the Translation, Interpreting and Communication Support Strategic Framework which will set national standards and establish good practice in the provision of these services. By March 2011 we will have developed all the constituent aspects of the Framework.

ix. explore the potential for a recognition service in Scotland to match qualifications, training and experience which have been acquired in other countries with their Scottish/British equivalents and to help identify any additional learning required. This was a key action of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum and was seen as greatly increasing employment opportunities for refugees, migrants and other new comers to Scotland who have much needed skills which can contribute significantly to the Scottish economy. By March 2011 we expect to have scoped the possibilities for the establishment of the service, identified any potential location and have identified with key partners what considerations would be required for such a service to function.

x. fund key infrastructure bodies (BEMIS, CEMVO, Scottish Refugee Council), for work to meet the strategic and programme level outcomes detailed above.

Going forward

Within the next three years we will also • Hold a race conference during 2009 hosted by Ministers to explore where we need to be on delivering race equality, and to focus on the theme ‘We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity’ – our national outcome 13; • The conference will be used as a platform to establish a panel to assist in developing our thinking on issues such as identity and citizenship in 21st Century Scotland, tackling racism and religious intolerance, engaging with communities. Drawn from leading academics and others

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in Scotland, the panel will provide context and expertise to enhance the development of policy; • Update the evidence base (research, consultation input and initiatives) on race equality/faith issues and discrimination in Scotland to assist with policy development and both national and local level. We will commission research into attitudes to race/faith/identity issues and the experiences of minority ethnic and faith communities in Scotland. This research will provide an important evidence base for our work, and fill a significant current gap in our knowledge and • Report on progress by November 2010.

Strategic Groups’ Reports

Many of the recommended actions identified by the four Strategic Groups1 have already been either implemented or over taken by other developments. Others have been included in the section above for priority action. For completeness, we will publish an update report on the current position on all of the actions recommended by the Strategic Groups by Summer 2009.

Conclusion

We have to believe that change is possible, otherwise there is no point in taking action. We all have a part to play in working for change and creating the kind of Scotland in which we all feel we belong and of which we can be proud. That is for us a Scotland which is fair and just and where there is no place for racism. We look forward to working with our public and voluntary sector partners and the Equality and Human Rights Commission over the next period to drive forward race equality in Scotland.

Equalities Social Inclusion & Sport Equality Unit December 2008

1 Four Strategic Groups met over 2006 to consider actions and priorities in moving forward race equality in four areas; Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market; Refugee Integration, Rural areas; and Gypsies/Travellers. More information on these groups and the reports they produced is available on our website under the relevant sections; http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality 13

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ANNEXE B: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON RELEVANT LEGISLATION RELATING TO RACE

The Race Relations Act 1976 defines the following terms:

• “racial grounds” means any of the following grounds, namely colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins; • “racial group” means a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins, and references to a person's racial group refer to any racial group into which he falls.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a general statutory duty to promote race equality on the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament and other public authorities. This means that they must have 'due regard', when carrying out their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful racial discrimination • promote equality of opportunity • promote good relations between people of different racial groups

Scottish ministers have also made subordinate legislation under the Act to place specific duties on certain authorities, for example, to publish a race equality scheme.

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ANNEXE C: SUMMARY OF WORK CARRIED OUT BY PREVIOUS EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE ON GYPSY/TRAVELLERS

Consideration of the Scottish Government Race Equality Statement in relation to Gypsy/Travellers

Background

1. In June 2001, the Session 1 Equal Opportunities Committee published a report on its Inquiry into Gypsy Travellers and Public Sector Policies. In September 2003, the Session 2 Equal Opportunities Committee agreed to review the Scottish Executive’s progress in implementing the recommendations of this report. The Committee heard evidence from Gypsy/Travellers, service providers and the Scottish Executive on how the report’s recommendations had been taken forward.

2. During an evidence session, the Deputy Minister for Communities announced the establishment of a short-life strategic group on Gypsy/Travellers. The Committee agreed to await the outcomes of this group before producing a final report and recommendations. It published its Preliminary Findings on Gypsy/Travellers - Review of Progress in October 2005 (“the Report”). The Report gave an indication of the Committee’s view of progress to date and was also aimed at informing the work of the Scottish Executive’s short-life strategic group on Gypsy/Travellers.

3. In February 2007, the Minister for Communities wrote to the Committee to say that the Scottish Executive was postponing publication of the National Strategy and Action Plan on Race Equality (which would incorporate the findings of the strategic group on Gypsy/Travellers) until the next parliamentary session. Due to this delay in publication, the Committee was unable to complete a final report on its review of progress before dissolution. The Committee wrote to the Minister to express its concern and disappointment at the delay in publication of the National Strategy and its likely impact on Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers.

4. The Session 2 Equal Opportunities Committee strongly recommended that the successor Committee complete the review of progress on Gypsy/Travellers once the Scottish Executive published its National Strategy and Action Plan on Race Equality.

Scottish Government Race Equality Statement

5. The Scottish Government published its Race Equality Statement (RES) in December 2008. The statement outlines the Scottish Government’s priorities for race equality over 2008-2011 and makes reference to Gypsy/Travellers throughout, for example:

“We should also make very clear that we include Gypsies/Travellers in this statement. During the period of the current Spending Review, i.e.

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to March 2011, we will commit significant resources towards improving the position of Scottish Gypsies/Travellers where it is in our power to do so. We have been guided in the development of this Statement by the Equal Opportunities Committee’s second Inquiry and the work of the former Commission for Racial Equality in this area as well as the Strategic Group which we convened to examine issues for Gypsies/Travellers. We have also drawn on the ongoing contacts with communities.

In addition, we propose to provide resources to take forward work in the following areas: i. develop and implement an education strategy for Gypsies/Travellers, including Travelling Showpeople, provide funding for transit sites, support community development work with Gypsy/Traveller communities aimed at laying the ground work for the eventual emergence of representative bodies for the communities, and develop further engagement work with young Gypsies/Travellers for example to facilitate their input into work to increase the relevance of the curriculum for young G/Ts. Both the Gypsies/Travellers Strategic Group and the Equal Opportunities Committee in their Interim Report, identified these as priorities for action. By March 2011, we expect the education strategy to be in place and in the initial stages of implementation, with young G/Ts having had an input into its development; a number of transit sites to be operational, 2 – 3 local representative networks to be established.”

The following is an extract of the main conclusions from the session two Equal Opportunities Committee’s, 5th Report, 2005, “Preliminary Findings on Gypsy/Travellers –Review of Progress”:

168. The Committee has received a significant body of evidence to assist it in reviewing progress achieved since the publication of its 2001 report. Much of that evidence has, naturally, highlighted areas of concern, where, for example, it is felt that there are still problems or there has been insufficient progress against the Committee’s recommendations. The Committee is, however, also keen to record that there are areas where good work is being done and where there has clearly been progress. 169. The Committee commends, for example, the work of STEP and recognises that this work is funded by the Scottish Executive. The work of the

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NRCEMH, also funded by the Executive, has resulted in the development of a hand-held health record for Gypsy/Travellers, an issue which the Committee mentioned specifically in its 2001 report. The Committee also notes that these organisations are continuing their work and have the potential to deliver further benefit for the Gypsy/Traveller communities through, for example, better delivery of alternative education provision and in developing a clearer understanding of the health needs of Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland.

170. It has been recognised that progress has been made in relation to the work of the police in their involvement with Gypsy/Travellers, particularly with regard to the policing of unauthorised encampments. The Committee recognises that there is commitment at senior level to provide appropriate policing strategies.

171. The Committee has heard that some local authorities are working hard to involve Gypsy/Travellers in their decision-making processes, to work with them on the refurbishment of sites, provide on-site facilities for education classes, private health consultations etc., involve both Gypsy/Travellers and the local settled community in consultations about the provision of sites and work in a joined-up manner both across council services and with other agencies to provide services to Gypsy/Travellers.

172. The Committee also commends the work of key groups in the voluntary sector, such as Save the Children (Scotland) and the TEIP for their ongoing work with the Gypsy/Traveller communities.

173. However, whilst recognising that these examples of good practice exist, the Committee has also been made aware that they are not widespread and that there is inconsistency across Scotland in good service delivery in relation to Gypsy/Travellers. The Committee, additionally, heard evidence to suggest that much of the good work being done tends to rely on the commitment and energy of key individuals rather than being an integral element of an effective service.

174. Where there has been progress against the recommendations in the Committee’s 2001 report there was general agreement amongst the witnesses before the Committee that it had been slow. There was praise for the Committee’s 2001 recommendations from the witnesses but a strong message was also issued that there was a need for a renewed effort to deliver against them. The Committee is mindful of the frustration expressed by, amongst others, members of the Gypsy/Traveller community who gave evidence: “… the same questions are being asked as were asked four years ago. We feel that, four years from now, perhaps the same questions will be asked again. We would like something to be done for a change.”

175. The Committee does not wish to have to go through the same procedure again in another four years’ time and welcomes the Deputy Minister for Communities’ recognition of the need to inject new energy into the matter.

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176. The continuing lack of formal legal recognition of the ethnic status of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers is a key concern for the Committee. In the absence of this status, it is not clear how they will be effectively included in policy making and service development processes. The Committee notes the opportunity presented by the forthcoming equalities review to amend the legislation by statute rather than case law and welcomes the commitment of the Deputy Minister for Communities to raise the issue of this gap in legislation at ministerial level at Whitehall.

177. Equally, given the extreme situation experienced by Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers, the Committee does not believe that generic policies and solutions are sufficient to deal with the issues they face. The Committee recognises, as was made clear in evidence, that there is a need for specific, targeted work aimed at improving the situation for Gypsy/Travellers. The Committee is also of the view, in line with its earlier recommendations, that there is a continuing need for Gypsy/Travellers to be mentioned specifically in relevant policies and procedures to make it clear to all relevant parties that they are to be treated as an ethnic group, until such time as a court decision is made or the law is changed.

178. There is clearly a continuing lack of effective engagement with the Gypsy/Traveller community at all levels and this includes the use of formats and settings appropriate to their needs. The Committee is also of the view that more investment in capacity building would serve to assist Gypsy/Travellers in engaging more widely at both local and national level.

179. The Committee has heard that there are still many issues in relation to the provision of suitable accommodation for Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers. The Committee welcomes the Scottish Executive’s provision of additional funding aimed specifically at Gypsy/Traveller sites and looks forward to hearing from the Executive how this additional money is spent. The Committee would like to stress, however, that there is also a need to take a wider view of accommodation issues for Gypsy/Travellers, encompassing, long- and short- stay sites as well as settled housing. There is clearly a need for more information both on the current and future accommodation needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community and of current and planned site provision.

180. The Committee is also of the view that there is a need for local authority housing services provided to Gypsy/Travellers to be on a par with those provided to settled tenants and to be subject to effective investment and long- term planning.

181. In relation to health issues, there is clearly still a need for a comprehensive assessment of needs for all sections of the Gypsy/Traveller community and for widespread training throughout the health service to raise awareness and ability in front-line staff to deal appropriately with Gypsy/Travellers, in addition to the specific training needed to deal with hand- held records.

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182. Having recognised that there has been progress in relation to education provision, the Committee records its concern at the high levels of bullying and racial harassment reported from the Gypsy/Traveller community in Scotland’s schools. Widespread training throughout the education services and in teacher training should deal with Gypsy/Traveller issues and raise awareness amongst all staff.

183. The Committee commends the work being done by STEP to develop alternative educational provision which includes online provision and recognises that the Executive is funding this work. However, the need has also been clearly identified in evidence to make the curriculum more relevant to the lives of young Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland and there is a need to disseminate such good practice as is available in this respect.

184. The Committee welcomes the establishment by the Executive of a short- life strategic group on Gypsy/Travellers as well as the Executive’s commitment to work with groups such as the CRE, Save the Children (Scotland), the SHRC, the Gypsy/Traveller Community Development Project and the Gypsy/Traveller community to deliver the work of the group. The Committee also welcomes the commitment of the Executive to take account of the work of the Equal Opportunities Committee and of this report in the work of the short-life group.

185. The Committee awaits with interest the outcomes of the work of this group and the hopefully positive impact it will have on the lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers. The Committee would encourage the Executive carefully to note and consider the findings contained in this report. The Committee will defer publication of its final report on its review of progress, and of relevant recommendations, until it has had the opportunity to consider both the report of the short-life strategic group and the potential impact of any subsequent activities undertaken as a result of the work of this group. As part of that process, the Committee will carefully review the outcomes of the group’s work against the issues raised in this report.

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ANNEXE D: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON THE ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTS

Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS)

The role of BEMIS is to support organisations or individuals who:

1. are defined as being discriminated on grounds of race, culture, colour, language, and faith 2. have a history of being excluded 3. have difficulty in accessing mainstream services and the decision- making processes.

The core activities of BEMIS include capacity building, co-ordination and strategic influence, identifying and addressing areas for targeted support and development and partnership working. The core activities will be undertaken across Scotland by the dedicated team of project staffs with specific remits and specialist areas of work, but with the capacity to be flexible in our approach to maximise co-ordination and cross-fertilisation of areas of works.

Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations Scotland (CEMVO)

CEMVO Scotland was set up in April 2003, with the aim of building the capacity of the country's minority ethnic voluntary and community sector. The wide-ranging work of CEMVO Scotland reflects the diverse needs of the groups it serves, varying from socio-economic regeneration, life-long learning, community participation and representation to organisational development, policy and research.

Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA)

GARA aims to tackle racism in the city of Glasgow and works to ensure that BME people enjoy equal opportunities in getting access to jobs, education, health, housing and public services. We do this by bringing together a range of statutory and voluntary agencies, as well as young black people to tackle the social exclusion of BME people caused by racism in the city of Glasgow.

Irish Diaspora in Scotland Association

The Irish Diaspora in Scotland Association exists to preserve, esteem, promote and celebrate the past and ongoing history and culture of Irish migrants and their offspring in Scotland. The Association endeavours to provide support, direction and articulation for organisations and individuals who recognise and value their Irish origins, heritage and identities whether born in Scotland, Ireland or elsewhere. Further, the Association exists to

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contribute to a society where all national and ethnic origins and identities are valued and treated with equality of respect, recognition and representation. To this end the Association seeks to contribute to the efforts of individuals and groups in Scotland who are against racial and religious prejudice.

Scottish Gypsy & Traveller Law Reform Coalition

The Scottish Gypsy & Traveller Law Reform Coalition is an alliance of Romany Gypsy, Irish Traveller, Fairground Travellers and New Traveller campaign groups committed to raising the social inclusion of these and other Traveller communities. A primary aim is to lobby the Scottish Parliament and Executive and the Westminster Parliament to introduce a statutory duty to provide or facilitate a broad range of Traveller accommodation in accordance with the aims and principles of the Traveller Law Reform Bill. The principle focus of the coalition is to close the distinction between the rights of people in houses and the rights of people in caravans.

Scottish Inter Faith Council

The aim of the Scottish Inter Faith Council is to raise awareness of the different faith communities and to build good relations between persons of different religious faiths through dialogue, understanding and co-operation.

Scottish Refugee Council

The Scottish Refugee Council is an independent charity dedicated to providing advice, information and assistance to asylum seekers and refugees living in Scotland. We also provide specialist services in areas such as housing and welfare, family reunion, women's issues, community development, the media and the arts.

Black Workers Committee – Scottish Trades Union Congress

The Black Workers’ Committee carries out a wide range of work on tackling racial discrimination and promoting race equality. The Black Workers’ Committee is elected at the Annual STUC Black Workers’ Conference. The motion-based Conference helps determine the priorities of the Black Workers’ Committee for its work plan for the coming year. The Committee’s liaison with the General Council, and Black Workers’ representation through two seats on the General Council, allows for race equality issues to be mainstreamed into the wider work of the STUC.

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Equal Opportunities Committee

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3), Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement roundtable — written evidence from the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations Scotland (CEMVO)

CEMVO Scotland welcomes the opportunity to provide written and oral evidence to the Scottish Parliament Equal Opportunities Committee on the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement.

Our general view of the Scottish Government’s approach to Race Equality is one that is strategically coherent, with the themes of; Improved opportunities, More responsive communities, Safer communities and More active and vibrant communities fitting naturally into the Scottish Government’s national outcomes of:

• Wealthier and Fairer • Smarter • Healthier • Safer and stronger • And Greener Scotland.

In our view, a lot of capacity building work needs to be undertaken with the ethnic minority voluntary sector and its communities to enhance life opportunities, to engage in civic and democratic processes, to access employment, and to increase access to services. However, in parallel to this, work also has to be undertaken with mainstream and private sector agencies to ensure that race equality is fully addressed to enable barriers for ethnic minority communities to be overcome, to for example, improve access to services and employment opportunities. This we see, is already incorporated into the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement and Scheme for 2008-11 which we commend.

In the broader context, there has to be clearer leadership from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in the enforcement of race equality within the Public and Statutory sectors. In our view, both Commissions, particularly the EHRC since it has been around for a bit longer, need to give clearer direction to the mainstream sector in the delivery of race equality. There is a real danger that race equality is very much diluted within the broader equality strands, and the introduction of the Single Equalities Bill can further dilute race equality within Scotland. Therefore, the Scottish Government must also play its part in demonstrating leadership in race equality, not only in its policies, but also, in providing direction to the mainstream sector in what it expects in race equality delivery and ensuring that there is stringent monitoring processes that measure success in this agenda. This leadership also needs to extend to Local Authorities through the Concordat, as our experiences for example have

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shown that ethnic minority groups have generally found it extremely difficult to engage in Single Outcome Agreement decision making processes. The Scottish Government is therefore doing its part in ensuring the delivery of race equality within Scotland, but other statutory and public agencies also have to take responsibility in working with the Scottish Government and other sectors in the delivery of race equality within Scotland. We will base the remainder of our written submission on some of the broad questions highlighted for discussion on the day:

1. To what extent do you consider that the measures set out in the statement will be sufficient to realise the Scottish Government’s aspiration of a Scotland free of racism, discrimination and prejudice?

1.1

In our view, the broad measures set out in the Statement will indeed go some way towards realising the Scottish Government’s aspirations of a Scotland free of racism, discrimination and prejudice. For example, the measures in community relations and challenging racism and religious intolerance alongside building the capacity of business advisors / mainstream sector means parallel work being undertaken with communities, with the homogenous population, and with mainstream service providers, works well as change must also take place within the homogenous population and mainstream institutions to enable communities to engage fully in civic and democratic life, and in decision making processes.

1.2

Although we agree with the Scottish Government’s work on tackling violent extremism, we feel that the issue affects all ethnic minority communities as opposed to just Muslim communities and therefore, funding and work should not be restricted entirely to groups that solely work with Muslim communities. For example, the issue of Islamophobia affects all communities in that people within Scottish society that hold prejudices and fear will tarnish all ethnic minority communities with terrorism. This was demonstrated when a racial attack occurred soon after the bombing in Glasgow on a Sikh person, as an ethnic minority person was targeted while faith was non disguisable.

1.3

We would agree that holding a race conference would be a good starting point in exploring where the Scottish Government needs to be on delivering race equality. Furthermore, establishing a panel to assist the Scottish Government in developing their thinking would be beneficial, through there needs to be some thought put into the composition of the panel. Also, there needs to be some accountability from the Scottish Government to the panel in terms of the delivery of race equality and achievement towards outcomes, otherwise, the panel will just become a tokenistic vehicle.

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1.4

As in any statement, measures, or action plans, systematic monitoring and evaluation processes must be developed and implemented to ensure that the measures highlighted within the race equality statement are indeed been achieved and impact assessed, and meeting the objectives of the vision created by the Scottish Government.

1.5

As a key strategic partner of the Scottish Government, CEMVO Scotland will for our part, undertake our role in working with the Scottish Government to help achieve its vision for race equality. While we cannot speak for the other strategic partners in terms of their roles and responsibilities, and demonstrating their success in delivery and outcomes, we at CEMVO have a clear programme of capacity building work that will contribute to achieving the Scottish Government’s race equality objectives. We would therefore agree, that along with the Scottish Government, that CEMVO Scotland will have responsibilities in delivering on many of the themes of the Race Equality Statement. However, we would highlight that our work alone cannot have the desired race equality impact as CEMVO Scotland can continue to undertake successful capacity building of the ethnic minority voluntary sector and its communities, but mainstream institutions and Scottish society must also change to eliminate racism, and therefore, to truly realize the Scottish Government’s vision.

As a strategic partner, CEMVO Scotland will deliver various programmes that will build the capacity of ethnic minority organizations and its communities to deliver continued and improved services to communities and also, to enable them to sustain their operations so that they can continue to work with public, statutory and government agencies in the delivery of race equality. Through our capacity building programme (s), we have to date helped the ethnic minority voluntary sector to secure over £2M worth of funding and resources, which have been vital for the continuation of services for ethnic minority communities that have been overlooked by mainstream service providers. Added to this, we will develop the social enterprise capacity of the sector and its communities through our Social Enterprise Capacity Building Programme to increase the economic and employment activities of socially excluded groups.

We will also, in partnership with Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance, continue to support the development of the Black Leadership Network (BLN), which is the only Network in Scotland consisting of ethnic minority managers from the voluntary and public sectors. The network provides individual leadership development for managers, as well as collective leadership, and strategic working in addressing the race equality agenda in Scotland. Strategic working for example, include current work undertaken by the BLN with NHS Health Scotland to provide comprehensive support and guidance to a number of NHS Health Boards in the delivery of race equality within their respective organizations. Through providing support and working with mainstream

3 EO/S3/09/04/03 statutory agencies such as the NHS, CEMVO Scotland and the BLN will contribute towards the Scottish Government’s objective of eliminating racism, prejudice and discrimination.

The funding provided by the Scottish Government helps to lever other programmes and strategic work delivered by CEMVO Scotland, which complement the strategic work undertaken with the Scottish Government, which include: • A Reciprocal Exchange Network (Skills bank) that will enable the ethnic minority voluntary sector to exchange skills and resources

• A Quality Management Programme that help the ethnic minority sector to improve its quality management and evaluation systems

• A funding support programme for the ethnic minority voluntary sector

• An Inclusive Democracy Programme supported by the Electoral Commission that increases the awareness of ethnic minority communities of democratic processes

As an organization, CEMVO Scotland will continue to work at national and local levels and in partnership with mainstream agencies, to develop strategic work in addressing race inequalities.

2. The evidence base section of the statement only considers employment rates and educational attainment for minority ethnic and faith communities; are there any other areas in which there are significant differences between groups?

2.1

While it is useful to consider employment rates and educational attainment for ethnic minority and faith communities, there are indeed other areas where there are significant differences between groups that can measure progress towards race equality. These include for example:

• Access to public sector housing and appropriate housing stock for larger sized families

• Health inequalities (such as the lack of patient monitoring by NHS Health Boards)

• Political participation (e.g. the number of ethnic minority people that are councilors, MSPs, and who participate in democratic processes at local and national levels)

• Poverty and Child Poverty

• Social welfare – e.g. access to benefits, services, etc.

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Ethnic Minority data relating to all of the above will give clear evidence upon the state of the nation in terms of race inequalities, and will be a measurement of progress on all these areas.

2.2

We would commend the Scottish Government in taking steps to address the deficit in data about Scotland’s ethnic minority and faith communities, however, these steps need to go further than just collecting data about the labour force to boost employment, as other areas are equally important.

3. The statement discusses themes of multiculturalism, diversity, inclusive national identity and cohesive communities. Are there tensions between these concepts and if so how can they best be overcome?

3.1

In our view, all the concepts need defining in the first instance before anyone can comment whether there is tension or overlap between them, and how they can be overcome. Community cohesion for example is very much a term that is being used in England and Wales, particularly for funding purposes, while in Scotland, the term community integration is more often used. Regardless of the terms, the concepts still remain in that there has to be increased understanding and bonds between all communities to enable learning about the culture and needs of diverse communities, and to increase trust. This is where the debate on national identity as highlighted within the statement would be useful, as the discussions will cut across issues of multiculturalism, belonging, racism, etc. For example, can visible ethnic minority people (particularly 3rd and 4th generation) be truly be woven (or integrated!) into the fabric of Scottish society when they may feel part of Scotland, were born in Scotland, but are never truly accepted because of the colour of their skin?

3.2

As a strategic partner of the Scottish Government, CEMVO Scotland delivers a civic and democratic engagement programme through the Ethnic Minority Civic Congress (EMCC), which is a structured platform to build the capacity of ethnic minority groups and communities to engage in decision making processes.

The EMCC currently has an ethnically diverse membership of over 90 ethnic minority voluntary sector organizations / groups across Scotland, and as well as contributing towards increasing the civic participation of ethnic minority groups, also work towards increasing understanding and community relations between communities as discrimination does not only take place between black and white communities, but also, between ethnic minority communities. Therefore, there must also be work undertaken to build “community cohesion” between communities.

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Finally, we would reiterate that we commend the Scottish Government on their proposed measures under the race equality statement, but there is still a very long way to go to ensure that Scotland is truly an inclusive society free of racism and discrimination.

Colin Lee, CEMVO, Chief Executive 3 March 2009

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Equal Opportunities Committee

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3), Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement roundtable — written evidence from the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA)

Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA) welcomes the opportunity to provide a written submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee on the Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement.

GARA began its life as a Social Inclusion Partnership and is now a thematic community planning partnership. As such, we have had a key role in advocating, campaigning and influencing development to promote racial equality. We believe we have been effective in responding to a broad range of interests needed to make an impact on deep-rooted issues and have responded to communities needs. GARA has over ten years’ experience of anti-racist work spanning, amongst other things, youth empowerment, community engagement, pioneering research, as well as in helping to mainstream race equality across Glasgow’s public sector.

GARA’s mission is to:

• protect and enhance the civic, political, economic, social and environmental rights of visible minorities in Scotland;

• develop the human, social, economic and political capital of visible minorities, especially those in greatest need.

In our work, we take a rights-based approach, promoting and utilising all the relevant international, regional and national human rights and equality conventions and pieces of legislation.

GARA applauds the high profile that the Scottish Government (and previously the Scottish Executive) has given to combating racism in Scotland and its commitment to taking a lead role in promoting race equality and eliminating racial discrimination. We see ourselves, therefore, as acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the Scottish Government and hope and trust that our experience and expertise as a specialist organisation with a strategic approach to combating racism will be utilised to help shape future priorities and practices.

We have been involved in the Scottish Government’s review of race equality work from the time (in 2004) that Margaret Curran MSP, the then Minister for Communities, announced the Government’s (Executive’s) desire to take a “strategic look at or local race equality work given the changing context in which this work is being conducted.” At the same time, a commitment was given to “undertake an appraisal of Executive support for race equality activity to ensure that it is focused on the right priorities and is delivered by the most effective means.”

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We attach a copy of the detailed response that we fed into Margaret Curran’s consultation exercise at that time for your information.

Many of the issues we raised back in 2004 are still valid today. For example, we would argue that there is still some ambiguity of what the Government means when it talks about ‘race equality’ work, and therefore, many people will continue to interpret it as being solely about service delivery to black communities, local initiatives and (separate) project work.

We note that the Statement does clarify that race equality issues are matters for all of ‘us’, but then in the next sentence still talks about ‘changes …to improve the life experiences of minority ethnic communities …will be of benefit to all.’ Our point here is that issues of race equality and anti-racism should be of concern and interest to Scotland as a whole whether or not there are any minority ethnic communities here or not!

We would assert that tackling racism and promoting race equality in Scotland should principally involve anti-racist work with the white ethnic majority and all the majority white institutions in society. However, this needs to go hand-in- hand with a purposeful investment into the key resources that black communities need to participate on an equal and effective basis.

It would have been useful for the Statement to have provided an overview of previous work in this area, both in terms of successful achievements (of which there have been many) and of lessons learned where outcomes have not been realised or reasons why previous recommendations have not been adopted.

A vigorous and open assessment of past performance is essential if we are to truly make real progress in this area. For example, whilst many of the recommendations of the 2004 review have been implemented, other recommendations have either been dropped or re-appear in the current Statement as future actions with no assessment or explanation of why this is the case. The same could be said to apply to some of the recommendations of the four Strategic Groups that reported in 2006, although we note the Statement commits to publish an update report on these by Summer 2009.

Additionally, greater recognition of the work and recommendations of other organisations in this area would have been useful. This would allow for a better Scotland-wide picture to be built up, avoid duplication and ensure that previous efforts, of the Government and others can be better built upon. For example, the Statement talks about the new relationship between national and local government and states ‘through our shared responsibility to meet the race equality duty and in the context of the new Concordat with local authorities, there is now the possibility of greater coherence across Scotland to work in this area’ but does not mention the recent Audit Scotland report on the impact of the race equality duty on council services, and in particular, it’s finding that “the duty has not yet had a significant impact on the delivery of services or on people from minority ethnic communities.”

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In terms of the latter point, and across the wider public sector, we assert that black / minority ethnic people have been absent, even excluded, from meaningful participation in the equality impact assessment processes that are now seen as the key drivers for achievement of racial equality. We feel that this has had the impact of making the whole exercise largely meaningless, as evidenced by the Audit Scotland findings. Similar conclusions have been arrived at via the work recently carried out by the Black Leadership Network into the work of the NHS in Scotland.

In relation to the evidence base (or lack of), we note that this is a situation that is continually improving. GARA for our own part have contributed to this improvement by the publication of our report ‘The State of the Nation – Race and Racism in Scotland 2008.’ We will ensure that each member of the Equal Opportunities Committee is sent a hard copy of this report, which can also be accessed online at www.gara.org.uk/sotn.pdf However, we would argue that there is more that Government could do to assist with the collation of evidence (e.g. by making data collection of the ethnicity of NHS patients mandatory).

Finally for now, we note that the UK Government has just launched a discussion paper on what the UK Government’s race equality strategy (which covers Scotland) might look like. Whilst noting that some issues are devolved or reserved, it may make sense to look at the two in conjunction with each other.

We will be happy to elaborate on these and other issues at the round-table discussions on 10th March 2009 and in further discussions with MSPs, Government, civil servants and wider Scottish society. The vision of an anti- racist Scotland is shared by the vast majority of people but will need us all to be more actively involved if we are to make it a reality.

Jatin Haria Director Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance March 2009

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THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE’S REVIEW OF RACE EQUALITY WORK

PROPOSED RESPONSE FROM THE GLASGOW ANTI RACIST ALLIANCE

A PAPER FOR DISCUSSION

Introduction

The Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance (GARA) is a thematic social inclusion partnership with a focus on black young people aged 14 to 25. It brings together those young black people and a range of statutory and voluntary agencies to take a strategic approach to tackling racism as a dynamic factor in the social exclusion of young people in the city of Glasgow.

GARA applauds the high profile that the Scottish Executive has given to combating racism in Scotland and its commitment to taking a lead role in promoting race equality and eliminating racial discrimination. We see ourselves, therefore, as acting as ‘critical friend’ to the Scottish Executive and bringing to this consultation our experience as a specialist organisation with a strategic approach to combating racism and empowering black young people to exercise rights and play a full part as active citizens in Scottish society and its institutions.

A Lack of Clarity / Definition of Race Equality Work

After careful consideration of the questions outlined by the Scottish Executive (SE) in its letter of 30 June 2004, the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance is concerned that the nature of the questions along with their lack of clarity about their meaning will result in a muddying of the water in this exercise. The SE’s definition of “race equality work” is not clear and although the assumption is made that the term is self explanatory, it is likely to be interpreted differently by different organisations (both statutory and voluntary). GARA believes that this is unhelpful, especially in a consultation exercise as important as this.

A likely consequence of this lack of conceptual clarity is that some respondents will interpret “race equality” as some aspect of service delivery, local initiative or project work. Given that the consultation is about Scottish Executive support for “race equality work”, it is not clear from the consultation papers and the covering letter from the Minister for Communities why Health Boards, Universities and Colleges have been excluded from the list of organisations and agencies invited to respond. That puzzling omission simply reinforces the message that the consultation is essentially about local authorities and voluntary organisations’ provision of services to black and minority ethnic people. I Race equality, like social inclusion, is a goal and, sadly, not yet a reality. It means, therefore, that the Scottish Executive, Scottish society, its institutions and its people are working towards achieving that goal. Inasmuch as

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organisations, communities and individuals bring their own vastly different understanding to the concept of race equality and what must be done to achieve it, it would have been helpful for the SE to state what it means by “race equality work”. Not only should the Scottish Executive have provided its definition of “race equality work”, in doing so it needed to establish a clear differentiation between a strategic approach to tackling racism in all its various manifestations and promoting race equality AND the delivery of operational services to black and minority ethnic people, whether by statutory agencies or by the voluntary sector.

The Questions Posed in the Review

The consultation document (and indeed the purpose of the consultation) appears to be based on the assumption that no guidance exists on what needs to be done to tackle racism and promote race equality in Scotland. The rather narrow questions respondents are asked to address encourage the view that “race equality work” is about funding programmes or/and operational service delivery to black and minority ethnic people.

It is disappointing, for example, that Question One is being asked: What are the main issues which the Scottish Executive should be addressing with regard to race equality? These issues have been documented extensively over the years by Government, local communities, commissioned research and not least by the Scottish Executive itself. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 shifted the agenda for public bodies when it introduced a statutory general duty to eliminate race discrimination and promote race equality. The Duty to Promote Race Equality: A Guide for Public Authorities in Scotland was published by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in 2002, giving clear guidance on the issues that require to be addressed by all public bodies, including the Scottish Executive. In providing that guidance, the CRE was mindful of the fact that there was no established practice amongst public authorities in Scotland of incorporating issues of race equality and the need to tackle racism in the strategic management of their organisations.

The consultation appears to ignore the fact that there is a requirement for public bodies to comply with the requirements of the RRAA 2000. Moreover, inasmuch as the private sector plays a key role in Scottish society and the Scottish economy and, as such, are affected similarly by and help to perpetuate the culture of racism in Scotland, the consultation brief gives no indication as to the role the Scottish Executive sees for itself in relation to that sector’s attempts at self regulation, especially since they are not constrained by the general and specific duties of the RRAA 2000.

Of major concern to us, also, is the fact that the consultation encourages an emphasis on funding arrangements as distinct from strategies and practices that have combating racism, mainstreaming race equality and establishing links between racism and other fforms of oppression suffered by black and minority ethnic people as their major objective.

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It appears to us that two fundamental questions lie at the heart of this consultation:

1. HOW DO SCOTTISH SOCIETY, ITS PUBLIC AUTHORITIES, ORGANISATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TACKLE RACISM AND PROMOTE RACE EQUALITY? 2. WHAT IS THE SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE’S ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IN GIVING A STRATEGIC LEAD AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITY IN THIS AREA?

New Issues? — What Happened to Previous Reports

Because of the lack of a clearly defined focus for this consultation, many of the questions posed in the Scottish Executive’s letter on the Review of Race Equality Work appear to cover old ground on which much has been previously reported. For example, Question Four refers to the effectiveness of funding arrangements The Scottish Executive commissioned a review of funding for black and minority ethnic voluntary sector organisations, and a report was published in March 2001 outlining a series of detailed recommendations. Many of these remain pertinent today and the consultation document does not provide an update on the progress made by the Scottish Executive in implementing these recommendations.

The Scottish Executive appears to take the first of our two questions for granted and to assume, implicitly, that the answer lies in funding special programmes for the benefit of black and minority ethnic people, including those delivered by those communities themselves. There is no indication given, let alone an unambiguous steer, that tackling racism and promoting race equality in Scotland principally involves anti-racist work with the white ethnic majority and all the majority white institution in the society. That said, with regard to both questions, the Scottish Executive has itself covered a considerable amount of ground.

In October 2001 the Scottish Executive’s Race Equality Advisory Forum (REAF) published its report - Making it Clear — A Race Equality Strategy for Scotland - which highlighted a series of areas for action, including:

• Mainstreaming Race Equality into Planning, Policy Design and Service Delivery • Race Equality Training • Employment • Reporting on the Promotion of Race Equality • Consultation with Black and Minority Ethnic Communities

The report set out a challenge to the public sector in Scotland to eliminate institutional racism. The authors were concerned that the report should not simply be a worthy set of warm words but should deliver real improvement in the day to day lives of people from minority ethnic communities across Scotland, offering practical advice on the implementation of the Race

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Relations Amendment Act. The report contained well over 300 individual recommendations.

The Scottish Executive made a formal response to the REAF report in a 43 page document. In that response, the (then) Minister for Social Justice stated that the race equality agenda was a challenging one but that he was determined that it should be followed. Giving clear affirmation to its leadership function, the Scottish Executive in its response to the report indicated that “it was keen to be an exemplar both as an employer and as a body whose activities impact on the day to day lives of everyone in Scotland”

In November 2002, the Scottish Executive published its Race Equality Scheme setting out its programme of race equality in Scotland and a set of detailed action plans. In February 2004, the Scottish Executive published its interim assessment of the impact of applying its Race Equality Scheme in the form of an ‘Annual Report’ on progress towards its race equality objectives.

It is against that background that the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance is disappointed with the parameters the Scottish Executive has set in undertaking its appraisal of SE support for race equality activity, and that the principal focus the consultation appears to be placing on that activity is one of service delivery.

A Fundamental Concern — How Well Are Public Bodies Performing

The report from the Commission for Racial Equality that (of those examined by the CRE) one in every five Scottish public bodies have failed to meet their statutory requirement to publish an acceptable Race Equality Scheme is a major source of concern to GARA as it undoubtedly is for the SE itself. We are concerned at how poorly many public bodies have embraced the recommendations of past and recent research that has pointed to where problems lie and what needs to be done to combat racism and promote race equality in Scotland.

There are few connections made, for example, between race and social exclusion. Regeneration programmes have tended to focus on ‘race’ solely in the context of social deprivation suffered by black and minority ethnic people as distinct from racism as a dynamic factor affecting just about every aspect of their existence in the society. Crucially, the recently revised Scottish Index on Deprivation did not take the opportunity in its revision to build this into its thinking.

The statutory requirement placed upon public bodies to have in place a race equality policy/scheme has highlighted the fact that many public bodies see promoting race equality as an adjunct to, if not an unnecessary deviation from, their “core business”. Independent evaluation of the race equality policy and action plan of many of those organisations has revealed:

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a. that many public bodies regard race equality as having to do with little else than improving services for black and minority ethnic people and b. that most organisations do not even have the language with which to begin to address issues of ‘race’, ethnicity, identity arid discrimination

The fact that there has been in recent years an identifiable shift in emphasis from combating racism and promoting equality of opportunity for black and minority ethnic people to notions of “diversity”, “cultural awareness” and “community cohesion”, without any attempt to demonstrate how valuing diversity or promoting community cohesion addresses the systematic exclusion of black and minority ethnic people, is another reason why the SE needed to ensure greater clarity in its statement of what exactly it is consulting about.

This consultation comes at a time when target groups and individuals and organisations among them acting on their own behalf, as well as advocates for their cause, are debating the likely impact of the proposed single Commission for Equality and Human Rights. Part of that debate centres around the growing body of evidence of the failure of the United Kingdom to tackle racism and the denial of rights to black and minority ethnic people at all levels: structural, cultural, institutional and personal.

At Ease With Anti-Racism

A scrutiny of institutional responses to the requirements of the RRAA 2000 or an Equality and Diversity audit of most public authorities would reveal that institutions are much more at ease with action to combat disability discrimination than with tackling racism and promoting race equality. The 1968 Race Relations Act arose out of the work of the national body, the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD), CARD gathered empirical evidence of the extent of race discrimination in employment, housing and service provision, including retail and public transport, and compelled the then Labour Government under Prime Minister Harold Wilson, to prohibit racial discrimination by law. That legislation was strengthened by the Race Relations Act 1976, latterly amended in 2000.

Despite years of campaigning and struggle, it was 1995 before people with disabilities saw the enactment of the Disability Discrimination Act. Yet, many organisations readily admit to embracing the agenda to tackle disability discrimination and promote disability equality with less “institutional pain” than they endure as they continue to struggle to change the culture of racism in their organisation, 36 years after the first Race Relations Act.

In the words of one Chief Executive:

“Race is far too emotive and personally challenging an issue for most white people in organisations to engage with The difficulty is compounded because whereas with disability people might admit to

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awkwardness and embarrassment, with ‘race’ they are much more reluctant to be experienced as being racist”.

It is for that reason that a growing number of black and minority ethnic communities and organisations are expressing anxiety about the implications of the new single body for the struggle to eliminate racism and promote race equality in Britain.

For all of the above reasons, the Scottish Executive’s review of race equality work should not be an exercise in managerial tidiness or in re-arranging funding and other procedures. A much more holistic approach is required to tackle racism and promote race equality, an approach which, as already mentioned, is indicated by work which the SE itself has already done.

If, indeed, the Scottish Executive is “.. .keen to be an exemplar both as an employer and as a body whose activities impact on the day to day lives of everyone in Scotland”, Scotland has a right to expect from it a more informed and strategic approach to combating racism and promoting race equality than this consultation exercise suggests.

A recent report by the Audit Commission calls for firm leadership and clear targets for mainstreaming race equality. In our view, there is a strong argument for examining to what extent those bodies which are responsible for monitoring and inspecting the quality of public services are building race equality into their framework for inspection and their examination processes.

In a report (commissioned by GARA) on Strategies for the implementation of effective anti—racist policies in education, Andrew Johnson at the University of Strathclyde noted that:

• more systematic and honest analysis of institutional performance, including leadership, with regard to the promotion of race equality is required in order to fulfil the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

• institutions should embed concepts of race, antiracism, equality and social justice within their published mission statements which follow through to effective policy development and practice

• collaborative and holistic approaches prioritising the action necessary to combat racism and racist behaviour must be developed in partnership with others

What Do Scottish Organisations Need

We believe that having regard to all of the above and in addition to the areas for action the Scottish Executive has already mapped out for itself, what is needed in Scotland is:

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• first and foremost, an acknowledgement of the fact that tackling racism and promoting race equality requires as much attention to supporting white Scotland in understanding itself, the extent to which there is a culture of racism in the society and what it must do to eliminate it, as to addressing the needs and social exclusion of black and minority ethnic people

• acceptance of the need, therefore, for public bodies, organisations, community groups of different ethnicities and indeed the Scottish Executive itself to constantly affirm race equality values and anti-racist principles and ensure that their objectives and practices are informed by and flow from them

• regulatory and enforcement mechanisms to ensure:

a. that statutory agencies discharge their duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act in a manner that reflects the fact that it is a Race Relations Act and not a black and minority ethnic people’s Act

b. that statutory agencies do not make a finding issue out of the provision of services and of access to employment for black and minority ethnic people

c. that there is clear evidence of tackling racism and mainstreaming race equality through the application of policies and procedures within mainstream budgets

• evidence that umbrella organisations in the voluntary sector are discharging their responsibility towards black and minority ethnic People according to need and not just seeing them as the responsibility of the black voluntary sector

• in addition to providing infrastructural support to the black voluntary sector, the sector should be assisted in relating their own work more strategically to the agenda to combat social exclusion and empower black and minority ethnic people to participate fully in society and its institutions

• that in determining how the mainstream and the black voluntary sectors should be funded via the Scottish Executive, the SE should require them to meet criteria which relate to the goals of combating the social exclusion of black and minority ethnic people and empowering them to participate fully in society and its institutions

• a strategic Scottish Anti Racist Partnership that can support statutory agencies, the voluntary sector and indeed the Scottish Executive itself in adopting the strategic approach outlined above to tackling racism, promoting race equality and combating the social exclusion of black and minority ethnic people

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In the light of our assessment in this response of what Scotland needs, we consider this an opportune time for the Scottish Executive to give careful consideration to the development and support of such a strategic body.

The tragic events that led to initiatives on ‘race’ in Glasgow and to the establishment of GARA need to be seen in the wider context of Scotland’s history of being in denial as far as the existence of racism in Scotland and its pernicious influence at all levels of the society are concerned. That denial of racism on the one hand and ready acknowledgement of sectarianism on the other, without seeing any link between the two, has created an environment in which structured silences on racial oppression are maintained and institutionalised racism persists.

Lessons learnt from the lmran Khan murder in 1998 and the work of the subsequent Glasgow City Council Task Force on Anti-Racist Policies and Procedures do not appear to have been applied in Glasgow itself and elsewhere as far as the management of the dispersal of asylum seekers and refugees is concerned. The racial harassment, intimidation and murder of asylum seekers have concentrated the minds of public authorities and communities alike. There is a tendency, however, for organisations to have a focus on asylum seekers and refugees and display their credentials in support of them, without much consideration for the fact that their treatment is but a manifestation of the racism and xenophobia that settled black and minority ethnic communities continue to endure.

That is as much a part of the context of this consultation as is the Scottish Executive’s desire to review its support for race equality work. We believe it also points to the need for a Scotland-wide anti-racism partnership, especially given the slowness and lack of confidence with which institutions adopt and embrace the anti-racism agenda, despite the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act.

In May 2004, the Home Office put before Parliament its consultation document: ‘Strength in Diversity: Towards a Community Cohesion and Race Equality Strategy’. In her Introduction to that document, the Home Office Minister, Fiona MacTaggart, notes the challenges facing the country, including:

The impact of exclusion and racism, the rise in political and religious extremism and segregation that can divide our communities.

Those challenges are especially evident in Scotland and as we have already noted, Scottish society and its institutions have not been facing up to those challenges to any significant extent. An independent, strategic body that can make planned interventions and be proactive with models for understanding, means of raising awareness that are appropriate to different circumstances, examples of good practice drawn from the UK and further a-field, underpinned by clearly articulated race equality values and anti-racist principles and practices is needed not only in Glasgow and the West of Scotland but to

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support the development of Community Planning Partnerships, local Councils, communities and agencies elsewhere in Scotland.

Implications for Community Planning

The Memorandum of Understanding for the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership notes among the Aims and Objectives of the Partnership, Partners intention to work together to:

Support the development of active and informed communities that can engage it and have an influence on the community planning process.

Later, it notes that:

The Partnership shall work collectively to ‘establish effective mechanisms for community engagement with a view to enabling communities to feed into the community planning structures in the city’.

The Memorandum appears to assume the existence of homogenous communities that share a common set of values and are active citizens, used to participating in democratic processes. The demography of Glasgow and the problematic notion of “community” in the context of the profile of the City seems to be glossed over totally in this Memorandum. There appears to be a managerialist if not technocratic approach to ‘partnership’ and planning which fails to acknowledge deep-seated cultural beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and divisions in Glasgow.

Partnership in planning is clearly a process through which statutory bodies, public service agencies and umbrella voluntary organisations can and do exercise considerably more power than community groups or communities defined solely by ethnicity, sexual identity, religion, faith, etc. Indeed, it is a process through which marginalized groups often become more excluded from opportunities to influence policy and service delivery.

Each of the partners in the proposed Glasgow CPP, for example, would no doubt be pursuing their own anti-racism agenda. There is undoubtedly a need, however, for BME communities and the young people in them to have a strategic focus on tackling racism and collaborating with public bodies to ensure that their policies, procedures and practices are in accordance with the requirements ol’ the Race Relations Amendment Act. Chances are that, yet again, the existence of the Community

Planning Partnership will give rise to a jockeying among BME communities for recognition, influence and funding at the expense of others, including white communities.

We believe that Community Planning Partners will be best served by an independent Strategic Anti Racism Partnership that will be able to:

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• engage with and assist individual partners in adopting and pursuing polices and procedures for confronting racism and enfranchising BME communities to exert influence upon the way services are planned, delivered and reviewed

• provide planning information and research data, as well as community empowerment programmes that can assist BME communities to develop the knowledge and skills they need in order to engage in more meaningful ‘partnership’ working with service providers and public bodies generally, while similarly assisting those public bodies themselves

• monitor its performance with respect to tackling racism in communities, especially amongst the ethnic majority population, and even challenging some of the decisions the CCP might make

• influence policy development, provide guidelines for inclusive consultation and communication to authenticate the community planning process and for impact assessment in respect of the application of equality legislation generally and the RRAA 2000 in particular.

We set out below what we believe Scotland needs in terms of a focused ‘Anti Racism Partnership’ (ARP) specialising in anti-racist strategies and practice. We are conscious that there are organisations that would consider themselves to be in the business of developing certain of these proposed functions (e.g., BEMIS, EMEC, WSREC in the West of Scotland). We believe, however, that those organisations should also work in alliance with the ARP, thereby developing a more holistic and partnership based approach to combating racism and promoting race equality in Glasgow/Greater Glasgow/Scotland.

A New Strategic Anti-racism Partnership

We propose that a new Strategic Anti Racism Partnership be established and funded, with the following objectives:

• Work with Black and Monority Ethnic People of all ages and with organisations committed to combating racism in communities in the Greater Glasgow region in the first instance, but reaching out across Scotland more generally. That work should be of a strategic nature and should not include case work or direct service delivery. Rather it should concentrate upon:-

o Empowering communities with the knowledge, skills and strategies necessary for tackling racism and promoting race equality at community and institutional levels (e.g. as experienced in education; in seeking access to employment and in the workplace; in the way services are planned, delivered and

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reviewed; in the way policies are formulated and consulted upon)

o Work in supporting white groups and institutions that are engaged in combating racism and require guidance and information on strategic approaches as well as what has proven to be successful elsewhere

o Work with white institutions and BME/white communities in operating within the spirit of the 3rd strand of the General Duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, i.e., ‘to promote good relations between people of different racial groups’

o Work to support the private sector to make ‘self regulation’ a reality and operate within the spirit of the RRAA 2000, even though only certain of the requirements of the Act apply to them.

Building an effective partnership with private, public and voluntary sector organisations

• What is meant by an ‘Partnership’ in this context?

o A ‘Partnership’ would be a working partnership with a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations that commit to a set of race equality goals and to combating racism at whatever levels and in whatever way it manifests in their institutions, organisation or groups. That work would be underpinned by clearly articulated anti-racist principles and a commitment to promoting race equality in the context of Human Rights and other areas of equality legislation.

o Such institutions, organisations and groups would need to know what they could expect of the Anti Racism Partnership and what it won’t deliver.

o Each would clearly retain its individual autonomy and decision- making procedures and would collaborate with the ARP in relation to their race equality and anti-racism agenda and their efforts to build and sustain a culture of equity in their organisation.

o The ARP would provide support to their organisations in relation to a range of strategic processes. It would provide guidance on: action planning for implementing policies and applying procedures; effective and inclusive communication and consultation, especially with members of target groups; monitoring, evaluation and programme review; impact assessment; examples of good practice drawn from across Britain and elsewhere, as appropriate.

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o The ARP would be in a position to link organisations and key individuals within them with one another for sharing skills and experience and for developing ‘Action Learning’ approaches to problem solving and working on joint projects. It would also organise practical workshops as well as seminars and conferences.

o In addition to committing themselves to pursue a set of race equality goals, those signing on to be part of the ‘Partnership’ would agree with the ARP protocols for sharing information, for commissioning research on issues pertaining to race and social exclusion, on confidentiality, for reporting on progress, for reviewing how the Partnership is supporting them and how they are contributing to its own core strategic objectives, etc.

o In this way, the work of the Partnership itself will contribute to a publicly available resource bank and will be supplemented by commissioned research in keeping with the ARP’s Strategic Plan and stated priorities, as well as by the work of its staff as discussed below.

Empowering BME and Other Communities and Developing Capacity for Community Engagement and Tackling Racism

• Developing Anti-Racist Community Development Practice

o The Anti Racism Partnership will not engage in casework or in the direct delivery of services. Rather, it will work with community based organisations and service providers to develop sound and effective strategies for combating racism through the work they do and could be encouraged to do, separately or together.

o Whilst the new ARP will target all age groups in the BME communities and more widely, it will have a focus on empowering Black and Young Minority Ethnic people and ensuring that partners in the Partnership examine their policies and practices with respect to service delivery to that sector, especially in relation to opening up opportunities for training and employment.

o The ARP will seek opportunities to work with white organisations seeking to tackle racism amongst white communities and expand services to young black people. They will be encouraged to join the Partnership, benefiting from the resources and expertise it could provide and using it as a vehicle for sharing good practice.

o it is envisaged that this work will be carried out by a team of Policy Officers dealing with themes such as:

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- active citizenship and democratic participation - schooling and education - employment and training - health and social care - housing - youth offending and restorative justice - supporting black workers in mainly white organisations - growing managers and developing professional expertise amongst Black people in the public, voluntary and private sectors o The approach to be adopted to this work should be one of action- research that would allow the staff to perform both a facilitation and development, as well as a continuous evaluation and research function

o Similarly, the approach of the ARP as a whole should be one that acknowledges that ‘race’ is but one axis on which black and minority people experience their being. Action on ‘race’ must therefore have regard to other areas of oppression and discrimination in society as experienced by black people.

o The experience of multiple discrimination that black people with multiple identities suffer must be taken into account for two reasons:

i. to ensure that action on disability discrimination; combating homophobia; gender subordination and discrimination against women, as vel1 as bullying and harassment, etc., is built on an awareness that there is a race dimension to all those aspects of oppression, and

ii. to emphasise the point that racial oppression exists along a spectrum of other forms of oppression and the discriminations that flow from them

Intended Outcomes

The new Anti Racism Partnership should contribute substantially to the following:

• A reliable and dependable source of practical support, advice, guidance and information with regard to action to combat racism and build a culture of equity

• Greater awareness of the extent of racism in Scottish society and of the practical and effective measures communities and institutions are taking to combat it

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• A more organised, informed and engaged Black and Minority Ethnic youth sector that interfaces much more confidently and productively with white institutions

• The opening up of more opportunities in education, training and employment for BME young people

• Public education about ‘race’ and social exclusion and tile links between racism and other forms of exploitation and oppression in society

• The embedding of a culture of anti-racist practice and of strategies to build community cohesion in the West of Scotland and throughout Scotland more generally.

• Less competitiveness and scrambling for official acceptance and for funds amongst Black and Minority Ethnic community groups and workers

• A more sizeable body of trained, experienced and competent managers among the BME communities in the public, private and voluntary sectors

• The realisation of the Scottish Executive’s own objectives with regard to tackling racism and combating social exclusion in Scottish society.

Conclusion

The Scottish Executive is canvassing views with respect to its support for race equality work. In this discussion paper, the Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance has sought to place this consultation in the wider context of the challenges facing Scottish society and its institutions in this period of nation building. If the vision of “One Scotland, Many Cultures” is to be a reality as experienced by all people in Scotland, those challenges must be acknowledged and embraced.

Whatever picture emerges from the direction the Scottish Executive gave to those being consulted, we believe that an approach is necessary which would add value to the individual efforts of public bodies, community organisations, community planners and the Scottish Executive itself.

We strongly recommend that the Scottish Executive give careful consideration to the arguments and proposals in this submission and begin immediate discussions with all relevant parties to determine how our recommendation for the establishment of a Strategic Scottish Anti Racism Partnership might be taken forward.

Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance 4 September 2004

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References

Making it Real - A Race Equality Strategy for Scotland - Scottish Executive Race Equality Advisory Forum (October 2001)

Review of Funding for Black and Minority Ethnic Groups in the Voluntary Sector in Scotland — Scottish Executive (January 2001)

Working Together for Race Equality - Scottish Executive’s Race Equality Scheme (November 2002)

Race Equality Annual Report — The Scottish Executive (February 2004)

Committing to Race Equality — A Response from the Scottish Executive to the Report from The Race Equality Advisory Forum — The Scottish Executive (2002)

Strategies for the Implementation of Effective Anti-Racist Policies in Education - GARA Report by Andrew Johnson, Equality & Discrimination Centre, University of Strathclyde (2002)

Directions in Diversity — The Audit Commission (2003)

CRE Scotland: Press Release Regarding the Issuing of Minded Letters to Public Authorities (July 2004)

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Equal Opportunities Committee

4th Meeting, 2009 (Session 3), Tuesday 10 March 2009

Scottish Government’s Race Equality Statement roundtable — written evidence from the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) — Black Workers Committee

The STUC represents over 640,000 trade unionists, the members of 37 affiliated trade unions and 22 Trades Union Councils. We speak for trade union members in and out of work, in the community and in the workplace, in all occupational sectors and across Scotland. Our representative structures ensure that we can speak with authority for the interests of women workers, black workers, young workers and other groups of trade unionists that otherwise suffer discrimination in the workplace and in society.

Civic Participation

There is evidence to suggest that black and minority ethnic people, and people from specific faith groups experience barriers to their participation in civic and public life. Fairness and Freedom: The Final Report of the Equalities Review describes public bodies’ increasing emphasis on involving the communities who use their services in design and delivery, but also notes that the growth in informal political activity is skewed towards participation by those who have the highest levels of educational attainment. This risks marginalising more groups.

Engaging under-represented groups in civic society is therefore clearly required if the needs of all are to be reflected. The quality of the data is variable between different strands of inequality, but patterns of exclusion and multiple discrimination are clear from the evidence that does exist.

Of the 129 people currently elected in the last Scottish Parliament election, there was only one who belonged to an ethnic minority, and only 4.1% of local councilors come from an ethnic minority background. The situation is no better in Westminster: at the current rate of progress, we will not elect a House of Commons that accurately reflects Britain’s population until 2080.

People from ethnic minorities are also less likely to vote in elections and less likely to be registered to vote: in the 2005 general election, voter turnout was 47% for ethnic minority voters, as opposed to 61% among the population as a whole.

From recent research the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) commissioned on civic participation (carried out by IDeA), black Britons appear to be less likely to be actively involved in civil renewal activities than the population as a whole. Only 42% of black British citizens said they would be willing to get involved and only 36% of Britons of Asian origin said they would take an active role in local activities. Similarly, only 20% of black

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Britons would consider taking part in civic consultations, while just 16% of British Asians would do so.

As participation in formal political activism declines, it is important that under- represented groups are equipped with appropriate skills to enable them to participate in activism around issues of concern to them. A useful indication of exclusion from these newer forms of social engagement is perhaps involvement in trade union activities, as trade union membership is growing in Scotland and trade unions continue to campaign around equalities and social justice issues.

The work of the STUC’s award-winning One Workplace Equal Rights project has shown that there are trade unions in Scotland that have an important role to play in challenging racism and supporting diverse and faith communities in Scotland. Trade Union activism is also seen as a key indicator of participation in civic life. Therefore, there remains a continued need to build the capacity and skills of trade unions to enable them to tackle racism and promote equality in Scottish workplaces.

Employment

The 2007/2008 Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance (GARA), State of the Nation Report reveals that employment rates for black and ethnic minorities (BMES) appear to be closely aligned to economic activity rates. Despite limited amount of up to date information on ethnic minority employment, overall trends in employment show that a number of BME groups, notably Pakistani and Bangladeshi men, continue to experience discrimination via higher unemployment rates, lower hourly rates of pay and greater concentration in routine and semi-routine work than do members of the comparison group of Scottish and other Whites. Women from these groups also have higher unemployment rates than the comparison group.

Of greater concern, are recent statistics from the West of Scotland Race Equality Council (WSREC) Annual Report an area which represents the highest density of ethnic minority population in Scotland. In terms of race discrimination cases by gender in 2005/06, the split was 75% male and 25% female, respectively. Conversely, this year has seen a 13% increase of female racial discrimination clients. While we welcome all efforts to increase employment rates and reduce barriers faced by ethnic minority women, this should not deter or dilute from addressing historical issues of race discrimination.

There appears to be a lack of research to determine what BMES work in which employment sector, and how to encourage more BME communities to seek employment opportunities in some employment (such as nursing and midwifery). In addition, the STUC Black workers committee have expressed concern with lack of black managers in white led institutions (both in the public and private sectors), which is concerning if this was used as an equality indicator.

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The STUC’s One Workplace, Equal Rights Project conducted a piece of mapping research around equalities and Scottish trades unions. This found that BME members and women were under-represented among lay post- holders within STUC-affiliated trades union but that insufficiently robust data was available – particularly in relation to what groups work in which sector

Clearly, therefore, a Scotland wide study on mapping of BME communities and their employment is required to be undertaken by the Scottish Government including evidence to reveal the location and grade of Black and Ethnic minority managers within the Scottish institutions.

Multiculturalism

Decisions taken by the STUC’s Black Workers Conference 2008 notes those recent attempts by sections of the media and politicians to discredit multiculturalism by holding it responsible for various social problems. In particular statements made by politicians and media coverage designed to create a climate of Islamophobic hysteria and isolate, demonise and even criminalise Islamic religious practices, choice of dress and cultural expression. The STUC regard these attacks as essentially racist.

Multiculturalism is the view that everybody should be able to live as they please, with the culture they want, so long as this does not harm others. It is a reality of life for millions of people in Britain. The alternative is to force everybody to live according to some imposed cultural 'norms'. A key plank of attacks on multiculturalism holds that Black people segregate themselves, and are, therefore, responsible for the deprivation and discrimination experienced. Areas with large white majority populations are not considered socially problematic in the same way.

Research from Prof Dorling, Sheffield University, and Dr Simpson, Manchester University, who produced a report for the government, actually reveals the opposite. Integration between Scotland’s communities has increased over the past decade. In reality, multiculturalism does work. Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow and Perth are culturally diverse, economically successful parts of Britain.

The failure of Government departments to comply with the duties of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, was highlighted by the now defunct Commission for Racial Equality. The STUC Black Workers Conference also agrees with their recommendation that legal action should have been taken.

Media

The STUC are concerned about negative representations of Black workers, asylum seekers, refugees and Black communities by the media. These poor images of Black workers have continued over a long time. These images and narratives result in a negative impact on Black workers and their communities. The media tends to ignore the major progress and achievements towards equality and the empowerment of Black workers. Therefore more positive

3 EO/S3/09/04/05 portrayals in the media are required to empower people from BME communities.

One Workplace Equal Rights/ STUC Black Workers Committee March 2009