Public perceptions about
Ethnic minority women at work are out of touch with the times
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK
AND PENSIONS News Release (Reference: EMP-039I) issued by The
Government News Network on 21 September 2007
New research
reveals that people's perceptions of ethnic minority women in
the workplace are lagging behind the reality.
Nearly four in 10 people (37%) think that unemployed Bangladeshi
and Pakistani women face cultural and religious barriers that
prevent them from working (after family and caring
responsibilities, 43%), according to an Ipsos MORI survey
commissioned jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions and
the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). The survey also showed
that around a half (53%) of people thought that white British
women in work were more likely than ethnic minority women in work
to have a degree.
A separate study on Pakistani and Bangladeshi women's
attitudes to work and family published today by the DWP, found
that attitudes are changing from one generation to next. It shows
that difficulties in finding suitable childcare and flexible
working arrangements act as the biggest barrier to work for ethnic
minority women, in the same way as they do for women in general.
What's more, research from the EOC's own report looking
at ethnic minority women at work found that 90 percent of
Pakistani and Bangladeshi 16 year old girls said their parents
supported their choice to combine a career with their family responsibilities.
Employment Minister Caroline Flint said:
"These reports show that times are changing and that women
from all backgrounds want to work in a way that suits them. People
can't afford to make snap judgements about the many women
from ethnic minorities who are keen and able to work. If they do,
they'll miss out on a growing pool of untapped talent that
many employers are already waking up to."
When it comes to levels of education, public attitudes are also
out of touch with the times. Information from the 2001 census
shows that only 24% of white British women in work have a degree,
compared to 52% of Black African women, 35% of Pakistani women,
32% of Black Caribbean women, 30% Bangladeshi women and 38% of
Indian women.
Jenny Watson, Chair of the EOC, said:
"The gap between the public's perceptions about the
obstacles holding ethnic minority women back at work and the
actual reality is startling. While many pin the cause of Black and
Asian women's employment gap on culture and lack of skills,
the evidence, particularly for younger women, is pointing to
something very different. As the EOC's two-year investigation
illustrated, there is a generation of increasingly well qualified
and ambitious young women, the vast majority of whom tell us their
families support their choices to balance a career with a family.
We need to tackle both the practical barriers they face such as
help with childcare and better careers advice as well as
challenging persistent and outdated stereotypes. Only then will we
deliver real change."
These results are published ahead of a DWP forum called
'Closing the Gaps' in London's O2 centre on
Saturday 22 September. The forum is a joint initiative between the
DWP Ethnic Minority Employment Taskforce and the Equal
Opportunities Commission and is being chaired by Ipsos MORI. It
will be attended by ethnic minority women from across London and
employers who are committed to workforce diversity.
Notes to editors
1. 'Closing the Gaps' is an Ipsos MORI survey based on
a sample of 1,031 British adults aged 15+ interviewed face-to-face
on the Ipsos MORI omnibus between 13-17 September 2007. Data are
weighted to reflect the profile of British adults.
2. The DWP research report 'Pakistani and Bangladeshi
Women's Attitudes to Work and Family' conducted by the
Institute for Employment Studies is a qualitative study and
consisted of 60 in-depth interviews with women from the
Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities in Britain.
3. 'Moving on up? Ethnic minority women at work, the final
report resulting from the EOC's two year investigation
looking into the participation, pay and progression of ethnic
minority women, was released in March 2007 http://www.eoc.org.uk/Default.aspx?page=20050
4. In 2005, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown,
asked the National Employment Panel to establish a Business
Commission on Race Equality in the Workforce to recommend ways to
tackle disadvantage and discrimination in the labour market. The
Commission has been chaired by Gordon Pell, Chief Executive Retail
Markets at Royal Bank of Scotland, and includes employers from
across the public and private sectors. The Commission is due to
publish its report on 11th October 2007. The Government will
consider carefully the views of business leaders on how best to
support employers to tackle discrimination and promote equality in
the workplace.
Website http://www.dwp.gov.uk