MUSLIM WOMEN'S CAREERS BLIGHTED SAYS THE EOC
(21 October 2005)

New Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) figures reveal the gaping chasm between young Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black-Caribbean women's ambitions and the realities they face in the workplace. Almost 50% of those in employment are aiming for a promotion in the near future, the same percentage as white women. But despite high levels of ambition, and in many cases higher levels of skill and training, they are finding it disproportionately difficult to get the jobs they're after.

According to the new research, young Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black-Caribbean women are almost three to four times more likely than white women to take a job at a lower level than the one they are qualified for. And of those seeking work, young Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are between three and four times, and Black Caribbean women two times, more likely to be unemployed than white women. For graduates the figures are worse still: Pakistani and Bangladeshi women graduates are around five times more likely, and Black Caribbean women graduates almost three times more likely to be unemployed than their white counterparts .

The EOC findings suggest higher rates of sex discrimination and attitudes towards religious dress may be partly to blame. The ethnic minority women surveyed were three times more likely than white women to be asked at job interviews about their plans for marriage and children -- a violation of the Sex Discrimination Act . And one in five Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, over 90% of whom are Muslim, said they had experienced negative attitudes towards religious dress at work.

In the first study of its kind looking at the ambitions and career aspirations of young Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Black Caribbean and White women, the EOC found similar aspirations, but very different outcomes:

• Almost 50 percent of all groups, including white women, said they were "aiming for a promotion in the near future", and almost a third of all groups "wanted to achieve a senior management/professional position in their working life".
• Ninety percent of all groups, including white women, saw opportunities for progression as important when choosing a job.
• Around a quarter of all women who described themselves as "housewives", including white women, said they wanted to find paid work.
• Ethnic minority women were three times more likely to be asked at job interviews about their plans for marriage and children.
• One in five Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, many of whom are Muslim, said they had experienced negative attitudes towards religious dress at work

The EOC is today launching an investigation, "Moving on Up - Ethnic minority women at work", to get behind these shocking statistics, understand the barriers and obstacles facing ethnic minority women in the workplace and make concrete recommendations for change. It will include the particular barriers experienced by Muslim women wishing to find paid employment.

Jenny Watson, Acting Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said: "Young ethnic minority women are ambitious and keen to progress at work, yet these findings indicate they are often working below their skill level or unemployed when they have much to offer. No one's ambitions should be dashed in this way, and Britain's businesses are missing out on a pool of talent that could help them stay competitive.

As well as the benefits to the economy and to individuals, Britain's workplaces are where people from different cultures and faiths interact, giving them an important role in the building of cohesive communities. If we are truly to be a society where everyone has the same opportunities, the barriers preventing ethnic minority women from progressing in employment -- such as outdated assumptions about their role in family life or attitudes to religious dress -- must be overcome.

We urge employers and ethnic minority women themselves to get involved in the investigation by sharing their experiences, so they can help develop practical solutions that enable all women to have a fair chance at work."

Trevor Philips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, said: "We have known for some time that whatever class you belong to, your race is an obstacle all by itself. Race's impact on people's life chances is not reducing with time. The situation for Pakistani and Bangladeshi men is echoed by the experiences of women graduates from these groups who are up to five times more likely to be unemployed than white women.

"We need to ensure that women from ethnic minority backgrounds are not held back from reaching their full potential and forced into applying for jobs at the lower ranks. We welcome the EOC's investigation, which should help uncover some of the barriers. "

Margaret Hodge, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, who also chairs the Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force, said: "With the government's commitment to close the ethnic minority employment gap by 2013, this investigation addressing the specific issues faced by ethnic minority women in the workplace is very welcome. In order to address the disparity in ethnic minority employment levels, we must address the fact that many more ethnic minority women stand outside the labour market -- ambitious and talented women, as the EOC's new research shows. Finding solutions to bring these women into the workplace and helping them achieve their goals will go a good way towards helping government achieve its goals."

Gloria Mills, President of the TUC, said: "It is worrying to see the true extent of young ethnic minority women's thwarted ambition that the EOC has revealed today. This shows the true cost of relying on outdated assumptions and myths to judge any individual's potential. We need to find ways to bring more ethnic minority women into the workplace and create an environment in which they can thrive. We must challenge discrimination, which blights their career and promotion opportunities at work. If we fail to harness these young women's talents and ambitions, we'll all lose out."

Adeeba Malik, deputy Chief Executive of QED UK and Chair of the Department for Trade and Industry's Ethnic Minority Business Forum said: "If we're talking about integration, it is absolutely crucial that we find ways to engage more Pakistani and Bangladeshi women in the workplace, and make sure that ethnic minority women from all groups are given the same opportunities to thrive as white women. Integration comes about because of employment. There are also important economic arguments. We can only make the UK economy more competitive if we manage to harness everyone's talents."

Topline findings from the survey can be found at: www.eoc.org.uk/bme. The EOC is calling on women and employers to get involved by calling the helpline at 0845 601 5901or e-mailing bme@eoc.org.uk.