Mainstreaming
Equality and Diversity in the
Workplace and in Service Delivery
race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age
Multiple Discrimination
HRN are supporting the CEMC / BEAM Tackling Race Inequalities Project. Our input involves studying the effects of multiple discrimination on Black and Minority Ethnic (BME ) voluntary groups across the East Midlands region, highlighting best practice and considering case-studies of how groups are overcoming multiple discrimination. A draft report has been produced and we are now developing an action plan for the second year of the project. Look out for workshops and focus groups in your area.
Multiple Discrimination can be defined as the persistent and aggravated condition of disadvantage and oppression faced by individuals or groups when they have immutable characteristics or conditions which are each discriminated against on their own but the combination of which leads to greater disadvantage which is magnified and intensified in a compounded manner leading to perpetual inequity, injury or loss.
Multiple discrimination occurs when someone experiences discrimination on more than one ground, for instance by treated less favourably not favourably on grounds of age but also because of disability. The disadvantage and discrimination is significant and peculiar where a person’s identities intersect in a way that cannot be separated out for separate consideration.
The current legal position is changed with the enactment of the Single Equality Act by the last parliament. The forthcoming changes will facilitate discrimination claims based on more than one ground.
With this perspective the study looked at the effects of multiple discrimination on Black and Minority Ethnic Groups across the East midlands. Over 40 groups were studied to look for best practice and consider the opportunities and challenges posed.
Although the main thrust was desk top research, conversations were also had with a number of key active participants in the region. Also in depth telephone interviews were conducted.
The results gave a snapshot of
• Areas of conflict or perceptions of hazards
• Issues faced by the groups
• The level of awareness and capacity for joint working
• An estimation of the task ahead