Following on from the successful launch of the Alliance for Racial Justice report ‘A better way to tackle institutional racism’, ARE’s Policy & Research Officer, Qasim Alli, reflects on the panel discussion at the launch event.
With thanks to Timi Okuwa (CEO at Black Equity Organisation), Melanie Field (Independent Adviser on Equality and Human Rights and former Chief Strategy and Policy Officer at the Equality and Human Rights Commission) and Dr Bharat Malkani (Researcher at Cardiff University), for their insightful contributions to the panel, and to all attendees who submitted questions and participated in the discussion.
The report called for equality laws to undergo major updates to tackle deep-rooted discrimination and inequality across Britain. Over 120 people attended the online launch event to hear from our expert panel. The report was picked up in national news media, including our call for a full-time equality minister.
The panel begun by discussing how to establish productive understandings of the terms ‘institutional’ or ‘systemic’ racism that promote progress. The panel emphasized the need for clear definitions that are accessible to non-specialists and touched on the power of metaphors and analogies, such as Reframing Race’s ‘Birdcage’. The core idea this language is trying to capture is that the problem of racism is not limited to racist individuals being racist (i.e. visible acts of racism).
Rather, that systemic racism is a society wide issue; encompassing the public bodies, social norms, and political policies across the entire collective social structure that sustain racial disparities and disadvantage people who are not classed as ‘white British’. Within that, ‘institutional racism’ is about the attitudes, prejudices, and cultures within specific institutions. It can provoke defensive reactions in those who believe they are seen as purposefully racist, foregrounding the need to use it with care.
When using these terms, it’s important that language has the power to capture widespread and structural experiences of racism, whilst, if used sensitively, establishing mutual understanding that can create positive change.
“The core of its meaning is to capture the idea that the problem of racism is not limited to racist individuals being racist (i.e. visible acts of racism). [Systemic Racism describes] the racism of social customs, processes, and policies that disadvantage people who are not classed as ‘white British’.” – Dr Bharat Malkani
The discussion on legislation, its limits, use and misuse was extensive. The implementation gap between equality legislation and effectively tackling racism is vast and requires action by the government, the Equality and Human Right’s Commission (EHRC), and the public, private, and voluntary sectors to remedy. Voluntary sector organisations in the room welcomed the report’s call for the EHRC to support them in bringing strategic litigation on behalf of communities, but it was clear that more still needs to be done to fulfil the promise of litigation to stop discrimination happening in the first place. The role of the EHRC must range beyond enforcement into education, with members of the panel recalling a time when the EHRC ran grants programmes for the voluntary sector to support this type of work.
This work requires educating the public on the roots and impacts of racism. Legislation can never be the full answer to the problem of systemic racism. There will always be gaps between what the law says and how it is applied in practice. For example, whilst guidelines exist in magistrate’s courts to make sentencing fairer, we still see harsher sentencing outcomes for Black people due to internalised biases, and the underlying values and attitudes people hold.
Education is key, and schools and young people are paramount. But there are innumerable sites from which we derive cultural and social values; schools, family, popular culture – each one of these needs to be considered in the effort to end institutional racism.
“There will always be gaps between what the law says and how it is applied in practice.” – Timi Okuwa, BEO
Improving education to drive cultural change will also encourage the use of existing legislation and positive action levers across all sectors. The Public Sector Equality Duty was discussed as an incredibly important tool which has not fulfilled its full potential. Panelists agreed that we need stronger, specific duties on public bodies, such as those seen in Scotland and Wales.
Public services have a particular role in underpinning people’s life opportunities and chances, and the state has an obligation to take a proactive approach to improve the situation. There is also more to be done in the private sector to eliminate discrimination, notably in pay and employment gaps.
A Private Sector Equality Duty was considered in the early stages of drafting the Equality Act 2010; a missed opportunity considering the inadequacy of the duty today. What is clear is that incentivising and supporting both the private and public sectors to address racial disparities will involve targets and reporting, the use of positive action levers, and a well-funded and proactive EHRC.
The struggle to tackle systemic racism needs to be unified, and the priorities need to be cross-cutting and strategic, with ministerial and governmental leadership. Appointing a Cabinet Minister for Racial Equality would send a strong signal that addressing racial disparities in a serious way is of central importance to government. To address racism as a holistic public health issue, this needs to be more than symbolic.
Whatever the new government’s commitment to anti-racism looks like, it must be backed by sufficient senior ministerial firepower, with the authority and resources to ensure this work is interconnected and holistic.
Leadership is key, and people with knowledge and understanding can drive real change. Our MPs, Councilors and other elected officials have a responsibility when it comes to setting and challenging narratives and should be held to higher standards to ensure that they do not increase racial tensions.
Equally important is for leaders to ensure that they work significantly and in depth with grassroot organisations so that policies are informed by those impacted by racism. The panel called for follow up work with affected communities beyond consultations, and for shared decision making to be championed alongside involving communities in implementation. Addressing the chronic underfunding in the voluntary and community sector is crucial to this work. We need allies, but we also need to be in the room when decisions that impact our lives and futures are made.
Organisations like the Alliance for Racial Justice have a role to play in bringing people together, keeping lines of communication open, and encouraging meaningful and strategic conversations. We hope this report and the attendant discussions outlined here can be part of this work.
Author: Qasim Alli, Policy & Research Officer