Toolkit for ENAR’s Shadow Report on racism and discrimination in employment in Europe

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Social media briefing
2. Template press release
3. Summary of key findings on racism and migration in Europe
4. Dissemination tips

1. SOCIAL MEDIA BRIEFING

We encourage you to share the social media messages below (or your own!) on your social media platforms and ask your networks to do the same.

Tweets:

Launch of @ENAREurope report on #racism and #discrimination in #employment in Europe – with a focus on #WomenOfColour on 21 March, Day Against Racism. Stay tuned. http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

Findings:

No progress in curbing racial #discrimination in the European labour market – in particular for #WomenOfColour: new @ENAREurope report http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

Despite anti-discrimination laws, ethnic minorities and #migrants continue to face racial #discrimination when looking for a job and in the #workplace: new report http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

#Racism and #discrimination prevent people of colour from getting through recruitment processes despite their competences http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

#StructuralRacism and #discrimination mean fewer career opportunities for ethnic minorities and overrepresentation in certain sectors – new report http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

Employment #discrimination and wage inequalities cause ethnic minorities to suffer a socio-economical gap compared to the rest of the society http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

The 2008 financial crisis still has consequences on the employment situation of migrants and ethnic minorities – new ENAR report on discrimination in employment http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

The increase of informal work in several EU countries is leading to mistreatment, violence and exploitation of #migrant and ethnic minority workers http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

#WomenOfColour in Europe face multiple obstacles in the labour market at the intersection of race, gender and class: discrimination, exploitation, sexual harassment, segregation in specific sectors http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

Facebook posts:

ENAR will be launching its report on racism and discrimination in employment in Europe on 21 March, International Day Against Racism. It will bring evidence of racial discrimination in the European labour market and include a focus on women of colour. Stay tuned on 21 March! http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

ENAR’s new report shows that ethnic minorities and migrants continue to face racial discrimination when looking for a job and in the workplace, despite anti-discrimination laws. Women of colour are disproportionately affected, as a result of the intersection of race, gender and class. It’s time governments take preventive and proactive measures to ensure equal outcomes in employment.

Read the report -> http://bit.ly/1OXhLFR

2. TEMPLATE PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

No progress in curbing racial discrimination in the European labour market – in particular for women of colour

Brussels, 21 March 2018 – Despite anti-discrimination laws, ethnic and religious minorities and migrants continue to face racial discrimination when looking for a job and in the workplace, according to a new report by the European Network Against Racism. Women of colour are disproportionately affected, as a result of the intersection of race, gender and class.

The report, released on International Day Against Racism, explores racism and discrimination in employment in 23 EU countries in the last five years. Little has changed since ENAR’s last 2012-13 report on racial discrimination in employment, which had already pointed to persistent discrimination faced by ethnic and religious minorities in the labour market. Not only is there is a lack of enforcement and awareness of existing anti-discrimination laws, but some laws and policies limit migrants’ access to the labour market.

Ethnic and religious minorities have fewer chances of getting through recruitment processes. In Belgium, research showed that job applicants with foreign sounding names have 30% less chances of being invited to a job interview compared to applicants with a similar profile but Flemish sounding names. In Hungary, one in two Roma said they had suffered discrimination when seeking employment. Discriminatory recruitment practices and structural inequalities also mean that migrants and ethnic minorities tend to have a much higher unemployment rate and to be overrepresented in certain job positions or sectors, in particular agriculture, services and care.

Once in a job, ethnic minorities and migrants face additional obstacles, including racist incidents in the workplace, wage disparities, job insecurity and in the worst cases, exploitation and difficult working conditions. In Ireland, the largest proportion of racist incidents reported is in the workplace (31%). In Germany, the monthly income of people of African descent was almost 25% less than the national mean monthly net income. In Italy and Greece, migrant workers face inhuman and exploitative working conditions, in particular in the agriculture sector.

Women of colour in Europe face multiple obstacles in the labour market: they are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, sexual harassment and mistreatment, experience high rates of overqualification, as well as segregation in specific sectors, in particular domestic work. In France, women with an African background have the lowest labour market activity rate. In Cyprus, the majority of female migrant domestic workers are subjected to multiple discrimination, unequal, unfair and abusive treatment, violence and/or sexual abuse. In Belgium, 50% of discrimination complaints by women on the ground of religion (Islam) received by the equality body in 2014 concerned employment.

“It is shocking to see that so little has been done to tackle persistent and widespread racial discrimination in employment across Europe, and in particular the intersections of racism and sexism,” said ENAR Chair Amel Yacef. “Ethnic and religious minorities and migrants are an integral part of the workforce and are contributing to the European economy. But the structural and individual racism that they experience in the labour market impacts their lives, and also prevents them from fully utilising their talents. EU governments must urgently take both preventive and proactive measures to ensure equal outcomes in employment.”

For further information, contact:

Georgina Siklossy, Senior Communication and Press Officer

Tel: +32 (0)2 229 35 70 - Mobile: +32 (0)473 490 531 - Email: georgina@enar-eu.org - Web: www.enar-eu.org

Notes to the editor:

1. ENAR’s 2013-17 Shadow Report on racism and discrimination in employment in Europe is based on data and information from 23 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom.
2. The report and key findings are available here: www.enar-eu.org/Shadow-Reports-on-racism-in-Europe.
3. The term ‘women of colour’ refers to women of racial, ethnic and religious minority background, and does not necessarily relate to skin colour.
4. The European Network Against Racism (ENAR aisbl) stands against racism and discrimination and advocates equality and solidarity for all in Europe. We connect local and national anti-racist NGOs throughout Europe and voice the concerns of ethnic and religious minorities in European and national policy debates.

3. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Access to employment and the labour market

Ethnic minorities have fewer chances of getting through recruitment processes.

• In Belgium, job applicants with foreign sounding names have 30% less chance of being invited to a job interview compared to applicants with a similar profile but Flemish sounding names.
• In the Netherlands in 2015, among thirty recruitment agencies, three in four agreed to recruit only white employees for a fictive festival named 'Holland Dances'.
• In the United Kingdom, Finland and several other European countries, job offers, training or progression opportunities can rely on opaque, informal processes to which minorities do not have access.

Migrants and ethnic minorities tend to have jobs further down the hierarchy and lower wages.

• In Denmark, the United Kingdom and Spain, there are high rates of overqualification among immigrants and ethnic minorities. They are underrepresented in management positions and many of them find it hard to use their education in high-quality jobs.
• In Germany, people of African descent are highly represented in the lowest rungs of society. Their monthly income is almost 25% less than the national mean monthly net income.
• In Portugal, people of African descent are overrepresented in the secondary sector of the labour market, consisting in low skilled jobs, low salaries, few promotion opportunities, and job insecurity.
• In Spain, 28% of migrant women hold a degree university, compared to 28.3% of Spanish women, but they are still overrepresented in low-skilled jobs.
• In Poland and in Cyprus, migrant workers systematically earn less by the hour than local citizens. There have been several cases of severe exploitation of migrants and a widespread acceptance of cheap workforce.

Migrant people and ethnic minorities have a much higher unemployment rate and are overrepresented in certain job positions or sectors, which may be a result of structural discriminatory inequalities.

• In France, while the unemployment rate of white women drastically decreased in the past 25 years (1990-2014), women of colour often face high rates of unemployment due to their education and their social and ethnic background.
• In Malta, there is a striking overrepresentation of third country national males in all types of informal work since 2013. Women are highly overrepresented in domestic work.
• In the United Kingdom, Pakistani men along with Chinese, Bangladeshi and Indian men represent a high proportion of the national self-employment rate.
• In Poland, the unemployment rate of Roma ranges from 80 to over 90 %.
• In Denmark, immigrants and ethnic minorities in employment are overrepresented in sectors such as trade, transport, hotels and restaurants and the service sector.

The financial crisis of 2008 continues to have particularly harsh consequences on ethnic minorities.

• In Cyprus, the underreporting of discrimination and racism in employment is one of the direct consequences of the economic crisis. The increase in unemployment, and the stress of wanting to keep jobs at all costs are factors contributing to this situation.
• The financial crisis and budget cuts have impacted minorities throughout Europe like in Ireland where initiatives for Travellers’ inclusion had to be stopped following funding cuts.
• In the Czech Republic, Italy and Greece, informal work has developed as a consequence of the financial crisis and migration. As a result, the most vulnerable migrants can be victims of exploitative, inhuman working conditions, and exposed to violent accidents, unpaid wages and many other forms of mistreatment.

Racial discrimination

Racial prejudice and discrimination in the workplace has led to difficult and violent experiences for migrants and ethnic minorities

• In Estonia, refugees from African countries who can be identified as Muslims have experienced direct racism and exploitation by their employers, colleagues and clients more than other groups.
• In Italy, there has been an increase in racist incidents related to employment (from 16% to 18.8%), and 79% of the victims were foreigners.
• In Spain, migrant workers tend to face racist comments and disrespect of their labour contract, according to the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate. 
• In Ireland, the largest proportion of racist incidents reported is in the workplace (31%). In 40% of the cases reported, the victim’s ethnic background was Muslim, followed by African (33%).

Institutional discrimination

Legislative frameworks have discriminatory effects on newcomers.

• In Ireland and Germany, migration laws prohibit asylum seekers from working before their refugee status is determined. It can last up to 10 years.
• In Cyprus, the migration model in place foresees strict terms and conditions of employment for third country nationals: during six years they are limited to specific occupations, for a predetermined wage (less than half the minimum wage for farm workers) and fewer paid holidays.

Institutions and law-making are not fully effective as there is a lack of reporting, of awareness and trust in the available institutions.

• In Belgium, anti-discrimination laws exist but there is a lack of law enforcement, especially because redress procedures are too costly.
• In Finland, Luxembourg and Cyprus, equality bodies have been created following anti-discrimination legislation but there is a lack of awareness of these bodies. For instance, 47% of the Muslims surveyed by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in Finland were not aware of any equality body.

Women of colour

Women of colour in Europe face multiple obstacles in the labour market as a result of the intersection of race, gender and class. They are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation and sexual harassment, experience high rates of overqualification, as well as segregation in specific sectors, in particular domestic work.

• Gender discrimination in employment intersects with women’s migratory backgrounds. In France, women with an African background have the lowest activity rate.
• In Romania, 35% of Roma women declare themselves as full-time homemakers. It reflects traditional gender roles but also resignation and withdrawal from the labour market.
• In Estonia, refugees from African countries and who can be identified as Muslims (e.g. those wearing a headscarf) have experienced direct racism and exploitation by their employers, colleagues and clients more than other groups.
• Although there are no legal restrictions to wearing religious symbols in Finland, Roma and Muslim women tend to be more vulnerable to suspicion and hostility in the recruitment process. A 2017 survey found that 32% of Finnish people interviewed declared being against men and women bus drivers wearing turbans and hijabs.

4. DISSEMINATION TIPS

Who should the Shadow report be distributed to?

Below is a non-exhaustive list of relevant stakeholders at national level the report could be sent to:

• Minister of Labour and Social Affairs + contact persons within that ministry
• Minister of Justice and Interior + contact persons within that ministry
• Minister of Migration/Integration + contact persons within that ministry
• Members of Parliament working on issues relevant to ENAR (e.g. members of parliamentary committees working on Justice and Home Affairs, Human Rights, Employment, …)
• Members of the European Parliament from your country working on issues relevant to ENAR (e.g. members of parliamentary committees on Justice and Civil Liberties and Employment)
• Local authorities
• Equality body(ies), National Human Rights institutions
• Other civil society organisations working on migration/anti-discrimination
• Relevant academics and research institutions
• Key media

How should the Shadow Report be disseminated?

• Online dissemination of the Shadow Report on your website.
• Structured dissemination by post/email to key stakeholders (see above).
• It would help if you can find a volunteer or translate yourself your country profile in your language.