3
ISSUES: Racial & Ethnic Discrimination
Chapter 1: Racism & discrimination
playgrounds. Wherever this type
of racial harassment occurs it can
have a very detrimental effect on
the quality of a person’s life. Racial
harassment can happen anywhere
by anyone, even by public authority
figures. Harassment is unlawful on
the grounds of national origins,
ethnicity and race. However, it is not
unlawful on the grounds of colour
and nationality.
Enforcing your rights
Racial discrimination, harassment or
victimisation should not be tolerated
and anyone who has been subjected
to this practice should enforce their
rights. In employment situations the
matter should be taken to a supervisor
or Human Resources department. If this
doesnot put anend to thediscrimination
or a resolution is not found then it could
lead to an employment tribunal.
Outside of the working environment
there are a number of sources of
support such as the Equality and
Human Rights Commission*. Lawyers
will also be able to give advice on the
best course of action to take if race
discrimination has occurred. Stamping
out racial discrimination will not happen
overnight but standing up for your
rights is the only way to create a free and
equal society.
As the future creators of our society it
is very important that young people’s
rights are enforced if they are infringed
upon. Young people can be very
vulnerable when it comes to abuse of
their rights and they should be made
aware of their rights from an early age.
* If you believe you have been
discriminated against, contact the
Equality Advisory and Support Service
on 0808 800 0082 or via their website
10 February 2016
Ö
Theabove information is reprinted
with kind permission from Civil
Rights Movement. Please visit
for further information.
© Civil Rights Movement 2017
Multicultural Britain in the
21st Century
Executive summary fromtheOpiniumreport
Aquestion
of identity and equality in multicultural Britain
.
7
0 years ago in Britain issues
of race and identity were
unfamiliar to most, in a country
that looked very different from today.
However, since then the face of the
nation has changed rapidly. Within
the lifetime of the baby boomer
generation, the UK has gone from a
country where almost all communities
were single faith and monocultural, to
a society where one in ten are ethnic
minorities.
The prevailing view about the 1950s
through to the 1980s is that we didn’t
handle this transition particularly well.
Each new wave of immigration from
another part of the Commonwealth
sparked a reaction, often negative,
that resulted in rushed legislation to
extend restrictions on future entry into
Britain. Those who had already arrived
often felt targeted by politicians
and the authorities – the stop and
search powers from the sus laws were
particularly resented.
Yet, there is a feeling that since the
1990s the political landscape and
social attitudes have changed. This
process began slowly with John Major,
who made the first tentative steps
towards supporting gender, racial and
sexual equality. But it was during the
premiership of Tony Blair that Britain
appeared to become far more at ease
with the multicultural society it had
become.
Our report looks into whether we
truly have become comfortable with
the multicultural society we’ve grown
into, from both sides of the divide.
Our insight certainly suggests that we
think we have become more tolerant
as a country, and this appears to be
reflected in the hopes and beliefs of
ethnic minorities in the UK.
But these encouraging signs still don’t
change the fact that some still feel
discriminated against. Our report tries
to help improve our understanding of
multi-ethnic Britain, by exploring our
differences as well as our similarities.
Minorities in Britain still suffer
discrimination despite progress
over the last 20 years
20 years ago earnest attempts to come
to terms with Britain as a multiracial
society were only just beginning. Just
under half (48%) of UK adults think
that the United Kingdom has become
a less racist country in that time, with a
similar proportion of ethnic minorities
(46%) agreeing.
However, progress has been limited.
Seven in ten (71%) ethnic minorities
think that racist beliefs are still widely
held in the UK but are not openly
Proportion of ethnic minorities who have been victims
of racial discrimination split by religion
All
ethnic minorities
Christian
ethnic minorities
Muslim
ethnic minorities
Hindu
ethnic minorities
Non-religious
ethnic minorities
Frequently
Several times
Once
Never
7%
3%
14%
10%
3%
30%
27%
30%
21%
36%
18%
23%
20%
21%
21%
42%
49%
36%
46%
43%
Source:
Aquestionof identityandequality inmulticulturalBritain
,Opinium,August2016
