“New research published today by the Fawcett Society and the Government Equalities Office reveals that ethnic minority women leaders need to overcome significant institutional obstacles to achieve success.”

This research was in fact published early this year in May.

“The Routes to Power research study interviewed 23 of the most high profile ethnic minority women in politics and the public, private and voluntary sectors in the UK, including politicians, CEOs and Directors. It found that the gap between policy and practice is so wide that two new forms of organisational discrimination are developing:

Tokenism: organisations are placing ethnic minority women in senior roles to improve their organisations’ equality credentials. As a result, senior ethnic minority women are facing widespread assumptions that they are not in their roles because of their own merit or abilities.

Typecasting: ethnic minority women are being streamed into equality and diversity roles even where their training and professional skills lie elsewhere. This represents a huge mismanagement of resources in the labour market.

Tokenism and typecasting are seen as more prevalent and pronounced in the political and public sectors. The private and voluntary sectors were seen to be more progressive by the women in the study.”

How much is this true about these diversity roles-I’ve noticed this a lot.

And the tokenism thing…yes BUT run with it and do a brilliant job.

This is a really interesting report-no major surprises and what you assumed and knew already but at least it simply clarifies it for people who think that there are no more struggles ahead or that introducing a need for race equality in a company due to governmental procedures is a good thing…

More via Fawcett.

Fawcett is coordinating a three year campaign on the experiences of ethnic minority women in the UK. Focusing on what we can learn about women’s rights by looking at both race and gender, the campaign aims to increase the profile and impact of ethnic minority women’s priorities amongst decision-makers. This year we will be focusing on women living in poverty and violence against ethnic minority women.

Further information, Stacey.ogg@fawcettsociety.org.uk

or go to Fawcetts site directly.