InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Measuring inter-racial inequalities in the labour market: issues, facts and challenges by Manuela Tomei InFocus Programme on the Follow-up to the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, ILO Geneva UN Panel on Follow-up to Durban Declaration (Geneva, 26 October 2004)

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Data gathering: key to address discrimination in employment and occupation Data gathering is essential to: a) broaden the knowledge base on discrimination b) set targets and benchmarks to measure progress towards equality c) inform policy choices d) influence budgetary allocations; and e) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Employment statistics and « people of African descent »  How do we identify « people of African descent » and what distinguishes them from other racial/ethnic groups?  The term « people of African descent»: useful as a broad notion to highlight the specific circumstances of people commonly referred to as « blacks »,  but too vague to serve as a basis for data collection  The notions of « race », « colour » or « ethnic origin » or a combination of these and other variables may be more helpful in this regard

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office The challenge of gathering statistics on the racial/ethnic composition of national societies Traditionally, there has been a certain resistance towards collecting statistics on the racial/ethnic composition of national societies Why is it so? Because of: A.Governements’ fear that revealing inter-racial/ethnic inequalities may: undermine social cohesion or put them under pressure B.Racial/ethnic groups’ worry that information may: be used to their detriment or reinforce prevalent negative racial stereotypes

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office The challenge of gathering statistical data on the racial/ethnic composition of national societies  There is no international classification system for « races » or ethnic groups; this does not permit comparisons between countries  Many countries do collect this type of statistics or are reviewing their racial/ethnic national classification systems  The type and combination of variables used to define racial/ethnic groups and the ways data are gathered vary by country and over time

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office The challenge of gathering statistical data on the racial/ethnic composition of national societies Information can be gathered in three ways: through self-identification through observation through the analysis of peoples’ DNA.

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Labour market inequalities and discrimination Agreement on the existence of racial/ethnic disparities Divergent views on the causes of these disparities and the extent to which discrimination is an explanatory factor A correct analysis of these disparities is crucial because of the implications for policy Racial/ethnic discrimination at work involves more than one dimensions,hence the need for a set of labor market indicators to measure racial/ethnic equality or inequality

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Labour market inequalities and discrimination Suggested set of labor market indicators for measuring racial/ethnic inequalities and racial discrimination: the gap between the educational attainments of the dominant and the subordinate racial/ethnic groups the distribution of different racial/ethnic groups (both dominant and subordinate) between different occupations and related earning levels differential in earnings between dominant and subordinate people with otherwise similar characteristics the gap in employment and unemployment rates

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Three case studies: Brazil, Britain and the USA Brazil  The myth of Brazil as a « racial democracy » has been challenged in the past 20 years  Race and class –based discrimination: key determinants of the disadvantaged socio-economic position of « blacks »  National classification system (used both by the National Census and the PNAD as of 1990): based on « colour » and « race »  Five categories used: « branco », « pardo », « preto », « amarelo », and « indígena »; the « pardos » and the « pretos » make up the « blacks »  Method of data collection: self-classification and observation  In 2000, the « blacks » represented 45.2% of the total population and 44.5% of the EAP

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Average labour income by sex and race Average income of all jobs (Jan. 2002, REAIS) White men White women Black men Black women Occupied people of 16 years and more, of all educational levels

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Graph 2: Umployment rate, by race and sex, EAP of 16 years and more for all educational levels Black women White women Black men White men

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Three case studies: Brazil, Britain and the USA Britain  Changes in the national racial classification system reflect changes in migration patterns  In 1991 the Census asked, for the first time, a question about the etnic group affiliation of respondents and identified nine categories  The 1994 Fourth National Survey identified 12 ethnic groups (those of the Census +other three) and asked two questions: one about the repondents’ ethnic group affiliation and one about their family’s origin  Since the 1960s relative progress in the relative employment and earning levels of ethnic minorities compared to « whites »  Old « White-Black » divide has been replaced by a new racial hierarchy with « Whites », « Chinese » and « African Asians » at the top, the « Bangladeshis » and « Pakistanis » at the bottom, and the « Caribbeans » and « Indians »in the middle

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Three case studies: Brazil, Britain and the USA USA  The notion of « race » prevails over that of « colour » (« one drop rule » according to which African ancestry is essential to classify a person as African American)  Changes in national racial classification system reflects changes in migration patterns  Since 2000, the Census has identified15 racial ethnic/ groups; previously, since 1977, only 4 categories were included (« White », « Black », « Asian » and « Amerindian »); self-classification is the method used to gather information  Racial/ethnic socio-economic disparities are very large: between 1970 and 1990 poverty trends for « African Americans », « Hispanics » and « Whites » remained almost unchanged, but in the 1990s poverty declined significantly for all groups, most particularly for « African Americans »  The ratio of the « African American » median family income to the « white » median family income was 0.51% in 1970 and 1992 and increased to 0.59 in 1999

InFocus Programme on Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labour Office Final remarks  Racism and racial/ethnic disparities are universal phenomena, but their manifestations and intensity vary by country  Collecting regular, accurate and reliable data on the socio- economic status of racial/ethnic subordinate groups and comparing them with that of dominant groups is essential to combat racism at work  Racial/ethnic classification systems, and related categories, and methods of data gathering are country-specific and are not fixed  Irrespective of national circusmtances, self-identification is a recommendable method for gathering labour market data by race or ethnicity  As racism involves more than one dimension, a set of labour market indicators seems in order to monitor progress (or lack of it) in fighting racism at work