We talk about Welsh Government’s plans to have your views on their race equality action plan, and how you can help shape the future of an anti-racist Wales.
WHY WE NEED CHANGE
The unequal impact of Covid-19 on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, has magnified the inequities that still exist between ethnically diverse and white ethnic groups.
The development of multiple well-intentioned equality strategies, policies and funded initiatives have not done enough to tackle the racial inequalities that exist in Wales. The systemic and institutional disadvantage experienced by ethnically diverse people starts at birth and continues through education, employment and beyond:
- black women in the UK are five times more likely to die in pregnancy than white women[1]
- it’s unlikely that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic children will be taught by someone that looks like them and, according to Show Racism the Red Card, 4 out of ten have experienced racial discrimination[2]
- people living in households in Wales where the head of the household is from a non-white ethnic group are more likely to be in relative income poverty compared with those where the head of the household is from a white ethnic group[3].
Welsh Government has acknowledged this lack of progress and has responded to calls for a standalone strategy by creating its Race Equality Action Plan. Welsh Government’s vision is for Wales to be actively anti-racist, to incite real change, and the ambition is to achieve this through an action-oriented, practical plan.
ABOUT THE PLAN
Welsh Government is seeking your views on a race equality action plan that will help make Wales anti-racist. The plan is evidence based and co-produced. It’s been guided by a rapid evidence review, undertaken by the Wales Centre for Public Policy and developed in close consultation with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people.
The plan includes high level goals, actions and outcomes for thirteen policy themes and cross-cutting issues.[4]
Through the implementation of these actions, Welsh Government wants its vision of a Wales that is anti-racist realised by 2030. A Wales where, for example:
- we “call people out on racism” when we see it
- people are no longer asked “where do you come from”
- equitable and culturally appropriate services are provided
- all our different lived experiences are heard and advocated for
- organisations are motivated to comply with the Equality Act 2010
You can find out more about the plan on Welsh Government’s website.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Do you think it will be effective? Do you think it’s achievable or perhaps not ambitious enough? What, if anything, has been missed?
Let Welsh Government know what you think. The plan is open for consultation until the 15 July.
[1] https://gov.wales/a-race-equality-action-plan-html
[2] https://gov.wales/a-race-equality-action-plan-html
[3] https://gov.wales/a-race-equality-action-plan-html
[4] https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2021-03/race-equality-action-plan-an-anti-racist-wales_2.pdf