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Race on the Agenda

Race on the Agenda

Race on the Agenda (ROTA) is one of Britain's leading social policy think-tanks focusing on issues that affect Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. Originally set up in 1984, ROTA aims to increase the capacity of BAME organisations and strengthen the voice of BAME communities through increased civic engagement and participation in society.

ROTA's Articles of Association state that the charity is set up "to work towards the elimination of racial discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity, human rights and good relations between persons of different groups".

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ROTA's policy work is evidence based in the sense that everything we do is informed by the views and real life experiences of BAME communities and the organisations that are set up to serve them. We collect this evidence through:

  1. In-depth, research reaching the most marginalised groups in the country
  2. The ROTA based networks of MiNet and TJF
  3. National and regional events, consultations and conferences
  4. The ROTA membership to national and regional policy and decision making bodies
  5. Working in partnership with others.

ROTA's current priority policy areas are:

For historical and demographic reasons, our work prioritises London, but our activities and a number of our projects have national and international significance. To this end we work in close partnership with our membership and others interested in race equality, human rights and the promotion of good relations.

Our presence in London is enhanced by our regional networks, MiNet and TJF.

MiNet is the London focused BAME network of networks, which joined ROTA in 2002 to strengthen the voice for London's BAME Third Sector in the development of regional policy.

Transformative Justice Forum (TJF) is a regional forum bringing together key criminal justice organisations from across sectors to work in partnership at a strategic level to provide policy support and representation of issues affecting groups that are highly victimised.

Nationally, ROTA is leading on the "Winning the Race Coalition" of third sector organisations aiming to influence race equality legislation.