1. Equality and Human Rights Policy News
Single Equality Bill- ROTA to Give
Evidence To the House of Commons
ROTA has been asked to give oral evidence
on the Single Equality Bill to the House of Commons special committee. The
panel will be giving evidence on race, sexual orientation and transgender
issues. The ROTA led Winning the Race
Coalition along with the Runnymede Trust will give evidence around the key
concerns raised in its original statement and the letters that followed it
(see www.rota.org.uk for more
information and for details of how to join the Coalition). Please contact Pavan Dhaliwal on pavan@rota.org.uk for further details.
Equality and Human Rights Commission Roundtables to Discuss Bill
On June 3rd the EHRC have called for a meeting with the Winning the Race
Coalition and BAME organisations to discuss the new
Equality Bill with the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Trevor Phillps. ROTA
will be attending along with other members of the coalition. On June 1st, ROTA will join other coalitions formed to influence the
Bill such as the TUC to discuss with the EHRC how to best work together with
common goals to achieve the maximum impact. Contact Pavan
Dhaliwal at pavan@rota.org.uk
for further details
Government consultation on tackling race inequality in the UK
ROTA submitted a response to the
Communities and Local Government (CLG) consultation Tackling race
inequalities: A discussion document. The consultation sought views on a new
government-wide approach for race equality. The ROTA
response included issues surrounding the Single Equality Bill and the impact
that this would have on any race strategy. This was an important consultation
for the BAME third sector as it provided an opportunity to influence
Government’s race equality strategy and any associated funding, wider
policies and engagement mechanisms. It is also an opportunity to ensure that
the valuable role of the BAME third sector is recognised.
To view the ROTA response click HERE. Please
contact Pavan Dhaliwal at pavan@rota.org.uk for further details
DNA Database consultation
The Home Office is currently consulting on DNA and fingerprint information
in terms of how long they should be kept on the national database. This is
both a race equality and human rights issue given the disproportionate number
of Black men currently on the database. This is a very important consultation
for BAME communities and the organisations that
they serve. The Home Office states that ‘The paper sets out the
benefits of DNA and fingerprints in detecting offenders and helping to bring
them to justice. It also sets out proposals to introduce clearer and more
transparent safeguards for the individual. It aims to provide a proportionate
balance between protecting communities and protecting the rights of the
individual.’ ROTA would encourage
criminal justice BAME third sector organisations to
take part in this consultation, especially those representing BAME
experiences. For full details of the consultation please visit http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2009-dna-database/.
For information on ROTA’s work on criminal
justice and disproportionality please visit the ROTA website of contact pavan@rota.org.uk.
2. Health Inequalities Policy News
Inquiry into Parkinson’s – a BAME perspective
ROTA recently submitted evidence to the
All Parliamentary Group Inquiry into Parkinson’s Disease. As health is
a policy priority for ROTA it was important
for us to take part in this consultation, and we were the only submission
offered that had a race specific perspective. Please click HERE
to download the full submission or visit ROTA’s
website for details. For further information on this submission or ROTA’s
policy priorities for this year please contact carlene@rota.org.uk or pavan@rota.org.uk.
Consultation on Alcohol Misuse- Safe, Sensible and Social
The Department for Health and the Home Office continue their consultation
on alcohol misuse and abuse with a consultation focusing on managing the sale
of alcohol. Given the disproportionate impact that alcohol and other
substance abuse has on certain BAME communities, ROTA
took part in this consultation at the beginning of last year, by attending a stakeholders consultation seminar. ROTA
would encourage BAME groups to remain engaged with this work. At ROTA we are currently drawing together all work on health
that we have completed in recent years, as well as recent policy changes and
consultation, ready for a paper to be circulated later this year. For more
information on the consultation please visit http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2009-alcohol/.
For information on ROTA’s work on health please contact carlene@rota.org.uk.
Department of Health report on health inequalities
ROTA welcomes the Department of Health
publication ‘Tackling health inequalities: 10 years on’. The
report reviews developments in health inequalities over the last 10 years
across government. From the publication of the Acheson report on health inequalities
in November 1998 to the announcement of the post-2010 strategic review of
health inequalities in November 2008. It covers developments across
government on the wider social determinants of health, and the role of the
NHS. It provides an assessment of developments against the Acheson report,
reviews a range of key data sets covering social, economic, health and
environmental indicators, and considers lessons learned and challenges for
the future. Click HERE
for the report. ROTA will be developing its
work around the area of mental inequalities in 2009. Contact Pavan Dhaliwal at pavan@rota.org.uk for further details.
3. MiNet and London Specific Policy
News
London’s
BAME Third Sector: Managing the Economic Downturn Event
On Tuesday 30th June MiNet will launch the
findings and recommendations from evidence-based research carried out by MiNet, it explored the impact the economic downturn is
having on the BAME and Equality Third Sector, and the different methods the
sector have adopted to manage the changing environment. The event will be an
opportunity for funders, decisions makers, policy makers, BAME infrastructure
organisations and mainstream infrastructure bodies
to come together to hear and discuss the challenges and opportunities
presented by the recession. For further details about the event or to
register for a place online, please visit MiNet’s
webpage at http://www.rota.org.uk/pages/MiNet_Activities.aspx.
This event is free for Third Sector organisations.
The Loss of More Specialist Services
MiNet joins the Black Training and Enterprise
Group in offering support to the Local Employment and Access Project (LEAP),
one of England’s
most successful black-led employment providers. LEAP are
one of England’s
most successful black-led employment providers, which is facing closure due
to a lack of public funding. Calls have been made for the Mayor of London and
the Government to intervene to ensure that BAME communities continue to
receive vital help in tackling unemployment during the recession. A petition
has been established by LEAP asking individuals and organisations
to support the call for continued funding. For more information or to sign
the petition to keep LEAP open visit www.leap.org.uk.
MiNet Encourages London Council Funded Organisations
to Join LDAN
London Destitution Advice Network.(LDAN) would
like to invite all London Council funded organisations
working with destitute asylum seekers to join the network. LDAN (the London Destitution
Advice Network). This is an informal network of London based non-statutory organisations who work with destitute asylum seekers. At
the moment, there are 27 organisations in the
network. LDAN facilitates the sharing of expertise and skills between advice
agencies, refugee community organisations and
others working with destitute asylum seekers in London. If you are interested in doing so,
please contact Marie-Anne Fishwick at Marie-Anne@asaproject.org.uk
or 020 8686 1888
New funding website to be launched in June
MiNet supports plans to launch a new funding
website named Funding Central. Funding Central will be launched in June and
will be managed by NCVO, providing details of over 4,000 income
opportunities, focusing on grants, contracts and loan finance. The website
will give viewers a wide range of tools and resources to help identify and
manage the most appropriate income source for any particular organisation. MiNet welcomes
this news as many BAME organisations are often
overwhelmed with the task of finding appropriate funding. To receive further
information email sfp@ncvo-vol.org.uk.
Free Courses for Refugees
Refugees Into Jobs supported by the London Development Agency are offering
free courses in ESOL and Community Interpreting. Travel expenses and
childcare will be provided. The eligibility is to be or have been a refugee
or having Indefinite leave to remain and live in London. `Clients need to provide their Home
Office documents and proof of address to see an advisor and register. Please
contact Bahar Nassiri on
020 8908 4433 for further details.
4. BAME National Policy News
Consultation on Giving Children and Young People a Right to Appeal
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is currently consulting
on giving the right to children and young people the right to appeal against
exclusion and SEN referrals. This aims at giving young people over the age of
16 the right to appeal if they are excluded from school as well as assessing
whether the current system sufficiently support young people to exercise
their right to appeal. According to the DCSF, ‘In line with the
Government’s commitment to give young people more say in the processes
and decisions that affect them, this consultation seeks the views of children
and young people, parents, carers, governing
bodies, local government, school staff, teaching and support staff unions
(including professional bodies), Tribunal and independent appeal panel
members, associated representative organisations
and the voluntary sector’. Given the disproportionate number of black,
mixed Black Caribbean/White and Irish Traveller
children excluded from school, appeal procedures are a specific concern for
BAME communities and the organisations that serve
them. For more information on this consultation please HERE
The consultation closes on 28th July 2009.
Report on ethnicity and child poverty
ROTA welcomes the report ‘Ethnicity
and child poverty’ which was published by the Department for Work and
Pensions. The report considers why the child poverty rates observed for BAME
groups are higher than the national average. The report also examines a range
of measures and indicators to build up a detailed picture of how poverty
varies across and within ethnic minority groups. Please click HERE to
see the report.
Capacitybuilder’s Campaigning programme
ROTA have
supported the Capacitybuilders stakeholder paper on its proposed Campaigning Programme. It appears to be a very interesting programme and a positive move, which will benefit the
type of work we BAME Third Sector and equalities organisations
communities that benefit from this work. The £750,000 programme is designed to support campaigning amongst organisations that represent vulnerable groups. It is to
be developed and delivered over two years, with packages of grants and
support services to be provided to up to 30 groups. Along with enabling
campaigning projects, the programme will generate
learning about effective approaches to campaigning. See capacity builders
website for further details, http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/
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