**SUBMISSION TO JUST FAIR ON BEHALF OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGainsationS IN ENGLAND & WALES**

Call for Evidence: Shadow report on the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

Written by Angelique Retief, Senior Policy Officer, and Japheth Monzon, Project Officer

The Black South West Network (BSWN) is a racial justice organisation based in Bristol and working with racially minoritised communities and key strategic organisations across the South West of England. The organisation utilises data on racial disparity to inform the design of equitable solutions to positively affect racial justice outcomes. One of its key areas of focus is inclusive economic and enterprise development. First-hand experience in designing and delivering tailored business support has allowed us to identify the key barriers facing racially minoritised individuals starting and developing businesses in the South West.

This response relates to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, particularly:

Article 2 – Duties and non-discrimination
Article 9 – Right to social security
Article 10 – Protecting the family – especially mothers and children.
Article 11 – Right to an adequate standard of living
Article 12 – Right to health (physical and mental)

Ethnic minorities account for around 14 percent of the UK population (ONS, 2011) and while all British ethnic minority groups have made progress in employment, occupational mix, labour force participation, and education relative to the white majority, ethnic minorities still do less well than most white people in most socioeconomic areas (McKinsey, 2020), particularly after the impacts of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current cost-of-living crisis. The key issues identified are as follows:

The criminalisation of young racially minoritised people, especially young Black men who are over-represented in police stop and searches, are more likely to face prosecution and are over-represented in the prison system. For detailed information on this area, the Avon and Somerset’s Lammy Review Group produced a report in 2021 outlining the disproportionality in this region’s criminal justice system which can be viewed, here.
Immigration policy in the UK is deeply connected to racial inequality and the decision to outsource immigration enforcement to private citizens and service providers has resulted in the discrimination of racially minoritised individuals based on their race or ethnicity. The ‘hostile environment’ or ‘compliant environment’ policy includes measures that seek to restrict illegal immigrants renting property in the UK, driving, having bank accounts, accessing benefits, and healthcare. Convinced that immigrants take jobs away from “native” workers, are a drain on public resources, and are a threat to national culture, Britain’s attitude toward immigration is among the most hostile in the West.
Racially minoritised individuals and families are disproportionately impacted by growing gentrification. BSWN’s Housing Black and Minoritised Communities Report (2020) identifies a lack of knowledge – that of options, resources, protective systems, and aid – as a central barrier to adequate standards of living. This, invariably, leads to, barriers to homeownership uniquely experienced by minoritised communities. Such an issue is further compounded by rising property prices – for both rental and home ownership.
Racially minoritised families face greater barriers regarding adequate standards of living as well as inadequate protection of women and children. As a key social determinant of health, housing, education, and employment, income is central to tackling ethnic and racial disparities in social outcomes.
Economic inequality is affected by racially minoritised experiences and outcomes in the economy and labour market. A report from Extend Ventures shows that only 0.24% of venture capital investment in the UK went to Black entrepreneurs across the last 10 years (Extend Ventures, 2020) and only 3% of VCs in the UK are Black (Sifted, 2019). Moreover, even in the fewer cases where appropriate finances are accessed, the UK wider economy created unequal conditions where Black entrepreneurs see worse outcomes despite being higher qualified and investing more money and time (British Business Bank and Oliver Wyman 2020). In the labour market, some groups have lower employment rates and wages and higher unemployment rates, and there is ‘occupational segregation’ in low-paid, poor-progression jobs.

Overall, there is a 10% difference between the proportion of employed ethnic minority people and the overall population. Employment rates vary substantially between ethnic minority groups. The Pakistani/ Bangladeshi employment rate is 54%, compared to 75% for White British; and ethnic minority women are almost five times more likely to be unemployed with rates of unemployment at 19% among Bangladeshi women. Over 50% of people in the Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnic groups lived in 20% of the most deprived areas in England, with over half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani children living in poverty.

BSWN’s housing report (2020) observed that 26% of respondents find that overcrowding is an issue experienced in their current housing – the most common issue assessed. The report also found that 63% of those that have had issues with overcrowding come from a Somalian background, with 17% being represented by other African households, and 28% being represented by South Asian households. The ‘Cost-of-Living’ crisis has an invariable impact on the standards of living of families, particularly impacting their physical health, mental health, and education. Respondent 6 of BSWN’s Cost of Living Crisis Surveys stated: “We are struggling to pay for basic needs for our children such as electricity, and tuition fees, this has an effect on their education”. Another respondent stated:
“I don’t work. I have 8 children, 7 of my children go to school and I have problems paying for food and transport. My husband is self-employed. I also have problems paying bills. I […] take universal credit and my income is low.”
Over 50% of people in the Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnic groups lived in 20% of the most deprived areas in England, with over half of Bangladeshi and Pakistani children living in poverty. In the South West, 70% of White British households own their home versus 40% of racially minoritised households, who are also three times more likely to rent than White British people. Across all socio-economic groups, White British people are twice as likely to have at least 2 bedrooms more than needed than all other ethnic groups combined. While racially minoritised people are 4 times as likely to be living in overcrowded housing. As health is often socially determinant, it logically follows then that the disproportionate impacts of inequalities in housing and employment will have a disproportionate impact on health outcomes.
Racially minoritised individuals face barriers regarding the security of housing. The Housing Report (2020), analysing the qualitative comments given by respondents, discovered that African Caribbean focus groups experience neglect from both private and social landlords. A quarter of the sample have either been threatened with eviction, failed to request repairs due to fear of eviction, or have been evicted. Respondent 10 of the ‘Cost of Living Crisis Report’ surveys expressed:
“My children and I have been illegally evicted (rent always paid on time, ideal tenants, etc.) so that the landlords could sell the property while prices were high – three times in three years… it affects every single thing in our lives, and adversely affects our mental health and school/work performance. In addition, none of these homes were well cared for by the landlord, all had major issues that they refused to fix…”