This campaign is to support organisations interested in proactively reducing the unemployment rate of people of migrant descent in Ireland generally, and more specifically, to reduce the unemployment rate of people of Black African descent. When you say #BlackLivesmatter, what do you mean? The idea that migration affects socio economic outcome is widely accepted. There is however, no integration without jobs. We are constantly approached by people of migrant descent about the difficulty they encounter when navigating the labour market in Ireland. The 2016 Census statistics shows that skin colour and nationality of descent influence the labour market differential among groups. Pre-Covid 19, the unemployment rate in Ireland was 5.4%. When you look at specific nationalities and groups, Western Europeans have an unemployment rate between 5-9%, Eastern Europeans 13-17% and People of African descent at 43 -63%. Although race is widely acknowledged as an illusion that is socially constructed, skin colour and nationality of descent continue to influence socioeconomic outcomes.
Various studies across Europe that measure the experience of discrimination indicate that the highest levels of discrimination based on ethnic or immigrant background are in the area of employment, and are higher towards non-White minorities. These studies show that skin colour, foreign sounding first or second names, accent and nationality of origin were the main reasons cited by respondents for their experience of discrimination. In 2019, people of migrant descent, particularly people from the Black community in Ireland reached out to Dr Joseph, on publication of her article on discrimination against credentials in Black bodies. She was approached with story after story of the difficulty, discrimination, microaggressions Black and White migrant workers experienced in the workplace. Just like in the stories in the article, many who approached Dr Joseph, shared stories of their under employment in the labour market. The brain waste, where people with skills and education are working four to five academic levels below their highest level of credentials. While this has a psychological impact on those who suffer from this process, it also means that Ireland is deprived of skilled labour. This is a lose – lose situation.
This campaign is to ensure that people of migrant descent in Ireland have the same opportunities as everyone else. It is to make sure that the furthest behind are addressed. It will tackle the anti-Black racism in the workplace. Please join us to reduce the under employment and the high unemployment rate among the Black community in Ireland from 43% to 20%. Join us and #Add1 #Add1More
For more details, please contact Dr Ebun Joseph Director IABS