Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone welcomed the ‘Moving On Up: Ethnic minority women at Work’ report released by the Equal Opportunities Commission today.

The report, which was based on two-year study- the largest of its kind in Britain, found that Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean women are facing intense discrimination in getting jobs and winning promotion. In addition they are suffering extreme pay inequality and are more likely to be segregated in certain types of work despite having good qualifications and strong motivation. The report also shows that there is a substantial full-time pay gap for women from all ethnic groups relative to white men, and that Pakistani women working full-time suffer a pay gap of 28 per cent, the highest of any group by this measure.

The report points out that racism, sexism and anti-Muslim prejudice based on widespread stereotypes make it harder for ethnic minority women to integrate in the workplace and to get promoted.

Welcoming the report, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said:

‘This report further proves that discrimination is the cause of inequality of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and black Caribbean women and debunks the myth that inequality can be dismissed as the result of so-called 'choice' or cultural factors. The pay and employment discrimination inequality being experienced by these women is unacceptable and demands action.

'The Government has an opportunity, through the Discrimination Law Review, to introduce the changes necessary to ensure that the recommendations in the Equal Opportunities Commission's report are given the backing of law. This would mean that employers were obliged to find out and publish and act on data on where black and Asian women were in their workforces, that there were more adequate rights to flexible working and that racism was properly tackled, in both the public and private sectors. The Discrimination Law Review is also an opportunity to introduce the changes needed to ensure that legal rights are more adequately enforced.'

‘London is a multicultural city and the contribution of ethnic minorities is vital to its success. London's employers need to act on these findings and the Government should ensure that the law is fully fit to root out discrimination.’

He continued:

‘The Women in London's Economy report year on year has demonstrated that London has a wider gender pay gap and, as the result of occupational segregation and the glass ceiling, are clustered into a narrow range of occupations, largely at the bottom of the pay scale. Single mothers in London actually have a lower disposable income than their counterparts in other parts of the UK and women with dependent children have a lower level of employment.

‘With 70 per cent of London's working women employed in the private sector and London's economy dependent on women workers, the EOC's report highlights the challenge to all employers. It underlines the need for action on pay inequality, laws which can combat the results of prejudice and support employees with caring responsibilities, and how firmer rights to take positive action would help women smash the glass ceiling.'