Agenda's Response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' Report

Jess Southgate, CEO of Agenda, the alliance for women and girls says:

"The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ failure to acknowledge structural racism as a lived reality for so many in this country is hugely concerning and presents a missed opportunity to effectively tackle racial inequality.

Wide-ranging research and evidence clearly demonstrates the very real racism and discrimination faced by so many Black and minoritised women, who experience multiple inequalities at a disproportionate rate to their white counterparts as a result of the intersection of racial, socioeconomic and gender inequalities.

The uneven impact of Covid-19 is only the most recent example of the way in which these inequalities have devastated the lives of too many Black and minoritised women and girls. Agenda’s own research, Voices from Lockdown: A Way Forward for Women and Girls, shows how Black and minoritised women and girls have faced distinct barriers to accessing vital services they have so critically needed during this time, particularly those with No Recourse To Public Funds. Black and minoritised women and girls also face significant disparities in the criminal justice system. Black women are 29% more likely than white women to be remanded in custody at the Crown Court and if convicted are 25% more likely than white women to receive a custodial sentence.

To truly tackle racial discrimination and inequality in society, we must address the very real way Black and minoritised women and girls are disproportionately disadvantaged and let down by systems and services. Listening to those with both lived and learned expertise, and acting on the evidence they provide, must be at the heart of work to create a more equal society."