On Thursday 5th November, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission announced that it had begun an inquiry into the inequalities experienced by people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities who work in health and social care.
The announcement appears after a study commissioned by the Mayor of London earlier found that ethnic minorities were twice as likely as white people to be at the risk of dying from Covid-19.
Commenting on the EHRC’s announcement, Sadiq Khan said, “I am pleased that the Equality and Human Rights Commission is acting on my call for a full investigation into the structural racial inequalities laid bare by this dreadful pandemic. From the earliest days of the outbreak it was clear that frontline workers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities were disproportionately exposed to and affected by Covid-19.
“Your ethnicity should never mean the difference between life and death and it’s vital that action is urgently taken to end this injustice.”
According to EHRC chief executive, Rebecca Hilsenrath, the inquiry would reportedly help answer questions about racial inequality “and make recommendations” which can be applied to several other working environments where “ethnic minorities are over-represented at the lowest-paid levels.”
A call for evidence will be announced in coming weeks, along with further information about an external advisory group that will help guide the investigation.
