Section outline
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Organisations should build workplaces where racially marginalised colleagues are included at all levels of decision making, feel free to speak of their experiences, and where their authoritative contributions to racial justice are recognised and remunerated.
Actions
- build mechanisms for racially marginalised colleagues to reflect on workplace practices and experiences (‘employee resource groups’ or ‘affinity groups’.)
- hear directly from racially marginalised colleagues about workplace practices, especially at a leadership level, and even where leaders consider themselves allies with an understanding of the issues. Recognise that the reflections of racially marginalised colleagues may differ, as a result of different experiences with intersecting dimensions of marginalisation, including Indigeneity, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability, class, religion, etc.
- work with racially marginalised colleagues to co-create organisational anti-racist initiatives.
- address psychological and cultural safety, so that those who are racially marginalised feel free to speak up about their experiences without fear of exclusion or retribution. Aim for genuine racial diversity and inclusion rather than tokenism. Invite humility amongst those who are racially privileged, dealing with reactions of dismissiveness, defensiveness, or anger when their ideas about racism are challenged.
- recognise that racially marginalised colleagues’ participation in anti-racist work can be tiring and is optional. Recognise and remunerate work done by racially marginalised colleagues to build the organisation’s racial literacy, especially if it is beyond their organisational function.
- review workplace policies for racist effects, especially those that may be indirect or unintentional.
Example- Oxfam Australia has started an informal Women of Colour group designed to be a safe space to seek peer support and speak of experiences or issues. It was agreed that the emotional labour of looking for solutions should not fall on people of colour, so at present the group meets monthly for brainstorming and discussion, sharing experiences and venting.
- ACFID’s Racial Justice Community of Practice runs an informal affinity group for people of colour working in international development and humanitarian action. The group meets to reflect on how the dynamics of racial power and marginalisation play out in the workplace and share experiences and support; to learn about racism and anti-racism in a supportive and candid environment; and to progress anti-racist work in and amongst ACFID members.
- As part of Action Aid’s workplace learning, feminist approaches have informed and provided tools for valuable learning about racism, such as the 'fishbowl' exercise. Using clear and careful rules of engagement and an opt-in basis, staff of colour and people with migrant experiences sat in a closed circle discussing their experiences in Australian society and the workplace, while white staff sat quietly and only listened. The exercise was able to build on a safe organisational environment that was already quite diverse and where lived experience is recognised as a value-add rather than an issue of cultural fit.
- Oxfam Australia’s Board co-created a statement on psychological safety to guide ways of working that respects diversity and recognises systemic privilege and power dynamics. Furthermore, updated policies ensure that costs associated with Board participation, both direct (e.g. travel and accommodation), as well as indirect (e.g. childcare), are not discriminatory.
- Similarly, the Action Aid Board has made changes to its ways of working, making sure voices are respectful, but that dissent is also surfaced. Discussions on Board culture as well as working for critical mass and to avoid 'us and them' mentalities have taken place. It is understood from feminist theory and intersectional feminist theory that marginalised people need not just a seat at the table, but also a voice and a say.
- IWDA has reviewed all people-related policies, in consultation with staff, to address / remove any systemic / process-related bias / discrimination. It continues to update policies with this lens. They are also developing inclusive meetings guidelines.
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IWDA has established new staff working groups focused on Women of Colour, First Nations justice, Disability inclusion and LGBTQIA+ inclusion and rights, and a “River of Change” steering committee to develop a “River of Change” linked to organisational culture change.- IWDA has hired its first-ever Culture and Transformation Advisor.
Resources
ACFID Connect: Race and Diversity in the Sector (2021)Opens in a new tab
A 2021 panel discussion of and for ACFID members about racism and diversity in the Australian international development sector.
Credit: ACFIDYielding & Wielding Power (Decolonisation & Locally Led Development Toolkit) (2021)Downloads a Word document The Yielding and Wielding Power Toolkit is a collection of question sets and short 'how-to' guidance, based on a discussion paper of the same title. While contextualised for Pacific and Australian practitioners, much of it is applicable or adaptable for other contexts. The toolkit sets out practical options for individuals and organisations to further the decolonisation and locally-led agendas.
Credit: ACFID & La Trobe University
Time to Decolonise Aid (2020)Downloads a Word document Recommendations from a three-day international online consultation on how racism manifests itself within the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors.
Credit: Peace Direct, Adeso, the Alliance for Peacebuilding, and Women of Color Advancing Peace and Security
Racism in Aid Survey (2022)Downloads a Word document The report of the House of Commons International Development Committee on racism in the aid sector.
Credit: UK Parliament
We Need to Talk About Racism in the Aid Sector (2018)Downloads a Word document
Credit: Tindyebwa Agaba
Time to dismantle racism in international development (2020)
A guide from Bond’s Engagement and Equity Manager with five things senior leaders working in international development need to do now to address racial inequality.
Credit: Lena Bheeroo
Anti-racism in the aid sector: A call for all of us to act and accelerate change as individuals, organisations and as a sector (2020)Downloads a Word document A case for structural change and the relevance of anti-racism in the aid sector, for leadership and localisation, written by a CARE International Executive during COVID-19.
Credit: Andres Gomez De La Torre Barrera