Closing The Gaps
The public are much more likely to think that cultural and religious barriers prevent Bangladeshi and Pakistani women from working than women in general (37% compared with 5%).
A new Ipsos survey commissioned jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), reveals that the public are much more likely to think that cultural and religious barriers prevent Bangladeshi and Pakistani women from working than women in general (37% compared with 5%). The biggest reason the public give for Pakistani and Bangladeshi women and women more generally not being in work is family/ caring responsibilities (43% and 74% respectively).
When it comes to levels of education, public attitudes are out of touch with the times. The survey also shows that around a half of people (53%) think that white British women in work are more likely than ethnic minority women in work to have a degree. Information from the 2001 census shows that only 24% of white British women in work have a degree, compared to 52% of Black African women, 35% of Pakistani women, 32% of Black Caribbean women, 30% Bangladeshi women and 38% of Indian women.
The survey is published alongside a separate study on Pakistani and Bangladeshi women's attitudes to work and family published today by the DWP, which finds that that attitudes are changing from one generation to next. It shows that difficulties in finding suitable childcare and flexible working arrangements act as the biggest barrier to work for respondents, in the same way as they do for women in general.
These results are published ahead of a DWP forum called 'Closing the Gaps' in London's O2 centre on Saturday 22 September. The forum is a joint initiative between the DWP Ethnic Minority Employment Taskforce and the Equal Opportunities Commission and is being chaired by Ipsos. It will be attended by ethnic minority women from across London and employers who are committed to workforce diversity.
Technical details
- 'Closing the Gaps' is an Ipsos survey based on a sample of 1,031 British adults aged 15+ interviewed face-to-face on the Ipsos omnibus between 13-17 September 2007. Data are weighted to reflect the profile of British adults.
- The DWP research report 'Pakistani and Bangladeshi Women's Attitudes to Work and Family' conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies is a qualitative study and consisted of 60 in-depth interviews with women from the Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities in Britain.
