In the wake of the recent sentencing of Gary Dobson and David Norris for the senseless murder of 18 year Stephen Lawrence in 1996, the promise of equality and justice in the UK looms in the air. Yet, as the massive funding cuts from Government start to kick in and agenda’s of the The Big Society and Localism gain momentum, how equal and just will this new social, political and economic environment be for disadvantaged and marginalized populations?
This is a question BSWN seeks to address in our upcoming annual conference on the 30th of March in Bristol. As we enter 2012 the economic downturn and massive funding cuts from Government office are affecting communities already at the margins of British society. With a lack of governmental support on equalities issues Black and Ethnic Minority (BME) communities are having to rely more and more on local Voluntary and Community Organizations (VCOs) to help meet their basic needs. Yet, the lack of available funds has severely impacted the services BME VCOs can provide to their communities and has made it difficult for many organizations to even maintain basic operations.
Historically BME VCOs formed as support systems within racial and ethnic minority communities, providing basic services denied to these groups from local councils. Over time these diverse local organizations grew into more organized units at the local, regional and eventually nation level, with the main goals being to work towards racial equality at a local, regional and national level and to develop mutual cooperation and understanding between local and national government and BME communities. Now, with a lack of funding and a drying up of resources that once supported more community based equality actions, it is once again becoming difficult for BME communities to fully access resources they are entitled to as citizens.
Then, how feasible is it for the Localism agenda to be advantageous for BME communities and other marginalized groups? The Conservative government is promoting localism as a viable agenda for social and economic problems, that devolves power from central government to local councils and communities. Yet, tissues of structural racism and inequality have not been adequately acknowledged and/or addressed at the local level. With resoruces now dependent upon individuals and groups actively having to work within local government strucuures that are riffled with structural inequality issues how can we ensure a fair and equitable distribution of resources for all members of local communities?
Through presentations, workshops and a roundtable discussion BSWN wants to explore these issues at a community level during our annual conference and develop a strategic plan, tool kit and a crafted social campaign that provides the necessary information and knowledge to local communities on what they can do as active citizens to access needed resources for their communities. We want to make the law work for citizens, therefore we will focus on how communities can use Equalities and Human Rights legislation to fight for resources and services they feel they need and are entitled to in order to have their communities thrive in this economic climate.
It is a time to stand up for your rights as citizens and use the democratic process to have your voice heard. To achieve this, knowledge about your rights as citizens is needed within communities. Please join us to engage with this process. More information on our upcoming conference can be found here. Spread the word and engage in your democratic rights.
