Ethnic women still suffering in jobs market

A HARD-HITTING inquiry has uncovered discrimination against job-seeking women from ethnic minorities.

Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, was heavily involved with parliamentary research into black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi female unemployment.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Race and Community is now urging the Government to get to grips with the issue.

Mrs Abrahams said: “There is no place in Britain for discrimination on the grounds of race and I support the report’s recommendations to address this.”

The report inquiry spoke to focus groups in Manchester and Oldham as well as taking evidence in Parliament. Currently 17.7 per cent of black women and 20.5 per cent of Bangladeshi and Pakistani women are looking for work, compared with only 6.8 per cent of the white female population.