European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Diversity in Public Appointments

by In Wales
Wed Jul 16th, 2008 at 07:40:51 AM EST

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women & Equality, and Ed Miliband, Cabinet Office Minister, today announced new measures to increase the number of women, disabled people, and black, Asian and minority ethnic people appointed to the boards of public bodies, so that they reflect the wider population.

This goes hand in hand with a push on increasing the number of people from under represented groups who hold elected positions such as local councillors and MPs. The Welsh Assembly had a gender balance following the 2003 elections and then moved to a majority female Assembly following the 2006 by-election. After the 2007 Assembly elections the proportion of Women Assembly Members stands at 47.8%. So it can be done.

But public appointments and positions that may be held whilst working another job, are a different matter.

I believe it is extremely important to have a diverse range of people holding public appointments, since these boards and committees are responsible for giving out grants, agreeing changes to policy and interventions, setting priorities for communities and championing people's rights. They influence schools and universities, hospitals and community services, volunteer projects, sports and arts funding, local to national organisations with a great deal of power.

But when the people who make these decisions may have very little direct connection with the communities they are supposed to be working for, exactly how can we ensure that money is distributed to the places it is needed most or that the right type of schemes and projects are being supported rather than the ones that just seem to look good and fit an agenda?

Only a third (34.4%) of public appointees are currently women, although women make up more than half of the population [in the UK].
...
As part of the drive, the Women's National Commission has this month started a new project to increase the numbers of women applying for public appointments. This includes improving advice and information on its website, involving its 500 partner organisations, increasing awareness of opportunities, and encouraging women to apply.
The Government also intends to set new targets on race and disability. People from ethnic minorities currently hold less than six per cent of posts, despite making up nearly eleven per cent of the population. People with a disability current make up just one in twenty appointees, even though one in five of the working age population has a disability.

Part of the issue is shifting the Old Boy's Club image of public appointments and getting people to realise that they can make a contribution even if they don't come from the 'usual' background.

But the other issue is that those under represented groups are generally the ones with less power in society. If you work a full time job you need to negotiate time out to fulfil a public appointment which just isn't possible if you work shifts that you have no say over, or you have a boss who likes to obstruct and intimidate you.

Do public appointments exist elsewhere in Europe? Are similar barriers present or is the concept embraced and promoted?

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Diversity in Public Appointments | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Diversity in Public Appointments (4.00 / 2)

Public appointments the most in view in France are at ministerial level, since neither PM nor ministers are obliged to hold any electoral mandate.

It has become customary for governments to include a certain number of women and members of ethnic minorities. The question is of course whether this is done just for PR reasons, and, in that case, whether the appointments really further the cause of equality. The appointments of Rama Yade, Secretary for Human Rights (told to be absent or to shut up whenever human rights is a subject Sarkozy doesn't want brought up), Rachida Dati (incompetent Minister of Justice), and Fadela Amara (no budget and no power to effect change in the banlieues), tend to make the question more acute.

All the same, it seems to me important that people should get used to seeing women and members of minorities in positions of public trust. The usual greying white men in suits are by no means guaranteed to be competent, anyway. They just get away with more.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Jul 16th, 2008 at 09:56:59 AM EST

Re: Diversity in Public Appointments (none / 1)

How does France deal with distribution of grants to arts, sports, heritage etc? That's all done directly by elected officials rather than through separate bodies with their own committees and boards?

Where are the real people in all of this?

Is the UK unique in having lots of quangos?

QUasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organisation, and QUasi-Autonomous National Government Organisation, have been used, notably in the United Kingdom, but also in Australia, Ireland and other countries, to describe a range of organisations to which governments have devolved power.

Agree that it is important for minorities to be seen but unfortunately any incompetence on their part will be jumped on as a reason why we shouldn't let 'these people' in on quotas or sympathy votes, because they just don't know what they are doing.

Also as you say, no thought is given to the incompetence of the usual suspects or suggestions made that we shouldn't let white middle aged men have anything to do with running things.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Wed Jul 16th, 2008 at 10:10:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Diversity in Public Appointments (4.00 / 2)

There are fewer orgs of the quango type in France, a lot of the functions you mention are dealt with by government departments/agencies or regional/local authorities. Meaning elected officials have some say, the others involved are public servants and, in some cases, appointees.

It's hard to compare the effect of having nothing but middle-aged white men in public positions (with incompetence masked), to that of seeing victims of inequitable treatment in those positions (incompetence pounced upon). Does the former produce feelings of revolt? Is the latter just minority-washing (akin to greenwashing) that puts across a reassuring image to send people to sleep? I really don't know.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Jul 16th, 2008 at 11:51:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Diversity in Public Appointments (none / 1)

An awful lot of the problem with attempting to increase diversity is that appointing bodies tend to promote people from similar backgrounds and attitudes as themselves. This is an unconscious assumption that, as they themselves are capable people who have risen "naturally" to the top, that other people like them are the sort of people needed to run things.

And then the problem comes that, if they are obliged to appoint away from their comfort zone, their own lack of diversity leads to poor promoting processes.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Jul 17th, 2008 at 04:13:43 PM EST

Re: Diversity in Public Appointments (none / 0)

Yes but they recognise this and have been attempting to change that, some more genuinely than others. I don't believe the application process leading to shortlisting is accessible enough in enabling the potential of those with less experience on boards to be highlighted to make it through the selection process.

I hold a public appointment but didn't make it through to interview until someone else dropped out - that interview was vital for me to show them that I was the person they needed for the committee. I'm one of the youngest in the UK for this organisation.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Thu Jul 17th, 2008 at 05:12:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Diversity in Public Appointments | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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