Hidden Voices: Including Ethnic Minority Women in Policy Making

Overview

Oxfam knows that ethnic minority women’s organisations are proud, persistent, and passionate. Activists, members of management committees, staff, and volunteers bring a range of commitment, knowledge, and skills. They know their community and the women they work with, and the issues particular to both. This knowledge is vital to their organisations’ success. And, using it, they achieve results.

Building on this knowledge, Oxfam has commissioned interviews with BME women’s organisations and regional and national policy officers from local authorities and government departments, to find out more about the barriers and opportunities they face in working together. These interviews, and further desk research, inform this briefing – which provides practical guidance to both groups and decision makers, on how to work more effectively together to tackle poverty and strengthen the BME women’s sector.