Kristian Rose Tronstad , researcher, Fafo – Institute for Labour and Social Research

1. Ethnic monitoring – possibilities and limitations in a Norwegian contextConference “Tools for Equality” at Antirasistisk senter, 13/4-2010 Kristian Rose Tronstad, researcher, Fafo – Institute for Labour and Social Research

2. Ethnic monitoring – possibilities and limitations in a Norwegian context • What is the problem? • The Norwegian labour market and participation of immigrants. • Ethnic discrimination? • Ethnic monitoring and need for ethnic data • Ethnic monitoring in Norway • Limitations and possibilities in a Norwegian context

3. Employment by age and gender, 4Q 2008 Source: Statistics Norway

4. Employment by reason for immigration and duration of stay Source: Statistics Norway

5. Attitudes toward participation in labour marketCan mothers of children below the age of 3 work? Source: Kavli & Nadem 2009

6. Norwegian labour market • Norway has the highest employment rate and lowest unemployment rate in OECD. • High participation of both men and women • Immigrants in Norway have lower employment rate and higher unemployment rate than natives. • Gender-gap, reason for immigration, duration of residence, language, country of origin and discrimination? • How much of the difference in labour market participation (or earnings) between immigrants and native born can be explained by discrimination?

7. Methods for assessing ethnic discrimiation? • Experimental design (situation testing) • Statistical analyses of survey data or register data (outcome differences) • Attitudinal indicators of discrimination (perceived discrimination) • Administrative data (complaints) • Ethnic monitoring • No single method or single data source can fully capture the nature and extent of ethnic discrimination Source: Blank et al. (ed.) (2004) Measuring Racial discrimination. Panel on Methods for Assessing Discrimination. National Research Council of the National Academies. Washingon, D.C.

8. What is ethnic monitoring? • “Ethnic monitoring” is the process you use to collect, store, and analyse data about people’s ethnic backgrounds. • In employment, monitoring lets you examine the ethnic make-up of your workforce and compare this with the data you are using as a benchmark. • You can use ethnic monitoring to: • highlight possible inequalities; • evaluate and remove unfairness or disadvantage. Source : Ethnic monitoring – A guide for public authorithies. Equality and Human Rights Commission

9. Ethnic monitoring in Norway • Norway - a comprehensive register society • Population register and social statistics. • Central Population Register • Good data on immigrants’ demography and living conditions • ”Ethnic identity” is not self declared, but immigrant bakground and country of birth can be used as a fairly good proxy. • Data on enterprises and etablishments. • National Register of Business Enterprises in Brønnøysund

10. Ethnic monitoring – some challenges • Need for information vs. right to privacy • Need for information vs. administrative burden on enterprises. • Self declared ethnic identity vs. country of origin as proxy (right to self determination?) • Enforcement and sanctions? Animation: Karine Haaland