Anti-racist workplace week 2007
November 5th - 11th was Anti Racist Workplace Week 2007.
Anti-racist Workplace Week is an all island initiative that takes place simultaneously in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The week is about organisations and enterprises taking initiatives to celebrate cultural diversity in the workplace and to lay foundations for an integrated, multi-cultural society.
To celebrate Anti-Racist Workplace Week 2007 the ESB Equal Opportunities Office held a lunchtime lecture in the Conference Centre, Head Office, on Tuesday November 6th.
Guest speaker was Salome Mbugua, the Founding Chairperson and the National Director of AkiDwA, a network for African women in Ireland.
Salome has more than 15 years experience of working with disadvantaged and marginalised groups, especially with women and young people in Kenya, Uganda and Ireland. In 2003 she was honoured with the RTE /Metro Media award for her positive contribution in promoting multiculturalism in Ireland. She is currently a board member of the Equality Authority.
John Campion, Executive Director HR and Corporate Affairs, opened the talk by welcoming Salome and said ESB was proud to celebrate the week, which the company has supported since its inception. John explained that over the years ESB has invited Martin Collins, from the Irish Traveller movement, Ali Selim, from the Islamic Cultural Centre and Niall Crowley, CEO of the Equality Authority to address staff. John Campion said that these talks were very relevant to staff in ESB and that they helped staff to see Ireland from the viewpoint of minorities and non-Irish nationals.
Salome Mbugua spoke about the work of AkiDwA, which is short for Akina Dada wa Africa, which means 'sisters from Africa' in Swahili. The network provides support and an advocacy platform for migrant women. She said that the majority of black African women coming to Ireland are very well educated and highly qualified. However, many experience difficulty in finding suitable work. Salome said that integration of the 'new Irish' into Irish society will be hugely important over the coming years. Migrant workers play a crucial role in the Irish economy and have helped to transform Ireland both socially and economically in the last decade. However, research by AkiDwA has highlighted continuous discrimination among many migrant African women.
John Campion thanked Salome for her informative presentation and the large numbers of staff who attended on the day.
