Background
- The research
set out to examine four central questions relating to the Chinese, Indian,
Pakistani and Traveller communities living in Northern Ireland:
- What
are the populations of the four ethnic groups?
- What
is the general social or demographic profile of each of the four
groups?
- What
are their views, opinions and experiences of the general experience
of living in Northern Ireland?
- What
are their opinions regarding legislation in the area of race relations?
Research
Approach
- The central
element in the research strategy was a large-scale survey which involved
two major pieces of fieldwork. An enumeration exercise was designed
to count the numbers of people belonging to the four communities and
to provide a sampling frame from which a representative sample could
be derived. Using the sampling frame from the enumeration exercise,
a weighted sample of 1176 - stratified by ethnic group so that sufficient
numbers from each community were chosen - was drawn by simple random
sampling, and subsequently surveyed.
Main
Findings
Enumeration
of Ethnic Minorities
- In relation
to this research, the central problem in Northern Ireland has been the
absence of any scientific measure of the size of populations of the
main ethnic minorities. Consequently, estimates have been notional or
anecdotal without any scientific or empirical basis. There is some disagreement
within estimates, however it seems safe to conclude that ethnic minorities
make up less than 1% of the total population in Northern Ireland. Estimates
range from 10,000 to 15,000. With the exception of the Chinese community,
the enumeration exercise largely confirmed most of the estimates published
in the past.
Characteristics
of Ethnic Minority Groups in Northern Ireland
- Of the
64222 enumerated members of the four targeted ethnic minorities, half
were members of the Chinese Community (51%), 21% belonged to the Traveller
Community (21%), 16% to the Indian community and 10% to the Pakistani
ethnic group. Additionally, 88 individuals (1%) were recorded as 'other'.
- The position
of the Chinese community as the largest ethnic group in Northern Ireland
contrasts with GB and is not easily explained, however it must be related
to its economic specialisation in the catering industry, and the establishment
of a thriving network of successful small businesses.
- 1428
were enumerated by the fieldwork, representing the usually resident
population of the main ethnic groups in Northern Ireland: 755 were Chinese,
295 Indian, 122 Pakistani and 243 Traveller households.
- The average
household size for the general population in Northern Ireland is 2.9,
however all the ethnic groups had a higher average household size, ranging
from 3.5 for the Indian community to 5 for both the Pakistani and Traveller
communities. The Chinese community had an average household size of
3.9.
- One in
five of all the ethnic households enumerated contained 6 or more persons,
compared with only 6% of the general population. Conversely whilst a
quarter of households in Northern Ireland as a whole contains only one
person, only 9% of the ethnic households are in this category.
- Ethnic
minority households are more likely than the general population to contain
some dependent children, have more than three adults and have a smaller
proportion containing those over 60 years of age. While 38% of households
in the general population contain a child under 16, this was the case
in three out of every five (61%) of ethnic households.
- With
the exception of the Traveller Community, the instance of single-parent
families amongst the ethnic groups does not differ greatly from the
general population. The instance of cohabitation amongst all groups
is negligible and would seem to support the theory that the ethnic minorities
under study support traditional family structures.
- The Travelling
community has a negligible proportion of two family households, although
ethnic minority households as a whole are three times more likely to
contain more than one family than the general population. Conversely,
27% of households in the general population are in the 'no family' category,
compared to less than half this figure among ethnic households, illustrating
the strong family structure of ethnic groups.
- Ethnic
minorities have a younger age profile than the population as a whole,
with larger proportions of their communities in the younger age categories.
There are however also notable differences within the ethnic groups
themselves with respect to age.
- Almost
exactly half of all ethnic minority members were born in the United
Kingdom. This is not very different from the figure of 47% of all ethnic
groups living in GB who were born there. Within a similar range, 44%
of all ethnic minority members were born in Northern Ireland, 6% in
GB and 4% in the ROI.
- Sixty
per cent of ethnic households were owner occupied, similar to 62% of
the general population in Northern Ireland. However the picture for
other kinds of accommodation is more complex. Nine per cent of ethnic
minority households membership, as opposed to 29% of the general population,
live in accommodation rented from local or public authorities.
- Proportionately
more ethnic minority households live in other categories of rented accommodation,
such as unfurnished and furnished private renting.
- The overall
ethnic minority population represents only a small proportion of the
total of the Northern Ireland population. It is only in the Belfast
District Council area, for example, that the ethnic proportion is likely
to exceed 1% of the total population of the area. In addition, a disproportionate
number (74%) of these minority populations live in the east of Northern
Ireland. This geographical settlement pattern varies a little within
the four groups.
- With
respect to the data collected in the survey, as well as data from the
1991 Northern Ireland Census, it is clear that the populations of the
four groups are growing at a rate well in excess of the general population.
Social
Profile
- Generally,
the profile of the non-Traveller ethnic groups reflect a higher level
of economic achievement than that of the general population. Similarly
all of the Asian groups have higher levels of employment and educational
attainment and higher rates of home ownership.
- There
are subtle differences between Asian Groups. The Indian Community has
the highest proportions, among the other ethnic groups, of economically
active members in the the top occupational classes. It also has higher
numbers with professional qualifications, and a larger proportion own
their homes generally.
- Although
the Pakistani community reflects the success of the Indian community
to some degree, the former have higher levels of unemployment with greater
proportions of overcrowding for this group. Only a third of Pakistanis
were in the top occupational class, with greater proportions in the
skilled (non-manual) occupational class, reflecting this community's
traditional association with marketing.
- The Chinese
community tends to have more members in the skilled (manual) occupational
class than the other ethnic groups - reflecting the influence of catering,
with a greater proportion renting their homes (furnished or unfurnished).
A notable feature is the high proportion of this community who are self-employed,
with a significant number of females as well as males in this category.
- The Traveller
community comes out least favourably: of most concern is the finding
that four out of five Travellers have not had a paid job in the past
ten years. This community also has a low level of educational achievement
compared both to other ethnic groups and to the population as a whole.
Access
to Services
- The findings
show that while difficulties in accessing services is a substantial
problem for Chinese community in particular, this does not seem to be
the case to the same extent for the other ethnic groups.
- By far
the greatest problem in accessing services arises out of language and
communication difficulties. For example, 67% of Chinese interviewees
felt there were difficulties in accessing social services.
- Among
other important access problems were the negligible level of take-up
of Government training programs by Travellers; a significant dissatisfaction
with the police amongst Chinese respondents; and a relatively low rate
of crime reporting to the police by the Traveller community.
Living
in Northern Ireland
- The vast
majority of respondents thought that things had changed in Northern
Ireland since the paramilitary ceasefires of 1994. Half of those questioned
felt that these ceasefires and the consequent changes, will make things
worse for their community; most notably, 63% of the Chinese community
thought this.
- Where
harassment was experienced, the evidence was that a greater proportion
of the Chinese community seemed to be the recipients. The most common
form was verbal abuse, and this was experienced by 44% of all respondents.
Over half of the Chinese revealed having experienced criminal damage
towards their property.
- Sixty
one per cent of respondents believed there was racial prejudice in Northern
Ireland.
- Sixty
seven per cent of those questioned did not know about the proposed race
relations legislation before being interviewed. Nine out of ten however,
supported the introduction of such a law, although there was a relatively
significant proportion of the Indian community opposed to the idea.
- Although
three quarters of those questioned felt that the legislation can improve
the position of their community, only 58% thought that such legislation
would help to stop racial discrimination.
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