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Key Text Economic Exclusion and Discrimination: The Experience of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples

Author: P Justino and J Litchfield
Date: 2005
Size: 32 pages (310 KB)

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Summary

What is the link between economic exclusion and discrimination against ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples? What are the implications for poverty reduction and development strategies? This paper by Minority Rights Group International finds sufficient evidence to suggest that discrimination is often a strong contributing factor to the exclusion of minorities and indigenous people. Discrimination on the basis of membership of an ethnic, religious or linguistic group should be examined alongside other forms of discrimination to strengthen policy strategies for overcoming economic exclusion.

Failure to reduce poverty in much of Africa, Latin America and South Asia has been associated with exclusion from resources, markets and socio-political institutions. Globally, minorities and indigenous people experience higher levels of poverty, less access to education, health and basic services, and have fewer opportunities for adequate employment. This implies huge private costs for excluded individuals, households and groups, and large social costs for wider society. Multiple factors influence this exclusion, but from the evidence we can infer a link to discrimination.

There are severe data limitations making it difficult to compare the situation of minority groups with the total population. Minority groups are often not covered by surveys, or only certain recognised groups are included, and data is not disaggregated within minorities. However, from available date the following emerges:

Minority groups are more likely to be poor and experience much higher poverty than the rest of the population.
They struggle to achieve equal levels of education, due to their remote location and discrimination in the curriculum and how education is delivered (such as language).
Exclusion often begins at birth, as shown in child health indicators.
Minorities are often found working in low-wage employment, or without employment. This may be due to discrimination and also to lack of opportunities in remote locations.
Exclusion from housing and land is common. Indigenous people have particularly struggled to secure recognition of land rights. Denial of land rights makes access to credit more difficult. Minorities are also more likely to be displaced by development projects.
Minorities and indigenous people are more likely to be on the periphery of society, with low political participation, and high levels of suicides imprisonment, criminality, drug usage and industrial unrest.

The relationship between discrimination and poverty is not well understood by development actors. Countering discrimination has serious implications for poverty reduction and stability and security in addition to promoting human rights and participation.

Policy targeting can be improved by regularly identifying the most vulnerable groups. Targeting by geographic indicators may be appropriate given the concentration of minorities in rural and remote areas.
Data collection on minorities and indigenous peoples needs to be improved. This requires collaboration between donors and countries to build statistical capacity. Survey coverage should be widened, coverage of poverty issues increased, and qualitative and quantitative survey techniques combined to understand the processes of discrimination.
The collection of disaggregated data should be consistent with the conditions of Article 92 of the World Conference Against Racism Programme of Action. Data should also be disaggregated to understand how discrimination and exclusion are experienced differently within a minority.
State and international recognition of all minority groups is important if data are to be analysed.
National human rights institutions should promote minorities' access to health, education and other services, non-discriminatory labour market policies and land rights. Minorities should participate in drafting new poverty reduction interventions.

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Source: Justino, P. and Litchfield, J., undated, ‘Economic Exclusion and Discrimination: The Experience of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples’, Minority Rights Group International, London