Fezeela Raza

1
The Diversity Forum National Forum for
Diversity Research
Fezeela Raza National Operations Manager Office
of Ethnic Affairs
2
Overview

• Our Changing Face Socio-Demographics
• Policy Practice Challenges
• Government Responses Initiatives
• OEAs Research Strategy Key Projects
• Future Challenges

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What does the new New Zealander look like? OEA
Diversity Forum dinner participant, August 2005
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Our Changing FaceSocio-Demographics Census 2006

• Almost 23 of the New Zealand population was born
  overseas
• Over 200 ethnic groups identified
• Largest ethnic communities are Chinese, Indian
  and Korean
• Asian groups grew the fastest between 2001 and
  2006 (50)
• 17.5 of people in New Zealand speak two or more
  languages

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Our Changing FaceSocio-Demographics
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Our Changing FaceSocio-Demographics
Ethnic Diversity 2006
Maori 14.6
Pacific 6.9
Ethnic 12
NZ European 67.6
NZer 11.1
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Our Changing FaceSocio-Demographics
Ethnic Diversity 2021?
Maori17
Pacific9
NZ European 69
Ethnic18
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Our Changing FaceSocio-Demographics
J Boston, P Callister and A Wolf (2005), The
Policy Implications of Diversity
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Policy Practice Challenges

• Key challenges for Government in ethnically
  diverse societies
• Fostering a society that recognises and respects
  diversity while promoting a common sense of
  belonging or membership
• Creating initiatives that facilitate social
  cohesion and integration
• Enabling members of society to preserve, enhance
  and share their cultural heritage and identity
• Realising the opportunities that diversity
  presents for all members of society
• More creativity and flexibility required to
  create tailored or targeted solutions less one
  size fits all delivery
• Greater need for intercultural competence

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Policy Practice ChallengesKey Factors

• Settlement
• Settlement is a multi-dimensional process
  involving all aspects of the migrants (and
  migrants familys) life, a process that focuses
  on the experiences, adaptation and acculturation
  of the immigrant within the social context
  Fletcher (1999 8)
• Integration
• The two process by which newcomers adapt and
  become fully part of the host society and the
  changes that occur within that society as a
  result (Vertovec, 1999).
• Social Cohesion
• New Zealand becomes an increasingly socially
  cohesive society within a climate of
  collaboration because all groups have a sense of
  belonging, participation, inclusion, recognition
  and legitimacy. (NZIS, 2004).
• National Identity
• A shared sense of nationhood, identity and
  belonging.

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Government Policy Initiatives

• About the Office of Ethnic Affairs
• Function
• the Office was set up to represent ethnic sector
  needs and views to Government
• Philosophy
• strength in ethnic diversity
• Purpose
• to contribute to a strong and self-directed
  ethnic sector and promote the advantages of
  ethnic diversity for New Zealand
• Four key areas of work
• Policy
• Ethnic Advisory Service
• Language Line
• Intercultural Awareness and Communication

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Government Policy Initiatives

• Ethnic Perspectives in Policy
• Connecting Diverse Communities Framework
• New Zealand Settlement Strategy and Settlement
  National Action Plan
• Alliance of Civilisations
• Regional Interfaith Dialogue
• UK-NZ Policy Exchange Dialogue
• Secondary policy advice

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Government Policy Initiatives
Ethnic Perspectives in Policy (EPP)

• Ethnic Perspectives sets out the governments
  approach to developing policies and services for
  ethnic people
• Ethnic Perspectives in Policy Framework, 2002

• Consider the impact of the increasing ethnic
  population in New Zealand in policy and service
  development
• Ensure that administrative data gathering and
  reporting
• Include ethnic minorities in their EEO planning
  and reporting

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Government Policy Initiatives
Ethnic Advisory Service

• Relationships between community groups and
  central and local government
• Strategic projects aimed at building the capacity
  of the ethnic sector
• Improving visibility of ethnic communities
• Civic participation by ethnic sector
• Engaging host and ethnic minority communities
• Ethnic responsiveness in the public sector

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Government Policy Initiatives
Connecting Diverse Communities (CDC) Project

• Joint Project
• Office of Ethnic Affairs and Ministry of Social
  Development
• A project about Government providing leadership
  in promoting social cohesion and strengthening
  relations between all ethnic groups

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Connecting Diverse Communities Project

• The project focuses on five identified work areas
  with over 70 initiatives
• strengthening intercultural relationships
• addressing discrimination and promoting respect
• improving connections with cultural identity
• capacity building and community development
• building the knowledge base research and
  evaluation on diversity

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Alliance of Civilisations

• UN initiative established in 2005
• Aimed at forging a coalition of nations to
  address polarisation that has been developing
  between civilisations, particularly Western and
  Islamic societies
• The AoC initiative aims to improve understanding
  and cooperative relations among nations and
  peoples, cultures and religions to counter the
  forces that fuel polarisation and extremism
• Key areas include education, youth, media and
  migration

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Alliance of Civilisations

• In May 2007 New Zealand hosted the Asia-Pacific
  Regional AoC Symposium in Auckland. (The report
  can be downloaded from the MFAT website)
• New Zealand has developed a national AoC
  implementation plan to enhance cross-cultural
  understanding by building on existing work to
  connect diverse communities (CDC)
• In January 2008, the Minister for Ethnic Affairs,
  Hon Chris Carter represented New Zealand at the
  first annual AoC Conference in Madrid at which he
  presented the draft form of the National
  Implementation Plan

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The Policy Analysis Cycle
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OEA Key Research Projects

• Improving Policy-Related Research with and About
  Ethnic Communities
• Identify data collection and data analysis and
  identify some innovative approaches
• Develop guidelines and recommendations on how to
  approach ethnicity effectively in the policy
  context.
• Indicators of Integration
• Indicators associated with the development of
  strong sustainable communities in a context of
  ethnic diversity

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Emerging Issues

• What are the implications of changing
  socio-demographics for policy and research?
• Need for more evidence informed policy
• Changing issues
• Is there a need for a new paradigm for
  understanding diversity in New Zealand?
• Benefits of Diversity vs Deficit model
• How will we build a strong, diverse and cohesive
  society?
• How do we address diversity issues unique to New
  Zealand?