Future Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland: Design Advisory Group

Overview

In 2020, the Scottish Government accepted the recommendations from the  Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and Ethnicity .  One of which was the establishment of a new independent body.  This would be  to develop community led accountability processes to support the Scottish Government and other public bodies address systemic racism.  

The Anti-Racism Interim Governance Group (AIGG) gave recommendations (October 2023) to the Minister for Equalities Migration and Refugees.  This included a model for a new Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) to address systemic racism.  It was agreed this would be guided by the lived expertise of people who experience the adverse impact of racialised inequality.

Building on the work of the AIGG, the DAG was invited by the Minister to support strategic and operational work during an interim phase from December 2023 to December 2024.  At the same time a host organisation  would be procured to house AROS for its first two years. After two years it is anticipated AROS will become fully independent.

Purpose of the group

The DAG will support and advise on the design and implementation for the future AROS.  It will undertake work that will be transferred over to AROS when it is established

Membership of DAG will comprise of individuals with knowledge and expertise of the following: anti-racism, community development, employment processes, governance, organisational development and policy-influencing.

As far as possible, the membership of the DAG will reflect a gender balance.  It will include those with experiences of intersecting marginalisation(s), and the realities of systemic racism and expertise.  It will also take into account the need to ensure continuity and institutional memory from the Antiracism Interim Governance Group (AIGG).

The group has no statutory powers and will work collaboratively with the Scottish Government. They have the authority to commission research and reach out to other experts as required

The work of the DAG aligns to the AIGG principles for the new organisation as set out in the AROS Vision and Mission.

Members

Membership of the DAG includes those with experiences of intersecting marginalisation(s), and the realities of systemic racism and expertise, and takes into account the need to ensure continuity and institutional memory from the AIGG.  Members are made up of individuals who have extensive knowledge and/or experience of policy-influencing, governance, employment processes, anti-racism, community development and organisational development.

• Samina Ansari
• Dr Ankna Arockiam
• Ndaye Lisa  Badji–Churchill (Previous AIGG member)
• Rahela Cirpaci
• Shulamite Ezechi
• Miura Lima (previous AIGG member supporting Young People)
• Monica Lee-Macpherson MBE (previous AIGG member)
• Micheal Matovu (DAG Co-Chair and previous AIGG member)
• Olalekan Oyedepo
• Nusa C Parinussa (DAG member from Dec 2023 – April 2024 Consultant Project Manager April 2024 – Aug 2024, DAG member from August 2024)
• Adebusola Ramsay (previous AIGG member)
• Zaki El Salahi
• Dr Mark Wong (DAG Co-Chair and previous AIGG member)
• Ima Jackson (previous AIGG Co-Chair. DAG member from December 2023- August 2024, Project Lead from 13th August 2024)

Publications