It has been just about 30 days since I attended the 2nd International Media Conference in Karachi, Pakistan on January 5 to 8, 2018 organized by the Pakistan Media Development Foundation (PMDF). Back to frozen Finland and I immediately got a cold after the mild and pleasant weather in South Asia. However, the events of my life on the first week of 2018 was memorable and worthy to be noted.

With 24 countries representing continents including Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and North America, international delegates formed a unique microcosm of diversity and dynamic interaction at PMDF. Peace diplomacy and people-to-people contact were highlighted by our Pakistani hosts as a most relevant detail in the 4-day program.

The Chief Patron of the organising committee is the Governor of Sindh His Excellency Mr. Mohammad Zubair, alongside Muhammad Zubair, provincial minister for information, Syed Nasir Shah and Karachi Mayor, Wasim Akhter.

Our conference hosts Muhammed Amin Yousuf, Secretary General PMDF and Durdana Shahab, Chairperson PMDF, Strategic Media Development however were key people who made us feel truly welcome, since most of the delegates have not been to the South Asian region — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and recently, Afghanistan.

“This conference will bring together journalists and different Media organizations from the globe, to discuss problems and challenges facing the media in a globalized world,” wrote Shah Mahmood Haroon on January 10, 2018 at Pajhwok news, citing the relevance of a global conference that underlines media related challenges and opportunities.

Escorted with a security convoy through a 39 kms street, my arrival at dawn to a bustling 22 million people city was a strange scenario, but brought a warm positive feeling. Looking at the sea of faces at the airport, some smiling and friendly at strangers like me, jolted me from my usual Nordic aloofness that I have carefully acquired after having lived in Finland for nearly a quarter of a century.

A quick browse through Wikipedia revealed: “The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country in the world with over 209,970,000 people. The official language Urdu is spoken by 100 million people, even in some parts of India and the U.K. Karachi is the capital of the province of Sindh. It is the most populous city in Pakistan, and the 8th most populous metropolitan city in the world.”

From my flight with Emirates in Dubai to Karachi, I was seated next to a gentle, soft spoken Pakistani lady traveling with her Italian husband, who works in the oil and gas industry, of which the country does business in.

The more famous cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing can be immediately appreciated with their high quality and affordable garments available in market stalls. However, the country also engages in Mining and quarrying, Fuel extraction industry, Manufacturing, Automotive Industry, Food production, Media, and Technology.

Within this short distance, we spoke in earnest and I got the best dose of honest cultural briefing from a woman who had lived in three continents — someone who viewed Pakistan both from the inside and outside. How can I be so lucky to have a cultural mentor, to learn the do’s and don’ts just before I made a landing in an entirely new territory!

Rich tapestry of history

In the context of South Asia, learning about Pakistan at the History Mausoleum of the Father of Pakistani Nation — Mohammad Ali Jinnah —was an eyeopener.

The Wreath Laying Ceremony in the boulevard just before sunset was ethereal. Giving agift of flowers at a memorial site is a ritual that occurs around the world, understood in every culture.

This time, the floral tributes to Pakistan’s Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam was elaborate and grand but somehow a beautiful and intimate ceremony. As a foreign guest, I was awestruck and admiring of the solemnity of the occasion.

Visiting the mausoleum concluded with a visit to the museum, followed by a press conference. As I felt the warm glow of sunset on my face, I also looked at the kind and welcoming faces of youth and children following behind me, who seemed to welcome our groups from “far away” countries.

Busy workers and traders

The streets of Karachi are alive with workers and traders. Although I can feel the humidity of the midday temperature, I imagined how comfortable it was to walk around in cotton fabrics, worn by people on the busy shops and somewhat chaotic streets bustling with activities all day.

There was a remarkable absence of women walking in the boulevards, although I saw many girls as students in a campus nearby. Inside service establishments such as our comfortable hotel, we were served by efficient women managers and staff.

Meanwhile, the snake charmers of Karachi on the beachfront beside the restaurant fascinated me with their patience and perseverance to coax a graceful dance from baskets of snake, which provided a good backdrop for a television feature segment shown on TV the next day.

Exciting culinary experiences

I’ve really enjoyed my dining experiences with many different variety of colorful foods, spicy condiments, and fresh fruits. Sea View Karachi was a particularly fascinating place where locals enjoy Darya — a Food Street esplanade facing the beach. It was an exciting outdoor nightlife at +16*c!

For Karachiites, a good cup of tea is sometimes all you need after a long tiring day at work. A popular travel guide reads: “ A new trend of elite and upscale chai dhabas in Karachi, it is now easier to enjoy your cup of tea along with hot and crispy parthas on a chilly winter evening; the cold breeze of Karachi in contrast of hot tea makes out a dazzling combination. The dhaba puts you at an eternal ease. You can go in your slippers without having to worry…relax and enjoy!”

I cannot recall the sheer number and volume of dishes that we enjoyed, but the colors and variety will be stitched in my memory. It seems in Pakistan, we can enjoy the food better in the company of family, friends and colleagues.

Music that lives through centuries

We learned about the national instruments of Pakistan on such a short time. One of the most memorable musical experience was listening to Qawwali sounds on our first evening. Although it is about 700 years old, this music genre with its upbeat rhythm and soulful sounds somehow reminded us from Europe of techno beats!

Dinner & Qawwali Night (Traditional Sufi Music) hosted by businessman Haji Masood Parekh of H&H Exchange was a memorable al fresco dinner; a great evening outdoors with our hosts, their families and friends.

Kindness and charity with dignity

A truly unique and special experience was interacting with the beautiful children of the Zainab Rehabilitation Center. Sharing their smiles and handcrafted presents they craftfily created as a means of self expression. These activities also form a means of independent subsistence for the youth organisation that accepts no donation and aims to be self sufficient. My young Finnish-Filipina daughter is now the lucky recipient of a beautiful woven green handbag, a gift handmade by a child from the rehabilitation center.

We were treated by children from different ages to a program of songs and dances, crafts viewings, and skills demonstrations. The center was brimming with happy ripples of spontaneous laughter, followed exchanges of light jokes spoken in good English by our young and amiable hosts.

Before I arrived to the site, I expected a show of pain and discomfort at their situation, which some might consider a misfortune. But, I left with a discomfiting feeling that I was the one they educated and cheered up. Furthermore, the kids showed and taught us new skills in creating a shirt or a handbag, sewing them from scratch using tools and machines they were comfortably using. At the end of the day, I realized it was I and my colleagues whom they educated and given love, even if we just met for a short period of time.

When I came back to Helsinki, I heard a bomb exploded on a busy street in Kabul, Afghanistan after an attack at a hotel. I immediately thought of my seat mate at the conference, an Afghan colleague who incessantly strives for his country’s success and uplifts the lives of women and media professionals.

At the same time, I thought about the quiet dignity of the ordinary people of Karachi. The same resolute faces I saw on TV worn by the agonized expressions of innocent people affected by the repeated turmoils in Kabul. I am truly sorry for the gentle and kind people of these neighboring countries, but at the same time admire their extraordinary strength and stamina to live fruitful lives in spite of the formidable forces they face on a daily basis.

Democracy is alive and kicking

Pakistan and their national media landscape serving 210 million people with over 300 dialects is a really amazing labyrinth that any outsider might find hard to understand. How do they achieve cohesion, unity, and balance?

Face-to-face learning is important in any socio political discourse. We visited the Karachi Press Club or KPC at Sindh, the first press club of Pakistan established in 1958 in a Victorian style bungalow. With my new young media friend Sophia Kanwal, I was able to take nostalgic photos.

Outside the KPC, different group protesters picket their grievances to the media every day — no doubt democracy is alive, in spite of the spates of negative press reports from the Western media.

Meanwhile, the struggle is also real to protect children and women’s rights. A nationwide protest recently against the rape and murder of a 7 yr old girl from Zainab was launched by some of the local members of the PMDF. To date, the criminal was already captured and sentenced by law.

Newsmakers in the headlines

We met and worked together in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia, Ireland, Finland, to and from 28 EU member states for MEDIANE — European Exchanges of Media Practices (EEMPs) for Diversity Inclusiveness, Council of Europe (COE).

It was a wonderful realization during the event that here we are embarking on a completely new route once again, although possibly on a similar journey, towards greater understanding of diversity, openness, and honest communication of different communities around the world. Finally, I am reunited with some of the respected colleagues I met in my professional life during the last five years.

The topic at the International Media Conference includes Key World Issues and Media, Strategic Proximity and Media, Media Laws/ Code of Conduct / Ethics, Future of Print Media and Scope of Digital Media, Challenges of Women in Media and Workplaces.

Out of these themes, I got a chance to speak on my favorite topic of the Challenges of Women in Workplaces — and what an amazing day it was listening to my colleagues with different stories to tell on the struggles and triumphs of women across the globe, doing jobs and taking care of their families and friends.

While working in media and education in some parts of my career life, I was earlier an official guest of Japan and ASEAN in the 1990s, and in some EU countries in the 2000s. Although I teach in Europe the business cultures of Asia, I have never been to South Asia.

Indeed, it was a great honor to be invited by the PMDF and discover with my own positive experiences universal values, hopes, and humanity of the Pakistani people. This can only be achieved through in-depth conversations and socio cultural explorations with the country’s unique literature, songs and dances.

This 7-day journey was truly impactful and overcame my prejudices. Not everyone is given a chance to witness firsthand such an eye opener and face to face learning. For this, I am profoundly grateful.

Thank you to Pakistan Media Development Foundation for honoring us with these unforgettable experiences. Even if I live in subzero climate, this joy will always warm my heart for years to come!

Under a starry evening sky during an appreciation dinner culminating our visit, I looked at my new friends and whispered in Arabic: ما شاء الله‎, Mashallah! a beautiful word I learned by repeating it often “expressing appreciation, joy, praise, or thankfulness for an event or person.”

By Sheila Riikonen and Meraj Abid

“We all have our own life stories and experiences,
which have moulded us in many ways.”

People and society become stable and harmonize due to equal opportunities in the labor sectors. Thus, diversity and equal opportunity employment is a very relevant agenda for the Media in Europe for Diversity Inclusiveness (MEDIANE) under the Council of Europe.

On June 18–22, 2014, two journalists from Ireland and Finland travelled and collaborated on a joint project for a European Union (EU) and Council of Europe (CoE) initiative.

Their two-fold mission: First, what should be done within European workplaces to promote diversity and inclusiveness? Second, how to improve the recruitment process of European workplaces to lessen or remove biases towards race, gender, age, disabilities, and other non-work related factors?

Meraj Abid Mahmood from Dublin, Ireland a freelance journalist and independent filmmaker produced a multimedia output (radio/voice, mobile video) based on qualitative interviews and quantitative data, with specific cases from Ireland and Finland. Sheila Riikonen, a correspondent for ABS­-CBN Europe Ltd. focused on developing guidelines for diversity inclusiveness in the workplaces.

“Diversity is part of everyday life in the present-day workplace. ”
YES — Equality is Priority Project

Is diversity only practiced on the visible front of media (newscasters, anchors, journalists, radio announcers)? How about in the management, decision-making level boardroom, and media ownership?

In the professional service business sectors where face-to-face interaction occurs amongst people from diverse groups (transgender, gays) and backgrounds (ethnicity, immigrant), and so on, are minorities adequately represented?

“The greatest changes affecting our society include technological development, economic challenges, globalization, the aging of the population and its increasing diversity. Such changes can provide unlimited new opportunities, as well as presenting us with new challenges.”

In the USA, there is an often coined phrase “quota employment” where “throwing in the Asian, Latino, or Black” is the trend in recruitment processes. Are we prone to think this is only due to legislation, and not due to individual talent or competence?

Our visit to the European Solidarity Centre in Gdańsk, Poland on December 2014 encouraged us to also tackle the issues of labor rights for individuals under the Solidarity Movement. Here, in the core center and birthplace of organized labor unions where the concept took shape, an inspiration to continue advocating for the rights of workers of Europe strengthened.

“Like society, every workplace is diverse in one way or another: employees include men and women, transsexuals and intersexuals and members of other gender minorities. They can be of different ages, with different beliefs, and can come from different cultures or language groups. In addition, they can be physically or mentally disabled or free of disabilities. ”

This report contains excerpt of findings submitted to the MEDIANE — Media in Europe for Diversity Inclusiveness project. It focuses on producing a case study from Finland and Ireland, two of EU’s active members.

It also aims to deliver concrete and operational recommendations with regards to recruitment processes, discrimination in the workplace, and how to avoid them.

Finland — World’s most stable country finds challenges in diversity

“Equality is not problem-free.”

Lately, Finland is ranked the most stable country, as well as the the least fragile country in the world by an American think tank. Finland also tops on a list of 180 countries for press freedom, as well as known for staunch advocate of women´s rights.

For non-Finnish born population in Finland however, with no English or knowledge of the country, what kind of problems are they facing?

Mass media practitioners in this Nordic capital such as Palestinian-Finnish journalist Umayya Abu-Hanna said however that Finland is still in denial.

In Helsingin Sanomat and Yle News interviews, she related that Finnish society has unresolved issues surrounding ethnicity and marginalisation. Umayya asserted that defective structures include employment practices.

In Finland, the writers talked to at least six respondents (for privacy reasons, their last named are withheld).

• Silja is an accomplished freelance journalist from the Finnish state television; also involved in media projects for the EU/ Council of Europe.
• Hanna-Elina is a twenty-something law student in the United Kingdom whose job search in London is challenging and daunting.
• Henni is an environment and equality advocate who is modest but confident in her employment prospects towards roles in international companies.
• Gene is a an energetic, active, and well-spoken immigrant community leader who finds fulfillment for many years in her desk job.
• Ed is a logistics personnel who is familiar with some companies’ discriminatory policies against workers who are not native-born Finns.
• Chris is a fortysomething American who settles for a service work.

The YES — Equality is a project involving the Finnish public administration and organizations represent groups at risk of discrimination and lack of equal opportunities. Some facts from this study conducted in 2006-2008:

• 63% of European companies with a diversity strategy evaluated it as having enhanced innovativeness and creativity (European Business Test Panel).
• 59% of European companies with a diversity strategy evaluated it as beneficial to their business (European Business Test Panel).
• Every tenth employee has experienced discrimination based on favoritism, on the basis of his or her personality (Statistics Finland).
• Almost 70% of Finns considered equality before the law to be the most important fundamental right (YLE News).
• Immigrants’ unemployment rate was approximately three times higher than that of native Finns (Statistics Finland).
• In 2006, the difference between women’s and men’s wages was 558 euro per month (Statistics Finland).
• In 2007, people with disabilities capable of work totaled 70,000, but 40 percent of them did not have a job (Syrjintä Suomessa 2008).

“Some kinds of diversity are easy to notice from the outside, others not.”

“Their sexual orientation can be anything from heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian and bi-sexual to something in between.”

Professional issues face by minorities in workplaces

Understanding perceptions of ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity of Finnish minorities — homosexuals, gays and lesbians, disabled people — remain vague.

Are they affected in discriminatory employment practices? How are news reports of job discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age reported?

At the Pride Day Parade 2014 in Helsinki, the LGBT community is well represented and applauded by Finns. Is this celebration of diversity easily translate to the workplace?

What about immigrant women specially from Muslim countries who arrived in Ireland or Finland with no English are knowledge of the country, what kind of do they problems they face ?

In Finland, a Muslim woman who wore a headscarf to work on her first day was fired. In Helsinki, fashion retailer Guess was charged in a Finnish court for firing a saleswoman for wearing a headscarf to work.

The Helsinki District court fined managers of this global clothing brand for discriminating their employee on the basis of religion, receiving a 20 day-fine for sacking this Muslim worker who was told she should not wear a headscarf.

“Successful management of today’s increasingly diverse workforce is among the most important global challenges faced by corporate leaders, human resource managers, and management consultants.”

The ethics and dangers of being a journalist is something we live by every day around the world. In Finland, where I acquired a second home and citizenship, I count my blessings living in “the best place for press freedom”, with high points in social equality, education, and quality of life.

However, is this concept of “equality” and egalitarianism encompassing all, or does it consciously or unconsciously exclude some minority members of society that do not “fit the mold”?

Ireland — Buoyant and bright EU member, but how about its average citizen?

“To ensure equal opportunities and to accommodate diversity in the workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, we treat all of our employees and potential employees equally, irrespective of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership…in terms of recruitment and selection, pay, conditions, training, work experience and opportunities for career progression. ” — Health Service Employers Agency of Ireland

“European member states must develop its own set of tools and guidelines.”

“Diversity charters are among the latest in a series of voluntary diversity initiatives aimed at encouraging companies to implement and develop diversity policies.”

Action Points from YES — Equality serve as jump-off point for our recommendations from interviewees’ inputs. Here’s 10 simple steps to implement equal opportunity and diversity in the European workplace:

Recommendations

For European Workplaces and Workers

1. Treat diversity and equality in working life as a competitive advantage.

Companies that promote diversity “recognize, understand and value people’s similarities and differences, thus representing huge potential sources of innovation, problem-solving, customer focus, etc.”

2. Be aware that diversity, pluralism, and openness, can result in a better motivated and more productive workplace.

When different groups of people from various backgrounds converge, innovation is sure to flourish. Watchdog journalism is vital in the atmosphere of intolerance. Everyday, journalism practitioners face challenges to promote the inclusion of diversity and non-discrimination the workplaces.

3. Create an accessible working environment for persons with disabilities.

Under the Non-Discrimination Act employers must make reasonable adjustments to conditions in the workplace, if necessary. In the case of our Irish interviewee who suffered the consequences of injuries from the car crash, her employer made accessible to her work hours and job roles that enable travel and wheelchair access to be easy. This results to her increased motivation, positive disposition, and productivity.

4. Enhance expert diversity management to improve the social cohesion of employees and their commitment to workplace values and activities.

In the case of a sporty Filipina interviewee, her involvement in wellbeing and health activities of her colleagues in the company earned her good rapport and acceptance.

5. Consider hiring persons with an immigrant background, or an applicant whose gender is underrepresented, when candidates’ qualifications are equal.

While this was the case of a Filipino male worker in a Finnish company, the situation was heavily exploited. Over 50% of the non-Finnish workers became lower-wage earners in comparison to Finns with the same job description.

6. Be sensitive and report cases of discrimination, harassment and bullying.

The road to litigation is fraught with dangers of ostracized in the job market, but it is crucial for upholding equality in the workplace. However, the EC already recognizes that diversity charters can contribute to fighting discrimination in the workplace and to promoting equality.

7. Engage in equality and non-discrimination planning. Companies must draw up a personnel plan and training.

Planning and foresight goes hand-in-hand. In Finland, companies with over 20 staff must produce a training plan that should be followed in accordance to diversity and inclusion legislation of the EU. Promoting diversity management in the workplace is now part and parcel of big business, as well as SMEs.

8. Sell the idea to organizations that diversity of customers and staff can benefit from opportunities involved and has major competitive advantages.

Easier said than done. However, every minority as an individual representation must seek to become their own effective public relations (PR) person—advocating equal treatment of individuals.

9. Be aware of European Legislation to ensure equality in working life.

Diversity handbooks abound and may consists of guidelines signed by a company or a public institution. Typically, this includes ways to promote diversity and equal opportunities in the workplace, “regardless of race or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability and religion.”

10. Try to solve the problems at the workplace if you are discriminated against.

Contact your trade union, local Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate or the Ombudsman for Equality. The matter can also be brought before a court of law, or a request for investigation can be submitted to the police. Handle issues with care and sensitivity.

However, if all hell is loose, be prepared to fight the “good fight”. If you believe you are right, it is your duty to set things straight, whether you will become the first causality of this cause. Equality, opportunity, and diversity is worth fighting for — everyday, everywhere, by everyone.

End

Appendix 1. Prohibited grounds for discrimination in Finland (EU)

• Ethnic and national origin, nationality. Ethnic minorities refer both to immigrants and their offspring and so-called old ethnic minorities in Finland: Romanies, Sami, Tatars, Jews and representatives of the old Russian community. Discrimination on the basis of ethnic and national origin and nationality is prohibited.
• Sexual orientation. The term ‘sexual orientation’, as used in Finnish legislation, has in some contexts been interpreted as also referring to gender minorities. In Finland, gender minorities, which refer to transsexual people, transgender people, transvestites and intersexuals people, fall within the scope of the Equality Act, even though the Act does not include any actual clarifying provisions.
• Sexual minorities. People with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual belong to sexual minorities.
• Disability. Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). A person with a disability is often fully capable of work, if the work environment is adapted to meet his or her needs. The challenges that various groups of people with disabilities face vary to a great extent: for instance, people with physical disabilities often encounter challenges in the environment in which they have to move around, whereas those who are hard of hearing face challenges in the accessibility of communications.
• Health. A person’s health or medical history does not justify discriminatory behavior towards him/her. A person’s state of health must not unjustifiably influence, for instance, his/ her recruitment or career advancement.
• Age. Age discrimination means that people are discriminated against because they are of a certain age. For instance, in job advertisements, age limits are prohibited. Dismissal for financial or production-related reasons must not be targeted at the oldest only. In addition to older people, even young people can face discrimination in the labour market. Many women at the prime of childbearing age may also be in a worse position than others: this would qualify as discrimination based on both gender and age.
• Religion, belief. In working life, people must not be placed at a disadvantage because they are members of a certain religious group or, for instance, because the person has not completed military service due to his or her beliefs. Beliefs or convictions may also relate to the person’s political ideology or activity in the trade union movement. Questions concerning equality can relate to the person’s position as a shop steward, or merely unionization. Issues may also arise in terms of allowing religious activity, following religious practices or in the form of prejudice against religion.
• Opinion. Usually, this refers to social or political opinions. An employee must not be discriminated against, for instance because he or she demands that foreigners must receive the same pay as Finnish employees.
• Language This ground does not apply to situations where the applicant’s language skills are insufficient in order to perform at work. However, if the qualification requirements are met, the person’s mother tongue may not constitute the reason for not employing him or her.
• Gender. Discrimination based on gender is prohibited, since the Equality Act protects both men and women. Gender is often related to discrimination on multiple bases: for instance, women with an immigrant background or young Muslim men may feel ‘doubly discriminated against’.
• Other reasons related to one’s person. Other reasons may include financial position, family relationships or participation in the activities of associations.

Appendix 2. Legal basis of equality and prevention of discrimination in Finland

Provisions on equality, non-discrimination, gender equality, equal treatment and the prohibition of discrimination:

The Constitution of Finland (731/1999), Non-Discrimination Act (21/2004), Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986, Equality Act)., Employment Contracts Act (55/2001), State Civil Servants’ Act (750/1994), Act on the Employment Security of Municipal Officeholders (304/2003), Seamen’s Act (423/1978), Occupational Safety and Health Act (738/2002), and Penal Code (39/1889)

Appendix 3. Definition of Discrimination and Multiple Discrimination

What is discrimination and what is not?

In working life, the unequal treatment of employees or job applicants without an acceptable reason, on the grounds that they belong to a certain group, constitutes discrimination. In many cases, discrimination is based on prejudices, stereotyped attitudes and notions of the group in question. Another reason for discrimination can be ignorance or thoughtlessness. Discrimination is exclusion, sending out a message that the person discriminated against is different and inferior. Discrimination can also be structural. In such cases, agreements, laws or services might place one group in a worse position than others.

Multiple discrimination means that an employee or job applicant faces discrimination on two or more grounds. Various grounds for discrimination can be combined in certain situations, or the person may be discriminated against on different grounds in different situations. Multiple discrimination is related to diversity of identity: a woman can be a foreigner, a foreigner can be disabled, a person with disabilities can belong to a sexual minority, a person belonging to a sexual minority can be aged, and so on. One person can be all of these and face discrimination on all of these grounds. Multiple discrimination is particularly problematic for those facing it, because discriminatory situations are often hard to recognize, which makes it difficult to intervene in them.

Appendix 4.“Promoting equal opportunities and diversity in European workplaces” GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWEE

1. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. INCLUDE WORK SECTOR, WORK HISTORY, EDUCATION. CAREER PLANS.

2. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE JOB MARKET IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR YOUR FIELD, AND IN GENERAL.

3. GOOD AND POSITIVE TRENDS ON LABOR LAWS IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY?

4. WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED.

5. HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION RELATED TO RACE, GENDER, RELIGION, AGE, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITIES NOT RELATED TO FUNCTIONS OF YOUR WORK?

6. DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO WORK OUTSIDE YOUR HOME COUNTRY? WHERE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE SKILLS REQUIRED TO WORK IN EU COUNTRIES?

7. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF “ANONYMOUS” RECRUITMENT, WHERE APPLICANTS DO NOT NEED TO REVEAL RACE, GENDER, RELIGION, AGE, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITIES NOT RELATED TO FUNCTIONS OF YOUR WORK?

8. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH SALARY LEVEL, TAXATION AND LEGISLATION CONCERNING RIGHTS OF WORKERS IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY?

9. IF POSSIBLE, CAN YOU RECOMMEND HOW YOUR WORKPLACE S AND RECRUITMENT PROCESSES IMPROVE TO CONSIDER DIVERSITY INCLUSIVENESS (E.G. HIRING OF MINORITIES AND IMMIGRANTS) WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN EUROPE TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN WORKPLACES.

10. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS?

Appendix 5. Key Words Used

• Immigrant employment
• Youth employment
• Workplace equality
• Gender bias (male, female, gay)
• Civil status bias (if a person is married, single, cohabitation, divorced, etc.)
• Youth bias, Senior citizen bias, or Age bias (where age is not a determinant of qualification or competence for a job)
• Language bias (Language requirement is used in employment qualification to filter out immigrants, though it is not related to the job; e.g. service industry — cleaners, janitors)
• Regional accent bias (Teachers of English language must have either British or American English when the most prevalent form is called “International English)
• Quota employment
• (Online) anonymous job recruitment (Used today in Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden to avoid questions pointing to job applicants ethnicity, religion, and gender orientation)

References

• The Guidelines on gender equality; Handbook on Gender equality in journalism; Resources for promoting gender equality; Sexual harassment; Issues affecting women reporters in the field; codes of practice; strategies for development portal.unesco.org/ci/en/files/28397/12435929903gender_booklet_en.pdf/gender_booklet_en.pdf
• Business Case for Diversity — Good Practices in the Workplace, European Commission, 2005.
• European Business Test Panel (EBTP): Workplace diversity and the performance of your business. 2008
• Booth, Christine, and Cinnamon Bennett. “Gender mainstreaming in the European Union towards a new conception and practice of equal opportunities?.” European Journal of Women’s Studies 9.4 (2002): 430–446.
• Barak, Michalle E. Mor. Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace. SAGE Publications, 2013.
• Guide to promoting equality and preventing discrimination in the workplace. YES — Equality is Priority Project, supported by the European Community program for employment and social solidarity — PROGRESS (2007–2013).
• The European Commission / Tackling discrimination http://ec.europa.eu/social/
• The Ombudsman for Equality www.tasa-arvo.fi
• The Equality Clinic www.tasa-arvoklinikka.fi
• The Council for Equality www.tane.fi
• SETA ry., Finnish association for sexual and gender minorities www.seta.fi
• Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate www.tyosuojelu.fi
• Confederation of Finnish Industries EK www.ek.fi
• AKAVA — The Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland www.akava.fi
• Ministry of Justice www.oikeus.fi

Writer’s bio: Sheila Riikonen is a Member of the Int’l Press Center, Finland and correspondent for ABS­-CBN. She graduated with BA Journalism from the Univ. of the Philippines and Master’s in Social Science at the Univ. of Helsinki, Finland. She joined media projects with the CMPF and the EU / CoE program on Diversity for Inclusive Media Coverage in 2014. In the 1990s, she trained at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Sheila travelled in over 30 countries for work and study. She now seeks skills­-based volunteering in Causes for Children, Civil Rights and Social Action, Education, Environment, Science and Technology.