– We believe that this is structural discrimination. That we do not see a representation in these health committees. That’s what advisor Hatem Ben Mansour in the Organization against public discrimination (OMOD) says about the Ministry of Health and Care. Among other things, the health committees make reports to the government on various health issues and challenges. news has examined 8 different health committees with a total of 91 members. Only 4 people in the committees have a minority background. Three have a non-Western background and one has a Sami background. It is 3.3 percent if you do not count the person with a Sami background. By way of comparison, 16 per cent of the population has an immigrant background, according to Statistics Norway figures from 2023. SHORT OF WORDS: The Ministry of Health and Care informs news that they will answer questions after they have answered the Discrimination Board. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Believes the ministry is breaking the law It is the Ministry of Health and Welfare that selects members for the committees. OMOD has now lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Discrimination. – The ministry is breaking the discrimination act individually against these individuals who are not appointed to the committee, and thus are passed over in their careers, says Ben Mansour. This is the Discrimination Board: The Discrimination Board is a neutral and independent body that deals with complaints about discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and retaliation. It is free to have a case heard by the tribunal, and the parties themselves choose whether they want to use a lawyer. The entire process can be carried out digitally via an electronic form. He believes that few minorities in the committees can have consequences. – We have now recently seen in a UN report where it is written about discrimination in the healthcare system against women with an African background. So there is a clear problem. And adds: – The population can receive poorer health services in itself, in that you do not represent the entire population, and not everyone’s services are adapted to them. In an e-mail, the ministry writes that they are concerned with having the right expertise, and at the same time ensuring representation of a diversity of organisations, minorities and people from all over the country. Read the full response to the Ministry of Health and Care at the bottom of the article. High demands on the committees Many of those who sit on the committees work as senior doctors, professors and directors. But Ben Mansour says that even with high requirements, the ministry should find suitable candidates. – After all, we have been overrepresented with people with an immigrant background in law, medicine and engineering studies for that matter. We need bioengineers in here. So there is certainly no shortage. He believes the government’s routines are failing. He points out that there are clear routines when it comes to other types of diversity, such as gender balance. – Here it is simply that they do not have any routines whatsoever to ensure representation and diversity. Have other perspectives Equal opportunities and discrimination ombudsman, Bjørn Erik Thon, says it is important to have diversity in the committees that will design policy and health services. He believes that people with a minority background can have a different type of life experience that they can contribute with. – It could be what kind of knowledge they have, what kind of experience they have. And this is important to have with you. The breadth of the population must be reflected. AGREE: Equality and discrimination ombudsman, Bjørn Erik Thon, believes that representation is important in order to have issues properly clarified and investigated. Photo: Tobias Prosch Simonsen / news Thon also believes that there are enough people to take off in the country with the right skills. – I am absolutely convinced that there are more talented people with a different ethnic background than have been found worthy of sitting on these committees. – What does it mean for the health sector that there are so few with a minority background in these health committees? – It can affect the quality and that we get some blind spots that we don’t see. Precisely because there is not a broad enough representation in the committees. The Ministry of Health and Care answers: When we appoint councils and committees, the Ministry of Health and Care is concerned with getting a composition that has the right professional expertise, while at the same time representing a diversity of organisations, minorities and geographical spread etc. For example, we have had representatives with indigenous and minority backgrounds in all government-appointed public committees within our area during this period. The ministry was not aware that we had lodged a complaint with the Discrimination Board before news contacted us. As the ministry has been sued, we will naturally respond to the Discrimination Board if they request information from the ministry. Published 09.10.2024, at 07.22 Updated 09.10.2024, at 07.36
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Believes the government is breaking the discrimination act by having too few minorities in the health committees – Greater Oslo
