February 16, 2021
Pandemic fears stoke racism
The Human Rights Commission says COVID-19 has increased rates of discrimination felt by tangata whenua, Chinese and Pacific communities.
Its survey found 55 percent of Māori, 54 percent of Chinese and 50 percent of Pacific respondents said they had experienced discrimination since the start of the pandemic.
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon says the pandemic feeds fear, shows up as racism and discrimination.
The most common forms of discrimination reported by respondents online negative comments or abuse, being stared at in public, being excessively avoided (beyond the usual social distancing), and receiving negative comments or abuse in person.
Chinese respondents reported much greater concerns about their personal safety compared with other respondents, and about half of Chinese, Asian, and Māori respondents said the discrimination they experienced had a negative impact on their mental wellbeing and their sense of belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Mr Foon says government plan needs to address institutional and interpersonal racism against Māori, ethnic, and some religious communities who experience racial discrimination.
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