The FIA Global Diversity Working group (GDWG) is a thematic working group created during FIA’s 2016 Congress held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, with the aim of discussing diversity and inclusion at large. Areas of work can include gender equality, sexual harassment, race and ethnicity, LGBT performers, disabled performers etc.
The GDWG met on Wednesday 2 October in Vancouver, in conjunction with the FIA Executive. It gathered delegates from Uruguay, the UK, the United-States, Sweden, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan and Tukey, and was chaired by Katja Holm and Duncan-Crabtree-Ireland. Due to international context and events, some sub-groups who emerged from the global group and have been particularly active over the past couple years, such as the Sexual Harassment working group.
The meeting started with reports from each union on their latest activities in the fight against sexual harassment. Among the many topics covered were the development of further guidelines and specific trainings, the launch of new surveys and campaigns, and the challenges of legal actions and disciplinary measures to respond to misconduct among employers but also members. The question of how to make the above initiatives and working groups more racialized and all abled was also discussed with particular interest.
The participants then discussed the contents of the FIA Manual on combatting Sexual Harassment, presented during the EC meeting, and agreed on final amendments to be implemented. This concise Manual, drawing from best practice and guiding other FIA affiliates wishing to join the fight against sexual harassment at national level, will be available in English, French and Spanish, towards the end of the year.
Next up on the agenda was the LGBT survey. This global survey on Discrimination and Harassment against LGBT Performers has been carried out by FIA over the past years. The results have now been put together and will be presented in a report to be prepared by SAG-AFTRA and published by FIA. Delegates agreed on re-activating the LGBT working group to follow-up on the survey and develop new actions.
With respect to future activities of the working group, it was decided to consult with the wider FIA membership on how to orient the future work and priorities in the area of global diversity. The group decided to reach out to the members and invite them to express interest in taking part in further thematic sub-groups in order to ensure proper participation and follow-up.
