While western countries all over the world preach about human rights violations happening in the Middle East, an increasing number of studies are demonstrating that western countries have numerous human rights issues of their own–not the least of which is dealing with their atrocious racial inequality and the inhumane treatment of African populations.

A recent study, Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality, and Diversity in the Academy, conducted by the Runnymede Trust, shed light on racial inequality in UK higher education.

The Runnymede Trust Report highlighted the failure of UK universities to integrate Black and minority ethnic (BME) students, staff, and professors.

The report showed a dismal percentage of Black professors employed at UK universities.

Overall, 92.4 percent of professors (15,905) in UK universities are white. Only 0.49 percent are Black (85).

In a UK university system with thousands of professors, it is quite embarrassing to reveal such a small number of Black professors, of which only 17 are Black female professors.

The disparity worsens at the upper management level of academia. In the UK university system, only 15 Black academics are in senior management roles.

British universities have also come under harsh criticism for showing preferential admissions to white students over Asian and Black students, especially at selective schools.

The study revealed BME students will only get into British universities if they perform better than their white peers, and even when they do perform better, they are still less likely to be accepted at prestigious universities over their white peers.

White British students with lower A-level results are significantly more likely to get into elite British universities compared to Asian and Black students with the same or higher A-level scores.

Black African Students are discriminated against the most.
Even with the smallest percentage of applicants, Black African Students are discriminated against the most.

The failing of the UK educational system to integrate BME populations into its student, staff, and professorial ranks places an intense spotlight on a nation that points the finger at other nations for disenfranchising their populations, while it practices the same, if not worse, castration of people who reside within its boundaries.

How can the UK government discuss human rights violations in the Middle East or elsewhere if everyone in the UK is not, equally, granted human rights?

It is nothing short of hypocrisy to offer advice to others in areas where much advice is needed for yourself.

It is now a time for countries like the UK, the US, and France, to perform some introspective analyses and examine how they can ensure human rights to all their citizens.

The UK race equality charity Runnymede Trust regularly conducts a number of studies on racial inequality in the UK.

Higher education is but one example of where the UK falls short in granting human rights–including the right to education and work–for all citizens.

This government and others in the west need to be held accountable for failing its African populations.

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The governments in the UK, the US, France, and other western territories certainly do not have the moral authority to criticize other nations shortcomings when they still harbor too many ills of their own.

These western countries have a long way to progress before they can speak of fairness, equality, democracy, and meritocracy for all of its citizens and for the world.

Read the entire report: Aiming Higher: Race, Inequality and Diversity in the Academy.

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Nefetiti is the Chief Editor at Grandmother Africa. She holds two Bachelor degrees, a double major in Chemistry and Physics. Since 1997, Nefetiti has authored several reports on Democracy and the state of Republics in the African Union. She became an African Reporting Fellow in 2007. Before joining the Definitive African Record, Nefetiti trained as a Digital Media expert. If you enjoyed this essay and would like to support more content like this one, please buy me a cup of coffee in support of my next essay, or you can go bold, very bold and delight me. Here's my CashApp: $AMARANEFETITI

15 COMMENTS

  1. The idea here is that the UK, France and the US should stop indicting other nations of ills. Take the log out of your own eye before you can take the speck out of another person’s eyes!

  2. The West is going down as the biggest Hyprocrites in Human history pure and simple. It is facetious what they did in Iraq, Libya and everywhere else. Look here UK, France and the US, you are no better! In fact, you are much worse. Take your Liberty Bells and Torches and stay in you coniferous forests – no one is fooled by you arrogance and gluttony. Not even Russia!

  3. Something is wrong with white people the world over. Something really terrible is wrong with white people. They claim they are the best and then prevent other people from doing anything they think they are the best in. I am sure that is the only way they can keep deceiving the world that they are the best in everything. Because the last time I checked, all their claims to superiority have fallen flat every time others have competed with them on equal grounds. The last frontier seems to be education – and boy, are they holding dear to that last bastion of white supremacy.

    • I think civilization ally, we, white people – if there is any such thing – haven’t done ourselves any good by believing that we are better than others because of the color of our skin. We have committed a most egregious error. We have to change and the world I believe will forgive us. But we have to begin doing to damage repair instead of our leaders acting like they have all the answers to the world’s problems.

  4. This one comes with a shock! This one stings. I believed the UK’s educational system was equal after all. God help us with our evil racism.

  5. I have to say, Libya was way better than the UK, France and the US all put together. Libya, under Muammar Al Gaddafi was way better! It’s a shame today’s leader’s cannot walk in the footsteps of the likes of Tahaqua. I big fat shame! Maybe one day Africa can again give us the right way to follow again. This western civilization thing is all some idiotic tribalism beyond my comprehension – really!

  6. And then they want to talk about racism and homophobia in Russia – see these hypocrites? The UK, France, and the US are bullies, that’s what they are – dirty immoral bullies!

  7. The numbers speak for themselves. I really wonder what goes on in the minds of racists? I really wonder? What goes on in the minds of admissions at these colleges? I wonder? I have they have brains in there because this is not just bad. It is demonic. Whiteness had become demonic – not just cruel.

  8. Yes, “The US, France and the UK have a long way to progress before they can
    speak of fairness, equality, democracy, and meritocracy for all of its
    citizens and for the world.”

    While trying to go that mile, why don’t they leave the rest of the world in African and the Middle East alone? Why can’t they leave us alone, these people?

  9. I am glad this has gotten attention. The UK likes to point the finger at the US and Russia as if they have a better human rights and civil rights record. Detestable.

  10. With this report, I wish not entertain the nonsense on the BBC and the NYTimes about ISIS and the human and civil rights records. The US, the UK and France are as much bullies as ISIS. I have seen no difference.

  11. Sometimes data is all you need to make the point about somebody’s character! The UK has failed the test. As for the US and France, we already knew they were shit-holes of human rights and civil liberties violations. Well, the UK has joined that pack, or was it always amongst them but found a way to hide. I am sure the UK government is just going to bury their heads in the sand and wish this away. It speaks to a civilization that has no compassion for humanity nor an understanding of it. What a shame?

      • You are correct! One hundred percent. Only I might yest add, Western Civilization- WC – Water Closet or Wicked Civilization. I think.

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