Transcript fostering good relations between people who share a protected

Equality and Human Rights
Commission
Good Relations.
The Future Agenda
Dr. Marc Verlot
Foresight director
EHRC
Overview
• EHRC Mandate
• Change is upon us
(1) new legislation
(2) New political context
• What has the EHRC done?
(1) Programmes
(2) GRMF
• How can EDF be involved?
EHRC’s mandate on Good Relations
• ... to build mutual respect between groups based on
understanding and valuing of diversity, and on shared
respect for equality and human rights (EA 2006)
• Promoting good relations and eliminating prejudice is
one of core functions (Equality Act 2006)
• Applies to all strands, though particular emphasis on
race, religion and belief
EHRC’s mandate - 2
• Legislation gives us a role in:
•
•
•
•
Promoting understanding
Encouraging good practice
Eliminating prejudice, hatred and hostility
Enabling groups to participate in society
• Section 10 of EA 2006 also makes clear that it is about
members of groups – putting more emphasis on
individuals than before.
Changed legislation
• EA 2010 introduces a public duty in which it
asks public bodies and those who exercise
public functions to have due regard to
“fostering good relations between people who
share a protected characteristic and people
who do not share it”
• Fostering can be interpreted as stronger than
promoting
• Consultation will be out on specific duties!
Changed legislation - 2
Examples form the explanatory note on the Act
• The duty could lead a large government department, in its capacity as
an employer, to provide staff with education and guidance, with the aim
of fostering good relations between its transsexual staff and its nontranssexual staff.
• The duty could lead a school to review its anti-bullying strategy to
ensure that it addresses the issue of homophobic bullying, with the aim
of fostering good relations, and in particular tackling prejudice against
gay and lesbian people.
•
The duty could lead a local authority to introduce measures to
facilitate understanding and conciliation between Sunni and Shi’a
Muslims living in a particular area, with the aim of fostering good
relations between people of different religious beliefs.
Changed political context
• The Big Society instead of community
cohesion? New UK Government is taking a
different approach
• Partnership from below instead of funding
from above
• Local will replace national
EHRC work
Have done a number of things
• Publishing research on roots of prejudice and
how to tackle them
• Looking into tensions between strands:
religion and sexuality, religion and disability,
gender and ethnicity
• Implemented a range of activities around
preventing bad relations
EHRC work - 2
• engaged in debate and policy on migration – looking what is
influencing the numbers and what policy should be and how
relevant public bodies like UKBA can meet their duties
• developing activities among young people around generating
better or good relations such as Project 1000
• we are funding some projects such as Show Racism the Red
Card, drama groups on prejudices around disability
• significant effort into accommodation for Gypsies and
Travellers: a test bed area of good relations approaches
Good Relations MF
• Published the conceptual framework – Icoco
• Have developed long list into shortlist via
consultations
• Identified 4 domains and 20-22 indicators
• Results published in August 2010
EDF involvement
• Involve in public consultations on the PSED
• Let us know of any good practice on GR
• Let us know about the impact of changed
policy on existing GR work
‘Building a society built on fairness
and respect where
people are confident in all aspects
of their diversity.’