Transcript Equality and Human Rights Commission

Equality and Human Rights
Commission
Neil Martin
Regional Advisor, Yorkshire & Humber
The Commission’s remit
• reduce inequality and
discrimination in all its forms
• promote and protect human rights,
and
• strengthen good relations
EHRC work
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Equality Bill
Human Rights Inquiry & Strategy
Legal cases – BNP
Research – migrant workers & social housing
Guidance – Challenging organised racial hatred
Inquiries – targeted violence & harassment of
disabled people
Strategic Funding Programme
Good Relations Measurement Framework
Triennial Review
Regional work & priorities
The Equality Bill
• Declutter the law on equality –
– Currently 9 major pieces of legislation
– About 100 statutory instruments
– more than 2,500 pages of guidance & statutory
codes of practice.
• Ensure public services are responsive to the
needs of communities and promote equality
• Ensure greater transparency
• Election?
Equality Bill
• Protected characteristics
– Age, disability, gender, gender identity,
race, religion or belief, sexual orientation
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Dual discrimination clause
Public sector duties
Socio-economic duty
Procurement
Positive discrimination
Gender pay gap & pay reporting
Public Sector Duty
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A public authority must have due regard to the need to:
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Having due regard to foster good relations involves having due regard, in
particular, to the need to
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eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation
advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected
characteristic and persons who do not share it
foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected
characteristic and persons who do not share it
tackle prejudice, and
promote understanding
A person who is not a public authority but who exercises public functions
must, in the exercise of those functions, have due regard to the duties
Public Sector Duty
• Focus on outcomes
• Equality Impact Assessments
• Specific duties:
– Secondary legislation
– GEO consultation
Socio-economic Duty
• Strategic public authorities to consider
socioeconomic disadvantage in:
– Planning &
– monitoring of the services
• Tackle some of most deep rooted
discrimination
Equality Bill – Key Dates
• Bill in House of Lords Committee stage
• Spring 2010
– expect to be enacted
• Summer 2010
– GEO consultations on secondary legislation
• October 2010
– Commencement employment & services / public functions
• April 2011
– Commencement Public Sector Equality Duty / procurement
• Current duties still apply
Equality Bill – EHRC Guidance
• Non Statutory Guidance
– What’s New In the Act
– Employment Guidance for Employers &
Employees
– Services and Public Functions Guidance for
Providers & Users
– The Equality Act for Public Bodies
– Equality in the Public Sector for Individuals,
Private and Third Sector Organisations
Equality Bill – EHRC Guidance
• Codes of Practice
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Employment & Occupation
Services & Public Functions
Equal Pay
Education
Public Sector Equality Duty
• Consultation
– www.equalityhumanrights.com/legislativeframework/equality-bill/equality-bill-consultations/
– Non-Statutory Guidance consultation event 31st March
2010
Contacts
Yorkshire & Humber:
[email protected]
Tel: 0113 3412694
[email protected]
[email protected]
Helpline: 0845 6046610
‘Building a society built on fairness
and respect where
people are confident in all aspects
of their diversity.’