ESRC SEMINAR18 February 2005ESRC SEMINAR18 February 2005

Evelyn Collins

Chief Executive

EQUALITY COMMISSION FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

EQUALITY COMMISSION FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

Established October 1999 Covers

Race relations (1997)Sex discrimination and equal pay (1976)Religious and political opinion

discrimination (1976; 1989)Disability (1995, 2000)Sexual orientation (2003)

ROLEROLE

promote equality of opportunity and affirmative/positive action

work towards the elimination of discrimination promote good relations between persons of

different racial groups keep equality legislation under review advise on and review public authority equality

duties

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

SACHR Report on Fair Employment, 1996

Partnerships for Equality, White Paper, March 1998

statutory equality duties

Belfast Agreement, April 1998

Northern Ireland Act, July 1998

Section 75 (1) duty on public authorities ‘Due regard’ to the need to promote

‘equality of opportunity’

Section 75 (1) duty on public authorities ‘Due regard’ to the need to promote

‘equality of opportunity’

(a) between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation

(b) between men and women generally

(c) between persons with a disability and persons without and

(d) between persons with dependants and persons without

Section 75 (2) duty on public authorities‘Regard to the desirability of promoting

‘good relations’

Section 75 (2) duty on public authorities‘Regard to the desirability of promoting

‘good relations’

between persons of different religious belief

between persons of different political opinion

between persons of different racial groups

Section 75Section 75

Equality Schemes

Consultation

Screening

EQIA

Section 75 – For Public Authorities and others

Section 75 – For Public Authorities and others

new way of working new categories engagement between PAs and

NGO sector definition of policies/policy capacity resources information process driven/outcome driven

Section 75 – For CommissionSection 75 – For Commission

provision of advice and guidance

timescale

approval of Schemes

Section 75Section 75

Reviews of progress

Joint Declaration Review

Commission’s review of effectiveness

2005-06

Working across the equality strands in employment

Working across the equality strands in employment

lessons from fair employment strand one-stop-shop advice for employers/service

providers employment equality plans – learning across

the strands single strand also eg

access provisions DDA equal paymigrant workers

Single equality legislationSingle equality legislation

• ECNI Draft Corporate Plan, March 2000

• Draft Programme for Government, July 2000

• OFMDFM consultations 2001/2004

• timescale

experience informing ECNI policy positions

harmonisation upwards – minimise potential for hierarchies

clear, workable, understandable

move to pro-active approach

scope of coverage/powers

Programme for GovernmentProgramme for Government

• mainstreaming of equality considerations• assessment of equality impacts• specific policies

review of community relations policy and strategy on a shared future

review of public procurementTaskforce on employabilityNew TSN – anti-poverty strategyhate crimedraft gender strategy

LESSONSLESSONS

• broadening of the equality agenda• synergy/learning between equality strands• multi-identity issues• strategic choices – single strand/integrated

approaches/combination• effective stakeholder engagement• political environment