Activity of Equality and Human Rights Commission

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Method/Tool
Šalis: Non EU countries
Section:
Men and Gender equality

Aims and objectives

Has a statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights; and to protect, enforce and promote equality across the nine "protected" grounds - age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. Launched on 1 October 2007, the Commission has particular statutory duties with regard to equality and diversity to: promote understanding of the importance of equality and diversity; encourage good practice in relation to equality and diversity; promote equality of opportunity; promote awareness and understanding of rights under the equality enactments; enforce the equality enactments; work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination, and work towards the elimination of unlawful harassment. The Commission also has duties to promote awareness, understanding and protection of human rights, and has powers to conduct inquiries and investigations, and enforce the public sector duties.

Creator/owner/responsible institution

Name: Equality and Human Rights Commission

Stakeholder: Equality Body

Area of intervention: Faith/Religion; Human rights; Institutional mechanisms; Methods and Tools; Violence; Men and gender equality; Gender Mainstreaming

Organisation Country: United Kingdom

Organisation City: London

Organisation Address:

3 More London, Riverside, Tooley Street

Organisation Zip Code: SE1 2RG

Organisation Phone: 2031170235

Contents/activities/services

Activities

Activities in relation to gender equality include:

  • Setting a new policy agenda for flexible working and leave policies through the Working Better initiative. Study of the impact of public policy and workplace culture on the way Britain works sparked a lively debate around the assumption that women should do the lion's share of caring.
  • Published the findings of an inquiry into gender discrimination in the financial services sector
  • Published the 2008 Sex and Power Index, drawing attention to the fact that women's progression to positions of influence has stalled.
  • Intervened in a case concerning the London borough council of Ealing, to argue that the council had not taken proper steps to determine the adverse equality impact of proposed funding changes that threatened the survival of Southall Black Sisters (a domestic violence support group). 
  • Published the first study of its kind analysing pay gaps and pay penalties by gender and ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and age.
  • Produced two Map of Gaps reports exposing the postcode lottery of services dealing with violence against women.
  • Published a shadow report on the government's performance against its obligations under the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
  • Providing support to the Coalition on Men and Boys in relation to a report on men, masculinities and public policy.

Materials

Key reports at www.equalityhumanrights.com/publications/key-commission-reports/

Include:

  • EHRC/EVAW (2009) Map of Gaps 2: The Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services
  • EHRC/EVAW (2007) Map of Gaps 1: The Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services
  • EHRC (2009) Working Better, Meeting the changing needs of families, workers and employers in the 21st century

Metadata

Ongoing: 
Ne
Type:
Awareness-raising campaigns/events, Counselling / Mentoring / Coaching program, Study / Survey, Network, Policy / Legislation, Publication
Target group:
Men and Women/young men and young women
Keywords:
men and gender equality