1. POSITIVE ACTION and DIVERSITY. Recommendations of the Equalities Review DAME JUDITH MAYHEW JONAS 5 TH SEPTEMBER 2007

2. Definition of equality “An equal society protects and promotes equal, real freedom and substantive opportunity to live in the ways people value and would choose, so that everyone can flourish. An equal society recognises our different needs, situations and goals and removes the barriers that limit what people can do and can be.”

3. In practice… Institutions and organisations positively removing barriers to opportunities Recognise some people need to be treated differently to be treated fairly Genuine choice for the individual is better for society Narrowing the gaps by lifting those at the bottom – not pulling down those at the top

4. Equality Scorecard Ten dimensions: Longevity Security and safety Health Education Standard of living Work Individual and family life Participation and power Identity and self-respect Legal protection

5. Positioning the argument Fairness and freedom are core, popular values for British people Freedom from poverty, discrimination and disadvantage, but also freedom to be able to achieve the things that, individually, matter most to us Move debate away from perception of bureaucracy and legal restriction Positive vision – for all of society as well as disadvantaged groups The case for equality – economic, social and moral

6. The case for urgency Growing inequality in some areas Progress too slow in other areas New trends for the future – we have to adapt now Greater equality means greater prosperity Promising context – CEHR, single Equality Act, Comprehensive Spending Review

7. Momentum measures: education Mixed White and Black Caribbean 2010 2014 2017 2025 2045 2053 Bangladeshi Pakistani other Black Black Caribbean Black African If the achievement of 11 year olds at Key Stage 2 continues to improve at its current rate of progress, how long will it be before children from these ethnic groups close the attainment gap in English and Maths?

8. Momentum measures: employment 2025 Possibly never Definitely never Mothers with children under 11 Disabled people Pakistani and Bangladeshi women At the current rate of progress when will the employment penalty disappear?

9. Overall, rising attainment, but significant attainment gaps for some groups % of each group achieving 5 or more GCSE passes at grade A*-C in 2006

10. Female employment gaps (compared with all men) by the presence of children in the household (log-odd statistics) Women with younger children have always had lower employment rates than women with older children; Despite a narrowing of the gap over time mothers still experience a significant employment penalty Selected Findings: Employment - Mothers

11. Selected Findings: Employment - Religion Female,2001 Male, 2001 Muslims are much less likely to be employed than Christians and most other religious groups; Muslims are also less likely to move into employment (not in figure); Muslim women have exceptionally low employment rates and transition rates into employment.

12. Prisoners per 1000 members of the population of England and Wales, by ethnicity, in 2004/05 Overrepresentation in prison population

13. Barriers to progress Outdated attitudes and complacency –Continuing prejudice; often subtle in operation Lack of consensus –We need agreement about the goal; but equality still treated as peripheral and perceived as bureaucratic/political correctness Uncertainty about responsibility –Lack of accountability by leadership; lack of representation among leadership; lack of mechanisms for communities to demand change Inadequate tools for the job –Unhelpful focus on process rather than outcomes; limitations on the chance to apply balancing measures; blunt enforcement options

14. Steps to equality 1: Defining equality 2: Building a consensus on equality - as an urgent national priority 3: Measuring progress towards equality - adopting the framework of measurement and scorecard 4: Transparency about progress 5: Targeted action on persistent inequalities -adopting specific measures service by service; reconsidering how services are designed, organised and accessed; empowering disadvantaged groups to take action to improve services -implementing balancing measures to accelerate progress -achieving attitudinal change

15. Steps to equality 6: A simpler legal framework 7: More accountability for delivering equality - an Equalities Select Committee; PSAs and impact assessment of the CSR; embedding equality in performance regimes 8: Using public procurement and commissioning positively 9: Enabling and supporting organisations in all sectors - CEHR to convene a working group of advice-giving organisations; allow organisations to apply balancing measures 10: A more sophisticated enforcement regime –a) Transparency –b) Explanation –c) Inspection –d) Listing

16. Outcomes from the report – what would count as success? Shared understanding Common framework of measurement Leaders taking direct and personal responsibility Focus on outcomes, not processes Equality embedded in public institutions A dynamic, systematic, evidence-based approach Transparency and availability of workforce data Focus on society to act against discrimination, not the individual victim Measurable progress