Rosie Seymour EQUALITIES REVIEW Equality and Diversity Forum 21 March 2007

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 people’s different needs, situations and goals and removes the barriers that limit what people can do and can be.”

In practice… A society which protects and promotes equality successfully is one in which everyone is treated as being of equal value and effectively enabled to live a fulfilling life. This would involve; oInstitutions and organisations positively removing barriers to opportunities; oRecognition that some people need to be treated differently to be treated fairly; oGenuine choice for the individual recognised as better for society; oNarrowing the gaps by lifting those at the bottom – not pulling down those at the top.

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.

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.

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.

Momentum measures: education Mixed White and Black Caribbean 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?

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?

Persistent inequalities Report sets out evidence on persistent inequalities, in four areas: –Early years and education; –Employment and disadvantage in retirement; –Health and access to healthcare; –Crime and criminal justice.

Barriers to progress Outdated attitudes and complacency –Continuing prejudice, often subtle in operation; Lack of consensus –We need agreement about the goal, and need to be able to establish what needs to be done - but equality still treated as peripheral and perceived as bureaucratic/political correctness, and poor data significant problem; 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.

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;

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.

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.