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1 April 2022


News from the Equality and Human Rights Commission


Launch of our new Strategic Plan 2022 – 25


This week, we published our new Strategic Plan for 2022 – 25 which was laid before Parliament on 29 March 2022. Our new Strategy sets out six priority areas:


Equality in a changing workplace


Equality for children and young people


Upholding rights and equality in health and social care


Addressing the equality and human rights impact of digital services and artificial intelligence


Fostering good relations and promoting respect between groups


Ensuring an effective legal framework to protect equality and human rights.


Our Strategic Plan was shaped by responses to our public consultation and we would like to thank everyone who responded. You can view the consultation report here. [link removed]


Our goal through this Strategy is to focus our resources where we can make a lasting and positive difference to the lives of people across Britain. Over the next three years we will focus on these priorities, while also retaining the capacity to respond to new challenges to equality and human rights as they emerge.


Our Business Plan for 2022-23 [link removed] , setting out our priority activities for the first year of our Strategy, has also been published.


Read our Strategic Plan 2022-25 [link removed]


Update on request to review our international accreditation


The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, through the Sub-Committee on Accreditation, has decided to reject a request to review our 'A Status', endorsing our compliance with their high standards.


Marcial Boo, EHRC Chief Executive, said: “The EHRC has a crucial role to play as a strong and independent regulator and many campaigning organisations share our goal: a Britain where no one is discriminated against for who they are. We are pleased that the Sub-Committee on Accreditation assessed evidence of our independence and effectiveness and upheld our position, declining a special review of our work. As we launch our new strategy, we are reaching out to organisations that have been critical of the EHRC, encouraging them to put aside past disagreements and to work with us and other like-minded organisations to protect everyone and to achieve a fairer society for all."


Read more on the review here [link removed]


Government's LGBT+ Business Champion’s consultation


The Government’s LGBT+ Business Champion, Iain Anderson, wants to hear from employers, staff networks, trade unions and civil society organisations about the most promising examples of how LGBT+ inclusion is being driven in the workplace so that these can be promoted and shared across industry. These can be examples of:


Creating LGBT+ inclusive workplaces


Supporting LGBT+ inclusion in their wider environment


Improving outcomes and experiences for LGBT+ people


Read more about the consultation [link removed]


Race discrimination fund fighting alleged harassment in football


Together with the professional footballers' union in Scotland (PFA Scotland), we are supporting footballer Rico Quitongo in his race discrimination claim against his former club and a club director. We are part funding this case through our race discrimination fund [link removed] , which seeks to improve outcomes for victims of racial discrimination and harassment.


The claim follows an alleged incident of racism against Mr Quitongo by a supporter during a match in September 2021, and arises from the way the issue was subsequently handled by Airdrieonians FC. He alleges he experienced racial harassment and victimisation.


An employment tribunal claim has now been raised, and we await a date for the hearing. Together the EHRC and PFA Scotland look forward to the outcome of the tribunal.


Read more about this legal case [link removed]


Appointment of Wales Commissioner


We are delighted to welcome Eryl Besse as the new Wales Commissioner from 1 April 2022.


"I am honoured to be appointed to the role of Wales Commissioner at the Equality and Human Rights Commission. It is an important time to become part of the EHRC as it launches its new three-year strategy to promote and uphold equality and human rights laws and standards across Wales and the rest of Britain. I look forward to working closely with the Commission's team in Wales, the people and organisations" - Eryl Besse, new EHRC Wales Commissioner.


Read more about our new Wales Commissioner [link removed]


Our response to Human Rights Act reform consultation


In March, we responded to the UK Government’s consultation on reform of the Human Rights Act. As the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) for England and Wales, we have a legal duty to protect and promote human rights impartially, without fear or favour.


In our response to the consultation, we raised several concerns and made a number of recommendations to protect human rights and further embed them in the UK’s political and legal culture. In our response we:


Make clear that we oppose any change that would weaken human rights protections, or reduce access to justice for human rights violations


Strongly welcome the commitment to remain a party to the European Convention on Human Rights and maintain the UK’s international law commitments


Support the Independent Human Rights Act Review panel’s recommendation on human rights education


Express concern that some of the proposals risk reducing protections, or that they lack evidence


Advise that any change to the Human Rights Act should be subject to an in-depth, inclusive consultation process, in order to gather and reflect the views and needs of all groups and protected characteristics.We will continue to engage closely with these issues as the Government develops its plans, including proposed legislation.


Download our Human Rights Act reform consultation response [link removed]


Statement on our Disability Advisory Committee


Following the last formal meeting of our Disability Advisory Committee in March, our Chief Executive Marcial Boo said, "The Committee has advised us over the last three-year strategy period. Their influence has been invaluable and we are grateful for their dedicated input. As we now publish our next strategy for 2022 to 2025, we will hold a half-day workshop in July where we will seek expert views from disabled people’s organisations, academics and others on our new strategic priorities – on health and social care, children and young people, digital issues, and fairness at work".


Read the full statement [link removed]


New online guide for gender pay gap reporting


We have recently published a three-step guide to help you calculate and publish your organisation’s gender pay gap information. The guide will help you:


Find out if you are required to report your gender pay gap


Calculate your gender pay gap figures


Publish your gender pay gap reportThis guidance relates to public bodies in England and Great Britain’s private and voluntary bodies only. Find out about the specific duties in Scotland [link removed]  and the specific duties in Wales [link removed] .


Take a look at our new online guide [link removed]


Opinion piece: EHRC Deputy Chair Caroline Waters


In an opinion piece for Politics Home, our Deputy Chair Caroline Waters, explains why it's so important to close the gender pay gap and how, by reporting their gender pay gaps, employers play a central role in ‘breaking the bias’ in workplaces across the UK.


Increasingly, employers are understanding the importance of demonstrating what they’re going to do about pay gaps. It shows accountability and helps them to identify and remove barriers to women’s progression at work.


Read Caroline's opinion piece [link removed]


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Equality and Human Rights Commission
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