New approach to equality pays off
A new approach to equality is opening up more opportunities and tackling discrimination.
Today the government published a progress report highlighting the achievements made since the first cross-government equality strategy, _ ,_ was launched in 2010.
The strategy聽focused on moving away from regulation, legislation and coercion. Instead, it concentrated on developing intelligent, light-touch, common sense policies that have a demonstrable impact on people鈥檚 lives.聽
Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone said: 鈥楨ffective equalities policy works with the grain of human nature, not against it. That鈥檚 why we abandoned the last government鈥檚 approach of simply trying to dictate how people should behave.
鈥業nstead, we鈥檙e putting in place an architecture to support businesses, organisations and individuals to do the right thing. This one-year-on evaluation shows that the new approach is already paying off.鈥�
Some measures introduced since the strategy was first published include:
- Reducing bureaucracy and cutting red tape by repealing ineffective equality legislation
- Breaking down barriers to women in the workplace through a number of positive initiatives
- Breaking new ground on LGB&T equality by consulting on how to introduce same-sex civil marriage and introducing the first-ever Sports Charter to combat homophobia and transphobia
- Working with the insurance industry on a voluntary agreement to improve access to travel and motor cover for older people
- Supporting disabled people who want to become politically active through a new Access to Elected Office programme
- Boosting self-image through the Body Confidence campaign