The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published it’s new strategy for the next three years, laying out ambitious objectives to achieve in the field of equality in Great Britain.
In response to a period of significant legal, economic, and social change in Great Britain, the EHRC has developed a plan to respond to the challenges to come. The detailed strategy includes a commitment to increase its litigation and enforcement work, following its core aim of upholding the system of equality and human rights protections. Indeed, a strong focus is put on the legal framework in order to:
- Send a clear message about the need to comply with equality and human rights law by challenging flagrant breaches.
- Tackle the systemic barriers people face through legal challenges to widespread failures to comply with equality and human rights law.
- Defend the rights of people in the most vulnerable positions experiencing serious breaches of their fundamental rights.
"We stand up for freedom, compassion and justice in changing times. Our work is driven by a simple belief, if everyone gets a fair chance in life, we all thrive." The Equality and Human Rights Commission
The plan details 5 priority aims identifying focus areas in order to improve efficiency and facilitate meaningful change:
- Priority Aim 1: People in Britain have equal access to the labour market and are treated fairly at work
- Priority Aim 2: Public transport supports the economic and social inclusion of disabled people and older people
- Priority Aim 3:People can access redress when they are wronged and have a fair trial in the criminal justice system
- Priority Aim 4: The education system promotes good relations with others and respect for equality and human rights
- Priority Aim 5: Rules and practice governing entry into, exit from and treatment in institutions respect equality and human rights standards
Each of these priorities includes concrete actions and indicators for measuring achievement. It is a great exercise to understand the impact of an equality bodies' work in society and identify effective practices to be reproduced as well as inefficient actions to be discarded.
