Equality and Human Rights Commission
Equality is not a minority concern - it matters to every one
of us. At some point in our lives, all of us face barriers
that may prevent us fulfilling our potential, or participating
fully in society.
Recognising
that isolation, misunderstanding, fear, intimidation and
segregation can be crucial elements of inequality or unjust
treatment, the Commission's brief extends beyond tackling
discrimination, to demonstrating and sharing best practice and
promoting equality and human rights principles in public and
private bodies. Using these principles, it will also seek to
address tensions and promote good relations between
individuals and between and within groups in their local
communities.
The fundamental objective of the Commission, as
summarised in section 3 of the Equality Act 2006, is to
support the development of a society where:
-
people's ability to
achieve their potential is not limited by prejudice or
discrimination;
-
there is respect for and protection of each
individual's human rights;
-
there is respect for the dignity and
worth of every individual;
-
every individual has an equal
opportunity to participate in society; and
-
there
is mutual respect between groups based on understanding and
valuing diversity and on shared respect for equality and human rights.
The Equality Bill received Royal Assent on
the 16th February 2006 . The EHRC Board will decide on options for
strategic direction, organisational design and key policy
issues
Equality
Act 2006
The new Commission will be an independent influential
champion whose purpose is to reduce inequality, eliminate
discrimination, strengthen good relations between people and
protect human rights. The EHRC will take an active role in
helping to achieve change to benefit some of the most
vulnerable and least well represented people in our society.
Throughout the whole process of setting up the
EHRC
the voice of equality and human rights' stakeholders,
businesses and Trade Unions has been vital.
A stakeholder Task
Force helped to develop the detailed proposals for the
Commission set out in the white paper; and now a transition
Steering Group is in place, including all major stakeholders.
The Steering Group (in conjunction with a Specialist
Transition Team) is advising Government on: options for the
organisational structure and infrastructure of the EHRC,
strategic direction for its work, and the deployment of its
workforce.
Setting up a new Commission with a powerful vision
to deliver, and working in new ways, with enhanced powers and
duties to exercise, is an ambitious project and will not be
easy. But we have to move fast.
The Act establishes the Equality and
Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that will come into being in 2007. The
EHRC will bring together the CRE, DRC and EOC from October 2007.
The EHRC will take on all of the powers of the Commissions as
well as new powers to enforce legislation more effectively and
promote equality for all. It will also promote awareness
and understanding of human rights and encourage good practice
by public authorities in meeting their Human Rights Act
obligations.
The
Commission will cover England, Scotland and Wales. In Scotland
and Wales there will be statutory committees responsible for
the work of the EHRC.
Download the Equality Act
View 'Explanatory Notes to Equality Act 2006'
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