Equality and Human Rights Commission

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Our new strategic plan sets out our priorities and work programmes to March 2012

16 July 2009

The Commission has today published its three-year strategic plan setting out its priorities and work programmes to March 2012. The publication comes the day after the Government announced the reappointment of Commission Chair Trevor Phillips and Deputy Chair Baroness Margaret Prosser for further three year terms.

Mr Phillips commented: 'I am delighted to be offered the opportunity to continue the work that the Commission has begun. As we look to a post-recession world, tackling discrimination and creating a fairer society where everyone is able to fulfil their potential will be key to building a stronger economy, stronger communities and a stronger country. It has been a great adventure to launch this unique body with the first team of Commissioners and our passionately committed staff. I look forward to taking that work on to its next stage.'

The strategic plan outlines how the Commission will work towards its vision of a society built on principles of fairness and respect, in which everyone has an equal chance to fulfil their potential. The Commission must also show that it is an organisation that provides value for money for the public funds it receives and that it makes a real difference to people’s lives.

After extensive consultation with nearly 1,000 stakeholders online and at events across England, Wales and Scotland, the Commission has set itself five strategic priorities for the next three years. They are to:

• Secure and implement an effective legislative and regulatory framework for equality and human rights
• Create a fairer Britain, with equal life chances and access to services for all
• Build a society without prejudice, promote good relations and foster a vibrant equality and human rights culture
• Promote understanding and awareness of rights and duties and deliver timely advice and guidance to individuals and bodies
• Build and authoritative and responsive organisation

Under this framework, the Commission will:

• Work to bring about a landmark Equality Act that eradicates unjustified discrimination and releases talent through a simpler legislative framework
• Ensure that the law works for individuals, breaking through injustice, making strategic interventions and supporting individual cases. The Commission will also work with others to increase the availability of legal representation
• Deliver a multi-million pound grants programme that helps to widen the reach of the voluntary and community sector, fulfilling our mandate to strengthen good relations and bring people together
• Work with the public and private sector to provide high-quality advice and guidance on the law and ensure that the law is enforced
• Prepare public authorities for the next generation of the public duty, for example the Disability equality scheme revision and Gender equality scheme revisions, delivering practical guidance and promoting best practice focused on achieving results, namely better outcomes for disadvantaged groups. Ensure that public bodies meet their obligations under the Public Sector Duty and proactively use the duties to deliver equality outcomes, including by increasing the number of Public Sector Duty legal cases
• Inspire the next generation to embrace the values of equality and human rights
• Protect and promote the human rights of all, implementing the recommendations of the Commission’s Human Rights Inquiry to ensure a culture of dignity and respect in public services, and safeguarding our civil liberties; ensure that the that the Commission’s Human Rights strategy is aligned with the strategic plan
• Build the capabilities of the Commission to act as a modern regulatory body ensuring that breaches of the law are dealt with swiftly and proportionately
• Communicate directly with the public, developing new platforms and tools through the Commission's digital strategy and give people information so they are empowered to seek redress
• Publish an agenda-setting, landmark triennial review to assess the state of equality, human rights and good relations across Britain and make concrete recommendations for reform.
• Create meaningful partnerships for reform

The Commission has developed a set of Key Performance Indicators to demonstrate how it delivers on these Strategic Plan priorities, including ensuring effective utilisation of resources and delivering on its value for money plan.

Trevor Phillips added: 'Our strategic plan prepares us for a radically changed landscape, with the Commission taking a modern approach to empower people to be their best, help organisations to act fairly and take action against those who do not. We expect the Equality Bill sponsored by Harriet Harman and her team to give the Commission a pragmatic and effective framework to deliver that modern approach.

'Our strategy will provide the blueprint for an organisation that wants to make a real difference to people’s lives, whatever their background or make-up. We must ensure that we show real value for money for the public funds we receive – and this plan will help us do that.'

Ends

For more information contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission Media Office on 02031170255, out of hours 07767272818.

Notes to Editors

For a copy of the Commission’s strategic plan, please visit:

www.equalityhumanrights.com

The Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006, which took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission. It is the independent advocate for equality and human rights in Britain. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights. The Commission enforces equality legislation on age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or transgender status, and encourage compliance with the Human Rights Act. It also gives advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.