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CHAPTER 2 - SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE APPROACH TO GENDER EQUALITY
Background
2.1 Our work on gender equality sits squarely within the context of our Equality Strategy and our commitment to mainstreaming, underpinned by dialogue and communication, developing research and statistics, and awareness raising. By providing a clear framework for action, the gender equality duty will help to drive mainstreaming increase the pace of delivery on the work already in progress and make improvements in the lives of men and women in Scotland
2.2 Our approach to gender equality includes transgender equality, and throughout this scheme when we refer to women and men, this does, of course, include transgender women and men. Although equality for transgender people has to date been taken forward by groups focusing on sexual orientation, we recognise that this is an issue of gender equality issue and not sexual orientation.
Mainstreaming equality
2.3 Since 2000 the Executive has been pushing forward activities to embed equality into all its activities. Significant progress has been made in legislation, policies and practices, data collection, research and information, in the empowerment of and dialogue with communities and equality groups and in raising awareness more broadly. However, the Executive has always acknowledged that mainstreaming equality takes time and that despite these advances there remains much to be done. In 2005 we established a mainstreaming equality team specifically to focus on encouraging departments to take equality issues into account in the development of their policies and programmes and to ensure that the systems of the Executive are geared to supporting staff in this. Some examples of the progress that has been made are:
- all internal policy briefing notes (Brix notes) now have an equalities section;
- equality issues, including gender, are incorporated into the Better Policy Making guidance available to staff;
- all Scottish Executive bills must consider incorporating an equality clause and updated guidance on equalities is provided to bill teams;
- the Good Consultation Guidance includes coverage of equality;
- equalities is included in the guidance for public bodies on Best Value;
- business planning guidance for Executive departments highlights the need to consider equality issues; and
- the guidance on preparation of the Executive's draft budget sets out that information on equality is required.
2.4 A number of departments, such as Health, Education and the Crown Office, have staff with specific responsibility for equality work and they have been instrumental in strengthening the equality work in those areas.
2.5 Further work on mainstreaming equality is reflected in the actions outlined in this scheme.
Consultation and communication
2.6 The duty sets a framework to help us deliver better dialogue and communication mechanisms and to go further to consult women and men in Scottish Executive policy making. Since 2003 we have been supporting two national projects to develop networks and structures with women's organisations across Scotland. Our funding for organisations such as the Scottish Women's Convention and Engender helped us to reach and engage directly with women from different backgrounds and with different experiences. We fund the Women's Database held by Glasgow Women's Library and it has enabled us to access increasing number of women and women's organisations. The gender equality duty gives an added focus to this work.
2.7 We also have direct links and close working relations with key service providers and we have been keen to engage their experience of the differences and challenges of providing services which meet the needs of women and men and have valued their work with us.
2.8 Several departments have fostered strong links with grassroots groups for women and men and will be seeking to maintain and broaden these links in the period ahead. Those departments that have not traditionally directly engaged with these types of organisations nonetheless recognise the value of doing so and a programme of work will be undertaken to assist them.
Developing research and statistics
2.9 Policy- making based on evidence has been the approach which the Executive has adopted for some time. To assist with the mainstreaming of gender equality into policy making we know that we need to further develop the information base in relation to gender. In preparing our scheme we have drawn on the available evidence. We have been able to draw on publications such as the Social Focus on Women and Men 2002 and a report on High Level equality statistics in November 2006. In March 2007 we also published A Gender Audit of Statistics: Comparing the Position of Women and Men in Scotland, which provides a review of statistics on gender differences and inequalities across a range of key areas of social and economic life in Scotland. This Gender Audit has informed the development of our gender equality scheme and will also be of use to other public bodies in Scotland. Our plans for developing this work further are discussed at chapter 9.
Audit and inspection
2.10 Whilst the Equal Opportunities Commission is currently the enforcement body in relation to the Gender Equality Duty, audit and inspection bodies and the Scottish Executive recognise the importance of finding an appropriate framework for auditing for gender equality and equality more generally. To this end, an advisory group consisting of the Scottish Executive, the three statutory equality commissions (Disability Rights Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality), and a number of audit and inspection bodies (including Audit Scotland and Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education - HMIE) meet on a regular basis to consider how to best progress the equality agenda across the public sector by drawing on the powers of audit and inspection bodies. The Scottish Executive chairs and provides the secretariat for this group.
Public Sector Equality Forum
2.11 The Executive is committed to continuing to work with the EOC, relevant employees and public authorities in Scotland to encourage and support the implementation of the gender equality duty. As part of this we plan to establish a Public Sector Equality Forum and will use this as a route to promote shared or joint approaches by public authorities. This Forum will be able to consider the issues arising from all three public equality duties.
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