Equality is about creating a fairer society where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. No one should be denied opportunities because of irrelevant differences. The Scottish Government aims to put this principle into practice across the Government.
The Government's Equality Strategy was published in November 2000 and outlined how the Government planned to change the way it works to ensure the prevention and elimination of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes including beliefs or opinions, such as religious or political beliefs.
These are broad headings and consideration needs to be given to the diversity within each of them. For example, gender covers transgender issues, religion or belief includes those with no belief, race includes gypsy and traveller communities, and age encompasses issues affecting older people as well as children and young people.
The Government is committed to the strategy of mainstreaming equality and is aware that the strategy must remain sensitive to the experiences of different groups and acknowledged the need for specialist expertise relevant to the range of groups.
We describe mainstreaming as:
"Mainstreaming equality is the systematic integration of an equality perspective into the everyday work of government, involving policy makers across all government departments, as well as equality specialists and external partners."
- it is a long term strategy that aims to make sure that policy making is fully sensitive to the diverse needs and experiences of people
- it leads to improved policy making through better information, greater transparency and openness in the policy process
- it involves groups and individuals who experience inequality and discrimination in informing policy making through effective consultation mechanisms
- it tackles the under-representation of disadvantaged and excluded groups through encouraging wider participation
- it tackles structures, behaviours and attitudes that contribute to or sustain inequality and discrimination
- it can avoid policies and programmes being adopted that continue existing inequalities or make them worse
- it complements lawful positive action that is designed to address long-term historic disadvantage experienced by specific groups as a result of discriminatory practices and structures
Mainstreaming aims to change organisational cultures so that an equalities perspective becomes an integral part. The Scottish Government recognises that mainstreaming of equality requires:
- leadership and political commitment to the principles and processes of mainstreaming equality
- commitment and ownership across the organisation for the principles and processes of mainstreaming
- work on mainstreaming equality to be integrated with departmental work plans and policy objectives
- guidance, advice, training and support to help departments to develop mainstreaming
- appropriate data, information and research to inform the development of policy and programmes
- policy appraisal and impact assessment with ongoing monitoring, evaluation, audit and review
- networks and effective mechanisms of consultation with external bodies and interests
- an acknowledgement that mainstreaming is not a quick fix and requires time and resource