Promoting greater equality of opportunity for all is fundamental to the Scottish Executive’s commitment to building a just and inclusive Scotland. The Executive is therefore determined to ensure that concern for equality is at the heart of all our work. Our aim is to make an enduring and secure link between concern for equality and the delivery of quality policy and programmes for the new Scotland.
On 2 December 1999 the Parliament debated equality for the first time and agreed the following:
‘That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Executive’s commitment as set out in ‘Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government’ to promote equality of opportunity for all and to do that through an inclusive phased and participative approach to the development of an equality strategy so ensuring that in developing policy and in service design and delivery concern for equality is at the heart of the matter.’
To take this forward it is vital that there is dialogue and consultation on the development of the equality strategy.
In this first phase of developing an Equality Strategy, the Scottish Executive is keen to ensure that as many people and organisations contribute from their own experience or areas of special interest and expertise. In addition to this written consultation the Equality Unit of the Scottish Executive will also be talking with a number of organisations based in Scotland with a particular interest in equality. These are likely to include the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality (the statutory equality agencies), local authorities through the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), Disability Forum, Equality Network, trade unions, the voluntary sector and others.
The following pages set out some of the issues where the Scottish Executive would particularly welcome views. Your responses and the parallel programme of discussions will assist in the identification of the key issues for the strategy. As the Equality Strategy is rolled forward there will be further opportunities for individuals and interests to contribute their ideas on additional issues which should be considered as part of the ongoing work programme on promoting greater equality of opportunity for all.