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30 September 2021 23:59 ~ Our strategic plan for 2022 to 2025 – Equality and Human Rights Commission – Have Your Say Closing Date

Summary

EHRC want your views on what we should focus on in our work plan for 2022 to 2025 (known as our ‘strategic plan’) and how we might achieve this.

We want to hear from stakeholders, relevant organisations and people interested in our work in England, Scotland and Wales.

Closing date: 30 September 2021 at 23:59

About the consultation

We have a duty under the Equality Act 2006 to review and consult on our strategic plan at least once every three years. We have published a draft of our strategic plan, and we are running an open public consultation from 16 August 2021 until 30 September 2021.

Through the consultation process we aim to:

  1. hear a wide range of views
  2. make sure stakeholders’ needs are considered
  3. make sure our work is heading in the right direction
  4. increase awareness of our work and role
  5. fulfil our duty under the Equality Act 2006

Read our draft strategic plan

Fill in our survey

Closing date: 30 September 2021 at 23:59

Contact us

If you need to contact us, including with reasonable adjustment requirements, please email our correspondence team.

We welcome receiving correspondence in Welsh, we will respond to that correspondence in Welsh, and corresponding in Welsh will not lead to delay.

Confidentiality

Any information you give us will be handled and stored in line with our privacy notice.

Check for updates etc. at https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/our-strategic-plan-2022-2025-have-your-say

August 20, 2021

Disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds ‘locked out’ of crucial early years opportunities – Sutton Trust

Sutton Trust sets out case for universal access to funded early years education in wake of pandemic in their latest research.

  • Evidence suggests government’s policy of 30 hours of funded childcare for working parents has widened the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.
  • Majority of families eligible for 30 hours of funded childcare are in the top half of earners, while the poorest families can access just 15 hours.
  • Modelling shows universal entitlement to 30 hours of early years education and childcare for three- and four-year olds would cost around £250m a year in a central scenario.

Most disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds are ‘locked out’ of crucial early years education, which will compound inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic and impact on children’s life chances.

This is according to a landmark report published by the Sutton Trust in partnership with the Sylvia Adams Charitable Trust, which focuses on the early years. This sets out the case for improving access to early education for the poorest children.

The comprehensive report examines the impact of the current 30 hours policy; the evidence behind the need for change; and options for reform. It also looks at the views of parents, teachers, and early years providers.

Current context

All three- and four-year-olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of early education and childcare per week for 38 weeks of the year. Since 2017, children in families where both parents (or the lone parent in a lone-parent family) are working and earning above a certain income level per week are entitled to an additional 15 hours. There is a salary cap for eligibility, but this only comes into effect if either or both parent earns over £100,000, meaning two parents could have a combined income of £199,998 and still be eligible.

As a result, today’s research has found that the current policy disproportionately benefits more advantaged families: 70% of those eligible for the full 30 hours are in the top half of earners, while just 13% of eligible families are in the bottom third of the income distribution.

The case for expanding access

There is a wealth of evidence telling us that access to high quality early years education plays a significant role in shaping a young person’s outcomes later in life. But the poorest children are on average 11 months behind their peers when they start at primary school. Evidence from a literature review by the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) for tth report suggests this gap has started to widen in recent years which has been exacerbated by the 30 hours policy and the inequality associated with it.

These gaps will only widen as a result of the pandemic. Over half (54%) of primary school leaders surveyed by TeacherTapp for today’s report said fewer pupils were “school ready” when they started reception this year than they would usually expect.

Expanding access to high quality early years education is likely to close gaps before school starts, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, with the poorest families suffering the most. This access would also help to provide flexibility to parents moving back into employment, retraining, or increasing their hours at work.

Read the full press release at https://www.suttontrust.com/news-opinion/all-news-opinion/disadvantaged-three-and-four-year-olds-locked-out-of-crucial-early-years-opportunities/

August 20, 2021

We need safe spaces in music – open letter to music industry – Sign if you agree with Safe Spaces in Music

Sign our open letter and demand that the return to live music post-pandemic is safe and inclusive for everyone.

Very soon, the music industry will be celebrating as our festivals and live events reopen to the world. It’s a moment we’ve all been waiting for. In a society that often works to divide us, music has the power to unite us – whatever the tough realities of life may be.

But now we must face our own reality. And this reality is one that our industry has too long ignored: venues, festivals, studios and workplaces are too often not safe spaces for women, girls and marginalised genders.

It is high time we change that, and we have a collective responsibility to take action. This restart needs to be for all of us. Our spaces must provide safety from harassment, violence, and abuse of power. Music should be a place of joy and inclusion for all.

Let’s make 2021 the year the music and events industries rise up to the call of the #MeToo movement – and commit to change.

The problem is everywhere. More than 7 in 10 women have been sexually harassed in the UK, and over 40% of women aged under 40 at a live music event. Within the music sector, over 60% of workers have experienced sexual harassment.

The vast majority of incidents go unreported, with over 95% of women not reporting sexual harassment. Almost half of UK musicians have faced sexual harassment at work, with workplace culture being cited as the greatest barrier to reporting.

As our spaces reopen this summer, we will not wait around while another woman experiences sexual harassment, violence or abuse – as an artist, as a professional, or as a fan. Let’s act now to make our music industry and live events safe.

Through our shared love of music and culture, and our shared respect for each other, we can – and will – work together to make all spaces safe for all people. Be part of the change – add your voice now.

You can sign the open letter at https://www.unwomenuk.org/safe-spaces-in-music

August 20, 2021

RCOG calls on government to ban virginity testing and hymenoplasty

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is calling on the Government to introduce a ban on virginity testing and hymenoplasty in the UK. 

There is no reason why either virginity testing or hymenoplasty, or any other procedure under a different name that seeks to reconstruct or repair the hymen, would need to be carried out for medical purposes, according to a policy statement published by the RCOG today. Both are harmful practices that create and exacerbate social, cultural and political beliefs that a women’s value is based on whether or not she is a virgin before marriage, say the College.

The scale of the problem is not known in the UK because the procedures are carried out in private clinics and the data is not available. The RCOG is concerned that the way private clinics are advertising these procedures to women is further perpetuating myths around virginity, and in some cases being dishonest about what these procedures can achieve.

The UK Government has committed to legislating to ban virginity testing, but has not yet made this commitment on hymenoplasty. The RCOG is calling for a ban on both.

Dr Edward Morris, President at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

“We are very concerned that women are either being coerced into having these procedures or feel pressurised into having them so they can bleed during sex and can demonstrate they are a virgin on their wedding night.

“We want to see both virginity testing and hymenoplasty banned in the UK. This will send a clear message that there is no place in the medical world for these procedures and that women deserve the right to have ownership over their own sexual and reproductive health.

“We recognise that women seeking these procedures are often in very vulnerable and desperate situations. We would urge healthcare professionals who are approached about virginity testing or hymenoplasty to follow the appropriate safeguarding protocols, to ensure women are able to connect with organisations that can offer support. This should include referring women to police or social services if there is a perceived risk of violence or coercion.”

The RCOG is working with charities including IKWRO and Karma Nirvana to ensure there is support in place for women who are being pressurised into proving their virginity in this way.

Diana Nammi, Executive Director at IKWRO – Women’s Rights Organisation, said:

“Virginity testing and hymenoplasty are forms of violence against women and girls and there is no justification for either of these harmful practices, which cause immediate and long-term social and psychological trauma. Like the equally harmful practices of Female Genital Mutilation and forced marriage, both must be banned with immediate effect.

“Far from safeguarding the women or girl against “honour” based abuse, hymenoplasty paves the way to many forced marriages, where there is an expectation that the bride will present as a virgin. Most women and girls are unaware that hymenoplasty cannot guarantee bleeding which can mean that she is left at even greater risk on her wedding night.

“What we need to see from the government, in addition to an urgent change in the law to ban virginity testing and hymenoplasty, is funding for specialist support services like IKWRO to safeguard women and girls at risk and to engage communities and young people through schools, to challenge the perception that a woman’s or girl’s worth is connected to virginity.”

Natasha Rattu, Executive Director at Karma Nirvana – leading specialist charity for victims of Honour Based Abuse, said:

“Every woman deserves the right to make any decision about her body – free from shame, stigma or discrimination, without pressure to subscribe to ‘gender-based societal norms’, and without fear of harm. This is why we are campaigning to end the practice of virginity testing and hymen repair, in addition to tackling the shame and stigma commonly associated to ‘virginity’. ‘Virginity’ is a deeply embedded social norm that has no scientific basis.

“We recognise virginity testing and hymenoplasty to be forms of Violence Against Women and Girls, which in itself is both a cause and consequence of gender inequality. We have invited the government to support our call for legislative changes to enable full protection for women and girls from this hidden harm in our written submission to the Home Office Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. Virginity testing is rarely an isolated incident of abuse, it is often associated with other behaviours that discriminate against, limit or harm women and girls. In our experience, this can include other forms of Honour Based Abuse, such as forced marriage”.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/medical-college-calls-on-government-to-ban-virginity-testing-and-hymenoplasty/

 

August 20, 2021

Police awarded £11.3m for programmes to prevent domestic abuse crimes – Home Office

Innovative programmes aim to reduce the risk posed by domestic abuse perpetrators and improve safety and protection for victims.

The Home Office has awarded £11.3 million to 25 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales, to go towards domestic abuse intervention programmes.

The programmes focus on interventions encouraging behaviour change to help stop perpetrators from committing domestic abuse, with the ultimate aim of preventing further crimes from being committed.

Funding will also focus on key areas such as stalking prevention and supporting adolescent perpetrators.

To secure funding, PCCs were able to bid for up to three projects in partnership with a local service provider of their choice.

The programmes use different methods to encourage behaviour change, including 1-to-1 and group therapy and community-based activity. Key objectives of the programmes include reduction in the frequency and gravity of abuse, reduction in the risk posed by the perpetrator and improved safety and protection for victims.

Specific interventions and projects across the country which the funding will go towards include:

  • providing targeted support to address substance misuse, mental health and unemployment;
  • therapy and Compulsive and Obsessive Behaviour programmes to address behaviours linked to stalking;
  • behavioural change courses for children and adolescents who are abusive, violent or using self-destructive behaviour, often as a result of having been exposed to domestic abuse within their home environment;
  • perpetrator support work in schools including healthy relationships education, delivered by professionals as part of the relationship and sex education requirement of schools.

Research into perpetrator interventions is key to understanding the issue of domestic abuse, which is why the Home Office also intends to conduct an evaluation of activity later in the financial year. The evaluations will be used to inform funding plans for future years and to ensure a more targeted approach to any future funding.

The bidding window for this fund closed on 2 July and of the applications received, 31 bids were successful totalling £11,335,884.89. Approximately £5.6m of this will go towards general perpetrator interventions, £3m for child and adolescent perpetrator interventions and £2.7m for stalking interventions.

A full table of successful bids and an overview of some of the intervention programmes can be found via https://www.gov.uk/government/news/police-awarded-113m-for-programmes-to-prevent-domestic-abuse-crimes where you can also read the full press release.

August 13, 2021