Post on 01-Jan-2016
description
The Equality Commission Role and Services
www.equalityni.org
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Course objectives
The background of the Commission
Its structure
Its vision and mission
Its range of powers and responsibilities
Key Equality Laws in Northern Ireland
What discrimination is
Areas of everyday life covered by equality law
By completing this course, you will know:
Background of the Commission
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Section 1 – The Equality Commission
What the Commission is
Where the Commission came from
Its vision
Its mission
In this section you will learn about:
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What the Commission is
The statutory body in Northern Ireland which promotes equality of opportunity and works to eliminate discrimination on grounds of:
AgeAge
RaceRace
DisabilityDisability
SexSexSexual OrientationSexual Orientation
Religious Belief / Political OpinionReligious Belief / Political Opinion
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What the Commission isAn independent public body established under Section 73 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Equality House
7–9 Shaftesbury SquareBelfast
Carries out regulatory functions on behalf of Government (enforces anti-discrimination law and legislation designed to promote equality)
Provides specialist advice to Ministers and others
Has a Province wide remit
Has a board whose members (commissioners) are appointed by the Secretary of State/NIO
Employs its own staff, who are not civil servants
Manages its own budget.
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Where the Commission came from
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
Commissionfor RacialEquality
EqualOpportunitiesCommission
NIDisability
RightsCouncil
Fair EmploymentCommission
HumanRights
Commission
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The Commission’s Vision
A shared, integrated & inclusive place
A society where difference is respected and valued
Based on equality and fairness for the entire community
1
2
3
1
2
3
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Advance equality
Promote equality of opportunity
Encourage good relations
Challenge discrimination
The Commission’s Mission
Through
Promotion
Advice
Enforcement
The Equality Commission’s Role
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Section 2 – The Commission’s Role
Supporting Complainants
Providing Advice and Assistance
Investigation and Enforcement
Promoting Equality & Good Relations
Overseeing the Public Sector Equality & Good Relations Duties
Conducting Research
Reviewing Legislation
In this section you will learn about the Commission’s role in:
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Commission’s Role
Research
Overseeing statutory duties on public authorities to take equality and good relations into account in its work
Advising & assisting people who believe they have been discriminated against
Enforcing the law(enforcement powers are different across the various equality grounds)
Providing information, education and promoting equality and good relations
Keeping the equality legislation under review and making recommendations to government for change
It’s wide range of powers and responsibilities
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Supporting Complainants
The Equality Commission gives advice and assistance to people who believe they have been discriminated against because of their:
Age
Disability
Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, including being an Irish Traveller)
Religious belief or political opinion
Sex (including married or civil partner status)
Sexual orientation
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Providing Advice and Assistance
The Equality Commission does not decide whether discrimination has in fact occurred
This decision is made by an independent industrial tribunal, court or Special Educational Needs & Disability Tribunal
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Investigation and Enforcement
The Commission has powers
to ensure that people
comply with the legislation
including some powers to
investigate particular
organisations or practices
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Promoting Equality & Good Relations
Promoting and encouraging good
equal opportunities practice is as important as
enforcing the law
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Overseeing Public Sector Equality & Good Relations Duties
The Commission oversees
how effectively public authorities
carry out the duties placed on
them by Section 75 of the
Northern Ireland Act
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Conducting Research
Provides reliable information and
informs the debate on equality
issues
A Key Inequalities statement,
published Oct 2007, highlighted
persistent inequalities in Northern
Ireland in a number of areas. The
statement was based on a variety of
research and its findings informed
the Commission’s work
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Reviewing Legislation
The Commission monitors the
way that Northern Ireland’s
equality laws are working, and
makes recommendations to
Government on ways in which
they can be improved
Equality Law in Northern Ireland
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Section 3 – Equality Law
What discrimination is
Types of discrimination
What discrimination law covers
In this section you will learn about:
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Singled out for worse treatment
What discrimination is
Generally, discrimination is treating someone less favourably purely because of their:
Note
Discrimination is
not always
unlawful and some
discrimination can
be justified
despite equality
laws
RaceRace
Sexual Orientation
Sexual Orientation
AgeAge
DisabilityDisability
SexSex
Political Opinion
Political Opinion
Religious Belief
Religious Belief
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Types of discrimination
DirectDirect
VictimisationVictimisation
Failure to make
reasonable adjustments
Failure to make
reasonable adjustments
IndirectIndirect
HarassmentHarassment
Pregnancyrelated
Pregnancyrelated
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What discrimination law covers
Education
(with some
exceptions)
Education
(with some
exceptions)Housing & accommodation
Housing & accommodation
Accessing goods, facilities, & services (except for age)
Accessing goods, facilities, & services (except for age)
EmploymentEmployment
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Equality Commission’s Role
Equality Commission’s Role
Course summary
Equality Law in
Northern Ireland
Equality Law in
Northern Ireland
Background of the
Equality Commission
Background of the
Equality Commission
This short course has covered the following subjects:
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For more
If you want more information about these subjects, or the Equality Commission …
Visit our website
028 90 500
600
Ring our Reception 028 90 500 600
Or email information@equalityni.org