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The EIF replaces the Equality Standard for Local Government in Wales and has been developed in partnership with Edgehill University’s Centre for Local Policy Studies and the Welsh Assembly Government. The EIF has been designed to support authorities with making improvements in their equality practices and work towards meeting the requirements of the public sector duties for equality. It covers 7 strands of equality expanding upon the original strands contained in the Equality Standard in Wales and taking into account changes that have been made to anti-discrimination legislation in the UK since the year 2000. As a result it focuses on gender, race, disability, Welsh language, age, sexual orientation, religion and belief but can be broadened out to support improvement in other areas that maybe contained in an authority’s corporate equality programme.
The Equality Improvement Framework for Wales (EIF) was formally launched on 22nd January 2008 at the ‘Leading the Way: Are you Equal to the Challenge?’ conference held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Hosted by the broadcaster Sarah Dickens, the event attracted over 120 delegates, mainly from the public and voluntary sectors, including local authorities, the police and police authorities, fire and rescue services, national parks and the Welsh Assembly Government. Keynote speakers included Lord Herman Ouseley, former Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality and former President of the LGA, Alison Ward, Chief Executive of Torfaen County Borough Council and Ruth Marks, Director of RNIB Cymru, who, in their presentations addressed the theme of demonstrating leadership on equalities.
The specific aims of the conference were to:
- explore the importance on leadership and commitment to equality in order to deliver outcome focussed services
- demonstrate how the EIF links to the wider public policy context in Wales and the Wales Programme for Improvement
- provide an understanding of how the EIF can work as a way of improving service delivery to communities
During the course of the afternoon delegates participated in five targeted breakout workshops which focussed on:
- getting to grip with the EIF and self-assessment
- using an equality and human rights lens to improve services delivery
- from community leadership to service delivery; the equality dimension of improvement
- leading the equality improvement agenda
- tackling inequality and improving service delivery - meeting the equality duties and integrating the EIF
The findings from these workshops, together with speeches and presentations made during the conference are available for you to download and read under related publications.
‘The Equality Improvement Framework for Wales (EIF) has been developed to manage and promote equality within public services. The framework should establish the basis for mainstreaming - that is, making equality a guiding principle of local governance and lead to continuous improvement in equality in services, policy and employment.’
Stuart Speeden, Centre for Local Policy Studies, EdgeHill University
For more information contact: Paula Walters