The New Gender Equality Duty

The new Gender Equality Duty became law on 6 April 2007 and local councils are developing Gender Equality Schemes to ensure that everyone has equal access to the services they need and want across Bedfordshire.

Women and men, including transsexual women and men,  may experience different forms of disadvantage depending on age, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, and whether or not they have a disability.

The new gender equality duty that came into force on 6 April 2007 will ensure that local authorities:

· eliminate discrimination and harassment, rather than waiting for individuals to take cases against them
· promote equality of opportunity between men and women, not just avoid discrimination.

It applies to all functions in Mid Beds council, including policy making, services and employment.

The new duty will help to address any discrimination – both intentional and unintentional, e.g. women can be disadvantaged by policies and practices that do not recognise their greater caring responsibilities or the different pattern to their working lives, and men can be disadvantaged by workplace cultures that don’t support family or childcare responsibilities.  Both sexes can still suffer from stereotyping of roles and needs.

Public Consultation 23 April – 1 June 2007
Mid Beds consulted the public, interested groups and stakeholders on  the draft Gender Equality Scheme for Mid Beds 2007 - 2009, asking them what should be included in the scheme and what targets should be a priority. The consultation also asked for views on what councils do well and what needs to be done better to eliminate all forms of sex discrimination. 

Letters and a questionnaire were sent out on the 23rd April and an online survey was available. Consultation closed on 1 June 2007.  The information gathered will be used to ensure that we have specific gender equality targets. The final version of the Gender Equalities Sceme will be shaped by the outcomes of the consultation process and then incorporated into the existing Equalities and Diversity Plan for Mid Beds 'Including Everyone'.

For more information please email the Policy Team or telephone 01462 611015.