Community Planning Equality and Diversity Working Group

We work in partnership to empower people to make positive contributions to their communities, by challenging discrimination, promoting greater integration and maximising support for everyone across Dumfries and Galloway.

Guide contents

Equality Act

We work in partnership to empower people to make positive contributions to their communities, by challenging discrimination, by promoting greater integration and by maximising support for everyone across Dumfries and Galloway.

We share a common legal and moral obligation to work together to challenge the barriers that people face arising from discrimination and disadvantage.

Everyone should have the same chances to do what they can but some people may need extra help to get the same chances.

The Equality Act and many other kinds of equality work will make Britain a more fair and equal place for everyone.

Equality is right for many reasons, because it allows:

  • people to enjoy life more if they are treated fairly
  • the country to become richer because each and every person can do what they are best at
  • people to live side by side and get on with each other if everyone is treated fairly

What we are required to do

We are all required by law to:

  • eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation or any other prohibited conduct
  • foster good relations - tackle prejudice, promote understanding

We also are required to advance equality of opportunity by having due regard to:

  • removing or minimising disadvantage
  • meeting the needs of particular groups that are different from the needs of others
  • encouraging participation in public life

We recognise that each partner can contribute to this agenda. The equality legislation breaks all of us down into 9 protected characteristics:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment, trans gender identity
  • marriage and civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race
  • religion or belief
  • sex and gender
  • sexual orientation

Our partners equality agendas

You can view how our main partners are achieving this agenda by reading their websites:

Public sector equality outcomes

Read each outcome on the relevant websites: