The Government has published a progress report highlighting the progress so far since the first cross-government equality strategy, Building a Fairer Britain, was launched in 2010.
According to the Government the strategy focused on moving away from regulation, legislation and coercion. Instead, it concentrated on developing intelligent, light-touch, common sense policies that have a demonstrable impact on people’s lives.
Equalities Minister, Lynne Featherstone, said:
“Effective equalities policy works with the grain of human nature, not against it. That’s why we abandoned the last government’s approach of simply trying to dictate how people should behave.
“Instead, we’re putting in place an architecture to support businesses, organisations and individuals to do the right thing. This one-year-on evaluation shows that the new approach is already paying off.”
Some measures introduced since the strategy was first published include:
* Reducing bureaucracy and cutting red tape by repealing ineffective equality legislation.
* Breaking down barriers to women in the workplace through a number of positive initiatives.
* Breaking new ground on LGB&T equality by consulting on how to introduce same-sex civil marriage and introducing the first-ever Sports Charter to combat homophobia and transphobia.
* Working with the insurance industry on a voluntary agreement to improve access to travel and motor cover for older people.
* Supporting disabled people who want to become politically active through a new Access to Elected Office programme.
* Boosting self-image through the Body Confidence campaign.
The latest progress report, The equality strategy – building a fairer Britain: progress report describes the Coalition Government’s approach to equality, which it says being based on transparency, local accountability and reducing bureaucracy, is beginning to make a difference across the five key priority areas outlined in the equality strategy.