Public sector equality duty
The Equality Act 2010 is supported by a series of general and specific duties.
General duties
The general duties require us to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
- advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
- foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
Specific duties
The specific duties require us to set and publish equality objectives every four years.
In December 2011, we agreed a number of high level equality objectives in through its Approach to Equality. In addition, the Council Plan agrees a further set of equality commitments in pursuit of its 'fairer future for all' vision.
The specific duties require us to publish information that demonstrate that the design and delivery of our services is appropriate for all those who use them and need to use them. It also helps us to understand changing trends, needs and demands so we can adapt our services to meet these challenges. This information helps make our organisation more transparent so you can monitor our performance.
Tackling inequality is crucial to:
- increasing fairness and social cohesion
- reducing health problems
- helping people be independent and in control of their lives
We fund Southwark Citizens Advice Bureau to coordinate the Forum for Equalities and Human Rights (FEHRS). The Forum meets quarterly and is open to anyone in the borough with an interest in equalities and human rights. For statutory bodies, FEHRS meetings provide an opportunity to consult with a range of community agencies. If you'd like more information, contact jamesbanks@southwarkcabservice.org.uk or call 07766 028499.
Discrimination overview
If you've been discriminated against in employment or in the provision of goods or services, you can receive local advice from:
- Southwark Citizens Advice Bureau
- Blackfriars Advice Centre provides an employment solicitor to support residents with issues
- Southwark Law Centre offers specialist legal advice and representation in employment, housing, asylum / immigration and welfare rights law
- Southwark Legal Advice Network provides a range of legal support services including those relating to discrimination
Equality information
We use the process of quality monitoring to collect, store and analyse data about our employees and service users. It's useful to highlight possible inequalities, investigate their causes and remove unfairness or disadvantage. Monitoring provides data to help us review policies and for identifying areas that need improvement.
Resources
- equality monitoring information about our employees
- a range of equality and diversity data about Southwark
- Southwark’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) contains information about health and health inequalities
Page last updated: 02 August 2022