Adapting to a changing city - The Equality Agenda Dublin 06

Your view of Belfast BELFAST

Belfast now? Has it changed BELFAST

Northern Ireland Act 1998 Section 75 A Statutory Duty on all Public Authorities to have- A Statutory Duty on all Public Authorities to have- Due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity Due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity Regard to the desirability of promoting good relations Regard to the desirability of promoting good relations

Promoting equality of opportunity Between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation Between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation Between men and women generally Between men and women generally Between persons with a disability and persons without Between persons with a disability and persons without Between persons with dependants and those without Between persons with dependants and those without

Promoting Good Relations Between Persons of different Religious Belief Persons of different Religious Belief Persons of different Political Opinion Persons of different Political Opinion Persons of different Racial Groups Persons of different Racial Groups

Belfast City Council – Equality Agenda 1998 Good Friday Agreement 1998 Good Friday Agreement Equality Scheme Equality Scheme Equality Impact Assessments Equality Impact Assessments Screening Process Screening Process Consultation Consultation Monitoring Monitoring Freedom Of Information Freedom Of Information Transparent/ Open/ Accountable Transparent/ Open/ Accountable

Benefits of the Statutory Duties Proactive promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations Proactive promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations Participation of affected groups Participation of affected groups Mainstreaming Mainstreaming

Some Real changes to public Consultation Consultation Transparency Transparency Method of complaint Method of complaint More public control More public control Monitoring Monitoring Customer Care focus Customer Care focus Consideration of Equality In Policy Development Consideration of Equality In Policy Development

Real evidence Internal Work life balance policies Work life balance policies Anti discrimination laws relating to age, homophobia, race Anti discrimination laws relating to age, homophobia, race Gender Champion Gender Champion

Real evidence of change ExternalAccess Pricing polices reviews Acknowledgment of disability issues across the service ( audits/ work/ training)

Good Relations Strategy 1. To promote good community relations 2. To celebrate cultural diversity 3. To promote equality through service delivery 4. To promote equality through a representative workforce

THE EQUALITY ORGANISATION Externally initiated Externally initiated Legally driven Legally driven Quantitative focus Quantitative focus Problem-focused Problem-focused Assumes assimilation Assumes assimilation Reactive Reactive Religious belief, political opinion, race gender and disability Religious belief, political opinion, race gender and disability

THE DIVERSITY ORGANISATION Internally initiated Internally initiated Business-needs driven Business-needs driven Qualitative focus Qualitative focus Opportunity-focused Opportunity-focused Assumes pluralism Assumes pluralism Proactive Proactive All differences All differences

Change and Innovation there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions, and merely lukewarm defenders in those who should gain by the new ones. Machiavelli