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The Potential of Public Sector Positive Duties to Promote Equality and Prevent Discrimination

16 November 2011, 10:00 AM

Equality & Rights Alliance invites you to attend a half day seminar on:

The Potential of Public Sector Positive Duties to Promote Equality and Prevent Discrimination

Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8 http://g.co/maps/c3u79
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm

A positive duty is a requirement for public sector organisations to have due regard to eliminating discrimination and promoting equality for groups covered by equality legislation, and to protect and fulfill human rights. This requirement covers the functions of public sector organisations as employers, service providers and contractors of goods and services.

This seminar aims to highlight the learning from the operation of different models of public sector duties in the EU.

Speakers will focus on the operation of public sector duties in Northern Ireland, Norway and the UK and will share their learning regarding the impact of public sector duties to promote equality and prevent discrimination for service users.

A full programme will be issued to you closer to the date.

Please rsvp to: rachel@eracampaign.org

Background to the seminar:

The Programme for Government 2011 contains a commitment to 'require all public bodies to take due note of equality and human rights in carrying out their functions'. The introduction of a positive duty for public sector organisations would be an effective means of realising this commitment and would strengthen the statutory equality & human rights infrastructure. A positive duty seeks to ensure that the promotion of equality and human rights becomes a core part of the way in which the organisation operates and conducts its business by :supporting an informed and evidence-based approach to the work of public sector organisations; requiring public sector organisations to not only take steps to avoid discriminating against employees and service users, but to actively promote equality for, and respect and protect the human rights of, service users and employees ; and aiming to make tangible differences in the lives of people experiencing inequality, exclusion and human rights abuses.

ERA is currently lobbying for the introduction of a positive duty to enhance the provision of quality, inclusive, accessible and accountable public services.