Equally Safe strategy: draft EQIA

Draft equality impact assessment (EQIA) of Scotland's strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls.


Stage 4: Decision making and monitoring

Identifying and establishing any required mitigating action

Have positive or negative impacts been identified for any of the equality groups?

yes

Is the policy directly or indirectly discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010[16]?

no

If the policy is indirectly discriminatory, how is it justified under the relevant legislation?

n/a

If not justified, what mitigating action will be undertaken?

n/a

Describing how Equality Impact analysis has shaped the policy making process

We ran a consultation from 23 March 2017-30 June 2017, and although most respondents were generally supporting of the plan, some felt that more needed to be said in relation to intersectionality. Particular groups of women where it was felt more focus was required included:

  • Those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI)
  • Those who have a disability or learning disability
  • Those from black and ethnic minority (BME) communities..
  • Those with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) due to their migration status
  • Those with English as a second language
  • Women in poverty
  • Those who have been looked after
  • Those affected by commercial sexual exploitation (CSE)
  • Those with caring responsibilities

These views were taken into consideration and it was suggested that the priority 3 actions should be more inclusive of LGBT people, minority ethnic women and women with learning disabilities as these groups can face additional barriers to accessing support.

CEMVO workshop – the aim of this event and workshop was to identify any specific barriers experienced by minority ethnic communities in their experience of GBV so these could be accounted for in the Equally Safe delivery plan. However, feedback from some participants involved in the workshop was that they felt the event was a tick-box exercise only. This feedback has been taken into consideration and the Scottish Government are looking to engage regularly with the Network in the future so that it becomes a dialogue opposed to a single event.

The EQIA has helped develop better outcomes for people and communities by working with the community organisations and engaging with communities to ensure that they are empowered to become part of the solution. The feedback from CEMVO coupled with the comments received on the draft delivery plan following our consultation, helped to shape the actions required.

As a result of the evidence and data gathered, the Scottish Government will continue to work with community partners and organisations, particularly those who are involved in on-going participation work, to ensure that implementation of the delivery plan is informed by those who routinely access and use support services.

There have been no cost or resource implications as a result of this EQIA analysis.

Monitoring and Review

As part of the implementation and delivery of this policy, various groups have/are being established to help monitor and evaluate progress made with the Delivery Plan. In particular, an Experience Expert Panel will be created to help learn from those of have lived experience of gender based violence. This group will include representation from organisations who work with ethnic minorities, disabled women and the LGBT community to ensure that implementation of the delivery plan is shaped by those who have lived experience of gender based violence.

Contact

Email: Kirstin McPhee

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