Equality and human rights mainstreaming action plan
Brings together 61 equality and human rights mainstreaming actions from across the Scottish Government in one accessible plan, supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in policy and practice.
Summary of Actions in the Plan
The actions included are diverse, but all meet the criteria set out in the scope of this plan. Together, they reflect both the strategic priorities and the practical steps needed to make measurable progress.
In total, this first version includes 61 actions, each linked to one of the six key drivers of the Mainstreaming Strategy, although it should be noted that many actions contribute across multiple drivers. We have mapped the following drivers:
Strengthening leadership – 6 actions, including:
- establishing a new governance framework to support delivery of the Mainstreaming Action Plan, ensuring senior leaders are accountable and driving progress
- using legal powers to guide listed authorities on how to better perform the Public Sector Equality Duty, helping to improve overall performance
Developing accountability and transparency – 7 actions, including:
- developing a Human Rights Tracker Tool to make information on international human rights recommendations and Scotland’s progress more accessible
- establishing a process to ensure that there is opportunity for disabled people to hold Government to account on the progress of the Disability Equality Plan
Ensuring an effective regulatory and policy environment – 9 actions, including:
- progressing work to incorporate key international human rights treaties into Scots law, with input from partners to ensure effective implementation
- extending pay gap reporting beyond gender to include ethnicity and disability, strengthening equality reporting requirements
Utilising evidence and experience – 14 actions, including:
- delivering the final phase of the Equality Evidence Strategy, applying lessons learned and improving how equality data is collected and used across government
- improving the utility and sustainability of the Equality Evidence Finder
Enhancing capability and culture – 15 actions, including:
- strengthening awareness of human rights across public and third sector organisations, supported by improved training materials and input from the Capability Building Working Group
- implementing a plan to strengthen disability competence within the Scottish Government, including a training programme for all staff
Improving capacity – 10 actions, including:
- reviewing and expanding the existing Centre of Expertise model across government to share knowledge and strengthen equality-focused work
- piloting gender budget tagging to explore how budget decisions impact women’s outcomes, supporting greater transparency and equality in future budgeting
The actions have been drawn from established strategies and programmes already underway within the Scottish Government, highlighting where equality and human rights are being mainstreamed across the organisation.