Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming: Governance Framework
Sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to delivery of the Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Action Plan and how we will ensure senior-level ownership and visible leadership.
Structure of the Framework
The Framework will be led by an internal Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Board which will bring together governance, accountability, leadership and capability-building functions and ensure a coherent approach to equality and human rights mainstreaming across government. It will provide strategic oversight of delivery of the Action Plan, promote continuous organisational improvement and support a whole system approach to equality and human rights mainstreaming.
The Board will be comprised of senior leaders from across the Scottish Government and will meet four times a year to:
- monitor and support progress against the Action Plan;
- provide support and challenge where delivery is off-track;
- identify systemic barriers, risks, gaps and opportunities across portfolios;
- build capability in equality and human rights across policy teams;
- facilitate cross-government collaboration and sharing of good practice; and
- provide a coherent mechanism for escalation and organisational learning.
The Board will also assess overall organisational progress on mainstreaming equality and human rights. The Board will identify gaps across the six mainstreaming drivers and will agree any necessary steps to address these gaps.
The Board will provide support to and be supplemented by a Mainstreaming Network of Expertise (NoE). The NoE will provide a cross-government capability-building and support function based on mutual support, to strengthen equality and human rights mainstreaming through coordinated engagement, shared learning and collaboration. The operational NoE group will meet approximately every 6-8 weeks and provide regular updates to the Board.