Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming strategy: consultation analysis
The independent analysis of responses to the consultation on the Equality and Human Rights strategy. The Strategy sets out a framework that will guide the work that the Scottish Government, the wider public sector and partners will do to embed equality and human rights in all that it does.
10. Overall Reflections
Chapter 10 presents the analysis of two final questions which asked respondents for any other views or reflections on the Strategy and mainstreaming equality and human rights.
Q27. To what extent do the drivers capture the full range of activity required to mainstream equality and human rights?
| Audience | Sample size (n=) | % Captures full range | % Captures most | % Captures some | % Does not capture any | % No answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents (%) | 123 | 12 | 37 | 17 | 5 | 29 |
| All answering (%) | 87 | 17 | 52 | 24 | 7 | n/a |
| Individuals | 22 | 14 | 36 | 27 | 23 | n/a |
| Organisations | 65 | 18 | 57 | 23 | 2 | n/a |
Among those answering Q27, 17% felt the drivers capture the full range of activity required to mainstream equality and human rights, 52% felt they capture most of the range, 24% felt they capture some and 7% felt they do not capture any. While a similar proportion of individuals and organisations felt the full range is captured (14% and 18% respectively), organisations were more likely to feel a greater proportion had been captured e.g. 57% of organisations felt most drivers had been captured compared to 36% of individuals, while 23% of individuals felt that none had been captured compared to only 2% of organisations. Most types of organisation felt at least most or the full range of drivers had been captured.
Implementation
Just over half of respondents left an open comment at Q27. Some reiterated their request for a more detailed description of how the drivers of the Strategy would be implemented. A few asked for tangible examples of how the Strategy’s impact will be measured while others provided specific suggestions. These included a request by one organisation for a diagram illustrating how the drivers link together, and another noted that the drivers should address basic needs and current hurdles to equality. Another organisation recommended that the Equality and Human Rights Commission provide additional guidance on tackling persistent and systemic inequality as they already provide guidance for public bodies. One individual emphasised the importance of considering the diverse starting points of different public sector organisations when implementing the Strategy.
Questions about the drivers
Some respondents requested more details about the drivers. Those who provided more detail felt additional information could include how the drivers would apply to civil society, trade unions, and third-sector organisations that work with the Scottish Government. One organisation recommended that the drivers and Strategy highlight the importance of understanding the varied experiences of different groups.
Suggestions for other drivers
A few respondents suggested other drivers they felt should be included. For example, a driver to measure compliance and progress, such as “Governance of Policies and Legislation”, was recommended by a few respondents. Other areas for consideration mentioned by one organisation focussed on improved communication strategies and media engagement.
Q28. Please provide any more information that you think would be useful, which is not already covered in your previous responses.
Further details needed
Just over two fifths of respondents answered Q28. Some respondents at this question and across the consultation expressed concern at the lack of specificity when describing groups as disadvantaged, underrepresented or marginalised. A few respondents expressed the view that this perceived lack of detail risked homogenising the experiences of diverse groups and equality issues. Others provided preferable terms, such as a recommendation to use the term ‘groups with rights at risk’. A few respondents asked for consideration of specific groups, such as people with a learning disability and people with care experience, and explicit mention of different age groups, such as young people or older people.
A few others at this question and throughout the consultation mentioned the importance of creating a theory of change to identify problems, necessary actions and intended outcomes. Respondents believed that a theory of change model would help identify barriers, ensuring the Strategy adequately addresses the barriers and assists people in overcoming them.
A small number of respondents reiterated their request for a clear timeline for implementing the Strategy and toolkit.
Reiteration of key themes
At Q27 and Q28, some respondents reiterated themes raised throughout the consultation. Some reiterated their support for the drivers and the Strategy. Others included concerns about workforce capacity and financial resourcing, the importance of working with people with lived experience to co-produce and implement the Strategy, the importance of aligning the Strategy to other legislation and duties, such as the PSED and the proposed Human Rights Bill, and the need for clear mechanisms for monitoring and reporting.