Gypsy/Travellers action plan 2024-2026: Equality impact assessment
Equality impact assessment (EQIA) results document for Improving the Lives of Scotland’s Gypsy/Travellers 2: action plan 2024-2026.
Recommendations and Conclusion
Consideration of the impact of this policy on the protected characteristics has been made throughout the policy development process.
Funding was used by the Strategic-Team for Anti-Racism to ensure that we could engage with community members with protected characteristics in an accessible and inclusive environment. A Gypsy/Travellers Stakeholders Group was also established with key stakeholders in Gypsy/Traveller communities. Consideration of equalities impacts has been regularly discussed during our bi-weekly meetings.
In addition to the protected characteristics as listed within the Equality Act 2010, wider socio-economic considerations were made as part of the Fairer Scotland Duty commitment.
The listening exercise and the feedback received from both communities and stakeholders reveal no barrier to any of the protected characteristics through the review of this policy, which suggests this policy will not impact anyone negatively. The Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026 as a policy is focused on Gypsy/Travellers in Scotland. The policy was developed with the view to eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and less favourable treatment for Gypsy/Traveller communities in Scotland. The Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026 should be applied fairly and consistently across Scotland regardless of an individual’s background and protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation).
Monitoring and review of this policy is an ongoing process and a consequence of iterative discussions with community members and stakeholders. The Ministerial Oversight Group on Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026, the Gypsy/Travellers Policy Delivery Group, and the Gypsy/Travellers Stakeholders Group are responsible for providing accountability for the Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026. These groups will be a platform for the Scottish Government and COSLA to focus and review the Gypsy/Travellers Action Plan 2024-2026. Policy areas and stakeholders will be asked to provide updates every 6 months and we expect that a final report will be published at the end of 2026, forming a significant milestone in the monitoring and review process.