Gender Equality Duty
The Gender Equality Duty is here!
There is (as of 6 April 2007) a new requirement for public sector bodies to promote gender equality in all their functions. This is known as the Gender Equality Duty and is a legal requirement for public educational institutions, such as colleges and universities. All public authorities are required to promote equality of opportunity between men and women, and to take action to eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and sexual harassment. This marks the biggest change in sex discrimination legislation since the Sex Discrimination Act 1975!
Colleges and universities now have to take positive action on gender equality and NUS Women’s Campaign thinks that the first thing they should do is listen to the official representative of women on campus – the women’s officer! NUS Women's Campaign took this opportunity to publish a short manifesto for women's equality in further and higher education. Women's officers and other women activists lobbied their vice-chancellors and principals in International Women's Week (5-11 March 2007) on the manifesto points.
Read about the Gender Equality Duty and what opportunities there are for your students' union in this leaflet and briefing.
Gender Duty Leaflet - Large print version
NUS Gender Equality Duty Briefing
Update, April 2007 - Gender Equality Schemes
Those public authorities that are listed as subject to ‘specific duties’ requirements in the Code of Practice - which includes educational institutions - must publish a Gender Equality Scheme. The scheme must be published in an accessible format no later than 30 April 2007 in England, and no later than 29 June in Scotland. In addition, listed Scottish public sector bodies with 150+ staff must produce an Equal Pay Statement by 28 September 2007. The Equal Opportunities Commission’s web site advises that the implementation date for the specific duties in Wales is unlikely to be before April 2008.
Hopefully, your university or college will have contacted you already about the Gender Equality Scheme at your institution. If not, you should contact them and ask to be consulted! See the document below for NUS Women's Campaign's suggestions for Gender Equality Schemes.
Suggestions for University/College Gender Equality Schemes
Return to this campaign's homepage or view all articles in this campaign.