What is the Gender Equality Duty?
The Gender Equality Duty [GED] (or the general duty) came into force on the April 2007. It requires public authorities to promote equality between women and men and eliminate unlawful sex discrimination and harrassment. This means the public sector will have to develop policies, design services and have employment practices with the different needs of women and men in mind.
When did the duty come into force?
The gender equality duty came into force on 6th April 2007. Gender Equality Schemes should have been in place by 30th April 2007.
Why does the gender equality duty only cover transsexual people in relation to employment and vocational training?
The gender equality duty was limited by existing UK law which protects transsexual people from discrimination in work and vocational training (including higher and further education) but not in regards to goods, facilities and services. A 1999 European Court of Justice case ruled that it was unlawful to discriminate in employment.
The law protecting transsexual people against discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services has now been changed (April 6th 2008) SEE RESOURCES AND FREEBIES PAGE FOR THE LINK TO THE LEGISLATION
The Equalities Review Published Feb. 2007.
Fairness and Freedom: The Final Report of the Equalities Review Published 28th Feb 07
http://www.theequalitiesreview.org.uk/
We would recommend that any services should view this document in its entirety themselves however a quote from this important document is as follows:
"An equal society protects and promotes equal, real freedom and substantive opportunity to
live in the ways people value and would choose, so that everyone can flourish.
An equal society recognises people’s different needs, situations and goals, and removes the
barriers that limit what people can do and can be..........despite a strong public value of fairness and equality, prejudice persists. This has serious
negative consequences for the treatment of women, people of different ages, ethnic minorities,
disabled people, people with particular beliefs, transgender people, and lesbian and gay people......"
This document highlights the seven strands of diversity, including transgender, previously mentioned in the Equalities Act 2006 (then the wording was proposed, commenced or completed reassignment of gender (within
the meaning given by section 82(1) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975
(c. 65)),
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Below: Info circulated ealier this year by 'Press for Change' on the proposed Equal Access to Goods , Services and Facilites legislation.
Regulations were recently laid in Parliament which would amend the Sex
Discrimination Act 1975 to protect trans people against discrimination
in the provision of Goods, Facilities and Services.
This area has been one of the key omissions in the legal protections for
trans people. While it has been unlawful to discriminate against trans
people in employment or vocational training since 1996, it has remained
lawful, until now, to refuse to serve us in a shop or to lease a house to a trans person.
The new Regulations: The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Amendment)
Regulations 2007 (See: http://tinyurl.com/32j4ts </exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://tinyurl.com/32j4ts> ) make such discrimination unlawful.
This message comes to you from Press for Change, the UK's trans rights campaign. www.prc.org.uk
April 6th 2008
The Equal Access to Goods, Services & Facilities legilsation that gives new protection to transsexual persons is
now in force
for links to this please see our 'Resouces and Freebies' page and follow the highlighted link.
The Equality Bill June 2008
Framework for a Fairer Future:http://www.equalities.gov.uk/
Presented to Parliament by The Lord Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for Women and Equality by command of Her Majesty June 2008
"The Equality Bill will contain a new streamlined
Equality Duty to replace the race, disability and gender
equality duties, which will also cover gender
reassignment, age, sexual orientation and religion or
belief."
Everyone has the right to be treated fairly and to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, but equality is not just right in principle.
Our commitment to equality is based on the belief that equality is:
• necessary for the individual – it is a basic right to be free from prejudice and discrimination;
• necessary for society – an unequal society can’t be at ease with itself, an equal society gives greater social cohesion; and
• necessary for our economy – a modern economy thrives in a culture of equality which brings employers the widest labour pool, which sees all participate in the labour market rather than some being marginalised and excluded and recognises that diversity makes us outward facing and helps us compete in a global economy.
Subject: news flash from france
TRANSSEXUALISM will no longer be classified as a mental illness in France
published on Saturday 16 May 2009 at 20H07
Translated by Curtis E. Hinkle, Founder of the Organisation Intersex International
TRANSSEXUALISM will no longer be classified in France as a mental
illness, a government decision hailed Saturday as "historic" by the associations concerned, on the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia and transphobia.
This item was circulated by PFC News see www.pfc.org.uk
