Public Servant Lifestyle

With action on race & disability issues already underway, the public sector needs to ensure that it also leads the way in rights and attitudes when it comes to gender equality, says Meg Munn, Deputy Minister for Women and Equality.

Speaking at the launch of the consultation document Advancing Equality for Men and Women - Government proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality, Meg Munn said: "The public sector must make sure that the rights and opportunities of men and women are fully promoted. It is key to leading the way as an employer and service provider.

"The Government is fully committed to wiping out inequality, and this duty will help us do just that. Public authorities will be more responsive to the different needs of men and women by increasing opportunities and reducing inequality.

"This consultation is key to the public sector becoming the champion of gender rights. I hope that people will take part and give us their views."

The Public Sector Duty will require public authorities to monitor their activities and respond to the different needs of women and men, and to involve employees, consumers and other stakeholders in their assessments.

They will need to:

Draw up and publish an equality scheme - this should identify gender equality goals and show the steps that authority will take to implement them

Develop and publish a policy on their equal pay arrangements - including measures to ensure fair promotion and development opportunities and tackle occupational segregation

Ensure that they assess the impact of new legislation, policies, employment and service delivery changes. These assessments must also be published.

In November 1999, The Government made a commitment to tackle inequality and prejudice in the public sector. To do this, it announced that it would introduce public sector duties on race, disability and gender.

Through the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, a public sector duty on race equality was introduced. The race duty is already having a positive effect in improving practices throughout the public sector, and proposals for a public sector duty on disability were enacted in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

Public sector duties lead public authorities to take proactive steps, in their roles as employers and service providers, to positively promote equality, rather than solely taking steps to prevent discrimination. Legislation for the specific duties will be laid in secondary legislation. This full public consultation concerns the development of those specific duties.

More information available in Careers, Advice