Annual Report 2009-2010

Equality and Diversity Forum

Who We Are

The Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) is an influential network ofnational non-governmental organisations committed to equalopportunities, social justice, good community relations, respect forhuman rights and an end to discrimination based on age, disability,gender, gender identity, race religion or belief and sexual orientation.

Our work is needed because, despite progress in recent years, the lifechances of millions of people in Britain are still limited by discriminationor disadvantage. They are excluded from opportunities at school, at workand in communities. The public services for which their taxes pay do notmeet their needs or they are not treated with dignity and respect. Theymay face harassment, violence and hate crime. For people facingdiscrimination and disadvantage, Britain is not yet the fair country we allwant it to be.

Equality and Diversity Forum members work together to make a reality ofequality and human rights in practice and to build the capacity of civilsociety organisations. We:

• Inform policy debates and develop new thinking.

• Act as the shared voice of leading organisations tackling inequalitiesand injustices.

• Support the All Party Parliamentary Group on Equalities.

• Publish a popular fortnightly free eNewsletter keeping public, privateand voluntary sector organisations up to date.

• Run a web-based resource bank.

• Publish simple guides to complex equality topics.

• Carry out research and run conferences to share knowledge anddisseminate good practice.

• Hold public bodies responsible for equality and human rights to account.

• Provide a space for developing dialogue and trust betweenorganisations working to tackle inequalities, increase fairness andprotect human rights.

• Coordinate the Research and Policy Network on Equality and HumanRights to strengthen the evidence base.

Contents

Foreword by Sarah Spencer 2

The EDF network 3

2010 Equality Act 5

Speaking up for equality and human rights 7

Supporting the sector 8

Linking human rights and equality 9

Fairness, Equality and the Recession 10

Looking ahead 11

Becoming a legally independent charity 12

EDF’s new governance structure 12

EDF year in figures 2009/10 13

About us 14

How our work is funded 15

Our thanks 16

EDF members at April 30 2010 16

EDF observers at April 30 2010 17

Foreword by Sarah Spencer

2009/10 has been the year in which the Equality andDiversity Forum came of age. We achieved one ofEDF’s first goals – harmonised equality law givingequal protection to all, when the 2010 Equality Actreceived royal assent in April 2010, and a secondwhen EDF formalised its status as a legallyindependent charity. There is still work to do to turn theAct’s ambitions into reality – the law is only the beginning – but we weredelighted that one of the Coalition Government’s early decisions was tobring the majority of the Act’s provisions into force in October 2010.

EDF’s legal independence as a registered charity was a less publicachievement, but a milestone in our capacity to grow and deliver. An immediate benefit is that EDF now has an outstanding group oftrustees, bringing diverse expertise from across the sector, supportedby EDF’s small, can-do team of staff and volunteers, led by our Chief Executive, Amanda Ariss.

EDF has two strategic roles, well illustrated in this report: to be a pivotalresource for the voluntary sector – providing access to the information,ideas and networks that enhance capacity to promote equality andhuman rights within their own work; and to make equality and humanrights standards real for each individual in their daily lives – using theexpertise within the network to inform practice and policy agendas.

The economic climate sets a challenging external environment but ourmembers see opportunities for progress and we shall seize them. Theconsistent engagement in EDF’s meetings of those working on theseissues across government, the success of the All Party ParliamentaryGroup on Equalities and most recently the interest in our new Researchand Policy Network – demonstrate not only the value of the network butthe growing demand for the contribution that it can make.

Sarah Spencer CBEChair

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The EDF network

The core strength of EDF is the active engagement of its members – national organisations working on age, disability, gender, genderidentity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and broader humanrights issues. Member (and observer) organisations meet monthly toshare information and engage on topical issues with 40-50representatives attending. Meetings regularly decide on joint initiativesthe network will take, often in response to issues raised by members orexternal speakers.

Maintaining dialogue, trust andstrong working relationships amongstorganisations across the equalitiesand human rights spectrum remainsone of EDF’s core goals andproudest achievements.

The range of topics addressed, inmeetings, seminars and events,reflects the centrality of equality andhuman rights to many agendas, fromunder-representation in Parliament

and in the judiciary to inequalities in health and social care. One keydebate has been the inter-relationshipbetween identity-based disadvantage andbroader socio-economic inequalities. Topicsand speakers at network meetings over theyear have included:

• Anne Begg MP, Deputy Chair of theSpeaker’s Conference;

• Monica McWilliams, Chief Commissionerof the Northern Ireland Human RightsCommission;

• Michael Wills MP, then Human RightsMinister;

• Professor John Hills on the NationalEquality Panel report;

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Katie Ghose, BIHR and Donna Covey, Refugee Council

Anne Begg MP,Deputy Chair of the

Speaker’s Conference

• Janet Gaymer, Commissioner for Public Appointments;

• Professor Francesca Klug on the Equality and Human RightsCommission’s Human Rights Inquiry;

• Sir Al Aynsley Green, then Children’s Commissioner for England;

• Pauline Thompson from AgeUK on the Department of Health’s SocialCare consultation;

• Neil Kinghan, interim Director General of the Equality and HumanRights Commission;

• Jessica Allen, Head of the MarmotReview Secretariat on Professor SirMichael Marmot’s Strategic Review ofHealth Inequalities;

• Tim Horton on Joseph RowntreeFoundation research on the drivers ofpublic attitudes towards inequalities;

• Professor Alan Miller, Chair of theScottish Human Rights Commission;

• John Wadham, Equality and HumanRights Commission Legal GroupDirector on the UK’s compliance withinternational human rights conventions.

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Tim Horton, Research Director at the Fabian Society

2010 Equality Act

Making equality real necessitated reform of the law – and the long-awaited Equality Act 2010 is a cause for celebration across the EDFnetwork. The Act, which secured all party support in Parliament,simplifies and harmonises the maze of previous laws, extends newrights, and broadens responsibilities on public bodies. When fullyimplemented, we shall be near to achieving our long-term goal ofequality law that gives equal protection to all sections of society.

We are particularly proud of our contribution to some of the newfeatures of the Act:

• The landmark dual discrimination provision allows people to challenge

instances of discrimination for which there is currently no remedy.

EDF’s legal advisor, JRCT Fellow Gay Moon, led the argument for this

vital new provision and supported others to explain the need for it.

• The emphasis on addressing inequalities through procurement from

the private and voluntary sectors, on which the public sector spends

£225 billion pa. Through research and constructive engagement with

policy makers and parliamentarians, EDF, with its members, made a

powerful and successful case for reform.

EDF supported members and parliamentarians by co-ordinating viewsacross the network to provide a series of briefings for the Commons andthe Lords explaining the shared priorities and concerns of equalities andhuman rights groups. It was one of the first organisations invited to giveevidence to the public committee scrutinising the Bill; and a member ofthe Government Equalities Office’s Senior Stakeholder Group, whichadvised on the Bill, while also contributing to government consultationson the public sector specific equality duties and on dual discrimination.

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‘It is very rewarding to have the opportunity to deal with suchpassionate and knowledgeable people.’

Civil servant commenting on working with EDF

To enable a broad range oforganisations to engage onthe Bill we provided regularupdates and briefings andheld an outstandinglysuccessful Equality Billconference in July 2009 atwhich Vera Baird, thenEqualities Minister, was thekeynote speaker. We madepresentations to conferencesorganised by, amongst others,the NHS Confederation, theGovernment Equalities Office,

Stonewall and NHS Employers. We were consulted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on framing their guidance on thelegislation which could play a crucial part in ensuring that employersand service providers can access the information they need to fulfiltheir responsibilities.

Now that the Act is on the statute book, we have shifted our focus todisseminating information about the new law and building the capacityof NGOs to use it; taking a first step in producing a series of leaflets forthe sector, in cooperation with the Government Equality Office.

We are also contributing our multiple discrimination expertise to aDepartment for Communities and Local Government-funded project ledby Race on the Agenda (ROTA) to help Black and minority ethnicorganisations understand and use equality law.

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Vera Baird QC MP, then Minister forEqualities, and Baroness Joyce Gould

at EDF’s Equality Bill conference

Speaking up for equality and human rights

EDF is a national voice for the equality and human rights sector so akey part of our role is to discuss the sector’s views with policy makers.During 2009/10 EDF has actively contributed to the following:

• Ministry of Justice consultation on a Bill of Rights;

• Draft European equality directive;

• Equality and Human Rights Commission’s triennial review, its draftEquality Act guidance, and its measurement frameworks for goodrelations and human rights;

• Northern Ireland Office consultation on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland;

• UK delegation to the Stockholm EU Presidency’s equality summit;

• Annual conference of the EU Fundamental Rights Platform;

• National Equality Panel chaired by Professor John Hills;

• Professor Sir Michael Marmot’s Strategic Review of Health Inequalities;

• EDF challenged the main political parties to do more to secure greater balance in representation in Parliament in the light of theSpeaker’s Conference.

As a network bringing together diverse equality and human rightsvoices, EDF is uniquely well placed to support those charged withtaking forward policy agendas, facilitating discussions under ChathamHouse rules to explore options and test solutions. This year wefacilitated two such events, for:

• The Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity set up by the Ministry ofJustice and chaired by Baroness Neuberger;

• The 2020 Public Services Trust’s Commission on a new model forpublic services.

Opportunities like these can help policy makers and advisers to thinkissues through and debate them with experts in constructive settingsthat help to find solutions to challenging and complex problems.

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‘We thought it was a fantastically creative and challenging session …it’smade a real impact on the Commission’s thinking and its final position.’

Paul Buddery, Public Services Trust 2020 Commission

Supporting the sector

As well as speaking on behalf of EDF members as a whole, EDFsupports a much wider community of civil society equality and humanrights organisations:

• Our hugely popular free fortnightly eNewsletter now goes to 3,817subscribers, an increase of more than 50% this year. Regularunsolicited feedback and our most recent survey of users show howhighly EDF’s newsletter is valued.

• EDF’s website is used by 60,000visitors every month as a vitalsource of information and links.Our website is different: providingaccess not only to our ownmaterial but up to the minuteresources from a wide range ofsources. During 2009/10 wemade further improvements tothe site by including informationon electronic equality and humanrights resources; adding listingsfor jobs and funding opportunities;and expanding the ‘organisations’section of the site to list nearly400 organisations working onequality and human rights.

• To help people find their way through complex topics, such as theLisbon Treaty, we publish plain English guides highlighting theequality implications.

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eNewsletter subscribers say …

‘the EDF newsletter is the best resource of its kind I’ve come across– an excellent reference point for keeping up to date’

‘This is an extremely useful resource for us! I don't know where elsewe would find all this information so easily accessible in one place.’

‘It is an essential read for me … so thank you for being so relevant‘

Linking human rights and equality

Although individual human rights enjoy widespread popular support, theHuman Rights Act remains misunderstood and misrepresented. A keyEDF priority this year was helping equality organisations to make thebest possible use of human rights law and thinking. We have:

• run a pilot project, jointly with the British Institute of Human Rights,exploring how well equalities organisations use human rights now intheir work and what might help them do this more effectively in future;

• facilitated a Chatham House rules discussion amongst senior figuresin leading equality organisations to discuss the relationship and helphuman rights funders identify how they can best intervene;

• engaged with the Ministry of Justice’s network of Whitehall humanrights champions;

• challenged politicians across the political spectrum about theirresponse to the recommendations of the Equality and Human RightsCommission’s Human Rights Inquiry.

In November 2009 EDF gave evidence to an Inquiry carried out byParliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) into the work of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. EDF supported thecreation of the Commission and we strongly support its mission. It is a regular contributor to our meetings and we have valued somesignificant contributions it has made. In our evidence to the JCHR wealso drew attention to members’ concerns about some aspects of itsperformance, issues raised in regular meetings with the Commission’sChair and interim Director General.

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Fairness, Equality and the Recession

The recession’s impact on fairness andinequality for individuals and communitieshas been much debated. Past recessionshave tended to narrow socio-economicinequalities by holding down incomes atthe top end of the spectrum but less isknown about their impact ondiscrimination-based inequalities.Evidence so far suggests that the 2008/9recession has had a complex impact, withyounger workers faring particularly badlyand people from ethnic minorities alsobeing disproportionately affected.

The recession, and in particular its causes, also triggered debates aboutwhat sort of society and economy might be built in its wake. Some arguedthat, damaging as the recession itself was, public reactions against theculture of short-term self-interest seen in the financial sector mightgenerate more space for efforts to create a fairer society in future.

EDF debated the issues on the basis of a paper prepared by PatrickGrattan and subsequently organised a short series of debates toexplore the issues further, leading to a short report.

At the first seminar, Tim Horton from the Fabian Society presentedresearch commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation exploringwhat drives public attitudes to income inequalities. The researchsuggests that although the majority of people do not take an egalitarianview, most believe that economic rewards should relate to people’scontributions to society. It also found that awareness of the factsmatters: when people are made aware of the true scale of economicinequalities or the impact of socio-economic background on lifechances their views about current levels of fairness change. PatriceHall, Vice-President of ORC Worldwide, Bronwyn McKenna fromUNISON and independent commentator Zubaida Haque responded toTim’s presentation.

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Dr Zubaida Haque,Commission on 2020

Public Services

The second event focussed on future policy options. Jonty Olliff-Cooper(Demos Progressive Conservativism project), Alasdair Murray(CentreForum) and Neal Lawson (Compass) offered thoughts from arange of ideological viewpoints but also showed how much commonground now exists between political perspectives on the desirability oftackling inequalities.

Looking ahead

During 2009/10 we started work on new projects that will bear fruit in2010/11, including:

• Handling competing equality rights claims: a report on existing good practice.

• What’s changed as a result of the Equality Act: a series of quick start guides for voluntary sector service providers. This is a jointproject with the Government Equalities Office.

• Refugees, migrants and equality law: an information guide forcommunity organisations on using equality law, supported by aresearch report on how public bodies could use equality law to tacklediscrimination and disadvantage facing refugees and migrants.

• Practical ideas to close the gaps between equality law and goodpractice and workplace practices: a national report drawing onregional roundtables with practitioners.

• How equality organisations are using human rights to achieve change.This pilot project is in partnership with the British Institute of HumanRights and funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

• Research and policy network on equality and human rights: launchinga new network of academics, other researchers and policy makers tobuild stronger relationships and inform the equality and human rightspolicy agenda.

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Becoming a legally independent charity

EDF has always raised all its own funds. However, when EDF firstemployed a part time manager in 2003 it was set up as part of The Ageand Employment Network (TAEN). As EDF grew, it became increasinglyclear that it should become an independent organisation and in April2010 EDF was registered as a charity in its own right. With the supportof all our funders, from May 2010 EDF began operating entirelyindependently with our own banking, accounting, insurance and taxarrangements.

EDF’s new governance structure

EDF has a new board of trustees, the majority elected by EDF members.The trustees will oversee the governance of the organisation, makedecisions on applications to join EDF and, with the chief executive, actas ambassadors for EDF. They will also be the directors of the limitedliability EDF company. The chair of the trustees will chair the network’smonthly meetings.

As EDF is a member-led network, members as a whole will continue to decide on shared policy positions for EDF and monthly networkmeetings will remain the heart of our work. We will also continueregular strategy discussions with the chairs and chief executives ofEDF member organisations.

The trustees are:Sarah Spencer CBE (Chair)Patrick Grattan MBE (Secretary)Jean Scott (Treasurer)Mohammed Aziz (Chair, UK Race in Europe Network)Rob Berkeley (Director of Runnymede Trust)Donna Covey (CEO of Refugee Council)Marije Davidson (Senior Policy Officer, RADAR)Ceri Goddard (CEO of Fawcett Society)Ali Harris (Head of Equality Strategy, Citizens Advice)Vicki Nash (Head of Policy and Campaigns, Mind)Sarah Veale CBE (Head of Equality and Employment Rights, TUC)

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EDF year in figures 2009/10

Income

A significant proportion of EDF’s 2009/10 activities were funded fromincome brought forward from 2008/9.

Expenditure

Most of EDF’s activities are carried out directly by its small staff team.Overheads are low, in part because Age UK generously provide officeaccommodation and related services.

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4,709

61,947 50,000

35,000

12,648

3,4707,016

128,155

12,081

3,115

4,680

61,853

10,000

30,164

Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Barrow Cadbury Trust

Department for Communitiesand Local Government

European Commission, Progress

Trust for London Foundation

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

Other

Income b/f 1st May 2009

*Total £266,321including funding for activities in 2010-11

Total Salaries

Overheads

Web

Events

Research and publications

Legal costs

*Total Expenditure:£158,517

*Figures subject to audit

About us

Staff:Amanda Ariss, Chief ExecutiveDr Moira Dustin, Director of Communications and ResearchElectra Babouri, Administration and Information OfficerAmanda Keeling, Vyaj Lovejoy and Homaira Sikandary, Interns during 2009/10

Officers during 2009/10:Sarah Spencer CBE, ChairPatrick Grattan MBE, Company SecretaryJean Scott, Company TreasurerBrian Pearce OBE and Angela Mason CBE, Company Directors

Gay Moon, Special Legal Adviser (supported by the Joseph RowntreeCharitable Trust)Jonathan Finney, Chair of EDF Communications and Parliamentary Group

EDF and Public BenefitThere are five main ways in which EDF’s work is of public benefit:

• EDF’s information sharing and good practice work enables membersand observers (most of whom work directly with members of thepublic) to be more effective in helping individuals facingdisadvantage and discrimination.

• Members of the public facing discrimination or inequality can useinformation from EDF’s resource bank and eNewsletter to help themidentify their rights and organisations that may be able to help them.

• By raising awareness about equality and human rights, EDF’sresearch and education work helps to reduce the discrimination anddisadvantage that limit some people’s life chances.

• By helping organisations to foster understanding between peoplefrom diverse backgrounds, EDF’s work helps to reduce conflictsbetween different groups.

• By encouraging support for human rights and equality and helpingorganisations to work together to that end, EDF helps to reduce thedamage that discrimination causes to individuals and groups.

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How our work is funded

In 2009/10 EDF’s work was supported by grants from the EuropeanCommunity Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity –PROGRESS (2007-13), the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, theBarrow Cadbury Trust, Trust for London (formerly the City ParochialFoundation), the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, theDepartment for Communities and Local Government and by a donationfrom Stonewall. ORC Worldwide and the Equality and Human RightsCommission supported our work on equality and the recession. We also generated income by charging for events and services.

EDF received support in kind from AgeUK (formally Help the Aged andAge Concern) who generously provide our office accommodation andservices, from The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) and from arange of members and observers who hosted meetings and events.

EDF’s statutory annual report and accounts for 2009/10 are included inTAEN’s annual report and accounts. We have published this additionaldocument to provide a more detailed picture of EDF’s achievements in2009/10.

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Our thanks

The Equality Act is a real cause for celebration after many years’ workand Gay Moon, EDF’s independent legal adviser, and Jonathan Finneyfrom Stonewall, who chairs our parliamentary sub-group, have earnedthe warm thanks of the network for their particular contribution.

Our thanks also go to Patrick Grattan, whose inspired idea it was tobring together the organisations that became EDF. As CompanySecretary this year, a source of great knowledge and creative energy,we take this opportunity to thank him for the commitment he has shownto EDF since its inception.

We have also received much practical support and encouragement fromTAEN’s staff and trustees over the years that they acted as EDF’sparent organisation. We greatly appreciate their sustained support forEDF and are delighted that TAEN remain members of the EDF network.

Advice UK

Age UK

British Humanist Association

British Institute of Human Rights

Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE)

Citizens Advice

Discrimination Law Association

End Violence Against Women Campaign

Equality Challenge Unit

EREN – The English Regions Equalityand Human Rights Network

Fawcett Society

JUSTICE

Law Centres Federation

Mind

National AIDS Trust

Press for Change

Race on the Agenda (ROTA)

RADAR

Refugee Council

RNIB

RNID

Runnymede Trust

Scope

Stonewall

The Age and Employment Network (TAEN)

Trades Union Congress (TUC)

UKREN (UK Race in Europe Network)

UNISON

Women’s Budget Group

Women’s Resource Centre

EDF members at April 30 2010

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11 Million (Children’s Commissionerfor England)

1990 Trust

ACAS

Board of Deputies of British Jews

British Council

Business in the Community

Carers UK

CBI

CEMVO (Council of Ethnic MinorityVoluntary Sector Organisations)

Centre for Inclusion and Diversity, University of Bradford

Chartered Institute of Personneland Development (CIPD)

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Compact Voice

COMPAS

Department for Business, Innovationand Skills

Department for Communities andLocal Government

Department of Health

Department for Work and Pensions

Doctors of the World UK

Employability Forum

Employers for Carers

Employers Forum on Age

Employers Forum on Belief

Employers Forum on Disability

Equal Rights Trust

Equality and Human Rights Commission(EHRC)

Equality South West

Equality Trust

Ethnic Minority Foundation

European Network on Independent Living

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

Friends, Families and Travellers

GALOP (Gay and Lesbian Policing Project)

GIRES (Gender Identity Research and Education Society)

Government Equalities Office

Grandparents Plus

HEAR (London’s pan-equality NGO network)

Human Rights Centre, University of Essex

Human Rights Futures Project (LSE)

IDeA (Local Government Improvement and Development Agency)

Interfaith Network UK

Joint Committee on Human Rightsof the UK Parliament

Liberty

Local Government Association

Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland

Men’s Health Forum

Ministry of Justice

Muslim Council of Britain

National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

Odysseus Trust

Office for Disability Issues

ORC Worldwide

Oxfam

Recruitment and Employment Confederation

Religion and Belief Consultative Group

ReneCassin

Royal College of Nursing

Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)

Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC)

Training and Development Agency for Schools

Unite the Union (Amicus section)

Unlock Democracy

Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Women’s National Commission

EDF observers at April 30 2010

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This publication is supported under the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013). This programme is managed by the Directorate-General for Employment, socialaffairs and equal opportunities of the European Commission. It was established to financially support theimplementation of the objectives of the European Union in the employment and social affairs area, as set out inthe Social Agenda, and thereby contribute to the achievement of the Lisbon Strategy goals in these fields.

For more information see: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/progress/index_en.html

Published by the Equality and Diversity Forum, October 2010

Equality and Diversity Forum207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ

Tel: 020-7843 1597, email: info@edf.org.uk, website: www.edf.org.uk

The EDF is a registered charity (1135357) and company (6464749)