Equality News:

FIS believe abolishment of Equality Impact Assessments will put the Irish community on the back-burner of policy making

challenging and seeking to prevent unequal and discriminatory treatment

The Equalities agenda is central to the process of challenging and seeking to prevent unequal and discriminatory treatment across British society. In this respect work around Equalities goes to the heart of our policy and representational work.

We have worked closely with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in the past, and are continue to build a similar relationship with their successor, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The frequency with which Irish data is ignored or rendered invisible in documents and data sets drawn up to inform public policy means that this absence has to be raised with alarming frequency in our policy and representational work.  For instance, bodies with which we have had to raise this issue with recently include the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP), the Greater London Authority (GLA), and even the Department of Health (DH) itself.

Raising the Profile of inequalities in the Irish community

FIS’s policy work also seeks to raise the profile of Irish inequalities, one of the most visible aspects of which exists in the area of health.  Our development team seeks to strengthen the capacity of our affiliates to raise such issues at a local level; and we seek to build partnerships with organisations with an inclusive approach to reducing inequalities.   

Supporting afiliates to understand the Equalities Act

We also support our affiliates to understand and fulfil the requirements of the Single Equality Act (and any future amendments of the Act). This involves helping them put in place systems and procedures which seek to ensure that, with regard to (a) recruitment and retention of staff and (b) delivery of services no person shall suffer prejudicial or discriminatory treatment.