EQUALITIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE GENDER EQUALITY DUTY MEANS SO HOW CAN IT SERIOUSLY POLICE ITS COMPLIANCE?

Back in February, this site covered the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's Map of Gaps exercise which looked at whether local councils were providing services for women at risk of domestic and sexual violence.

The point was made that they were not producing a Map of Gaps exericse for male victims of domestic violence, a point picked up subsequently by the ManKind Initiative who were given short shrift by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission when they asked for this to happen.

Last week, the Commission issued compliance notices against three councils for not having a Gender Equality Duty plus 14 who were likely to be in breach of the Gender Equality Duty for not providing services for female victims of violence and a further 56 for possible breaches. Still nothing on whether councils are breaching the Gender Equality Duty failing to support male victims.

What is more sinister is how the Equalities and Human Rights Commission does not even understand (or pretends not to understand) how the Gender Equality Duty works and how it is to be applied even though under the Sex Discrimination Act it is the quasi-legal authority responsible for policing it. 

The Gender Equality means that all statutory authorities (police, councils, NHS, Government etc) have to ensure they meets the needs of both men and women within their communities. Each authority has to ensure that it "properly investigates, develops plans and delivers services for both genders." It is why the ManKind Initiative I presume complained about the lack of support for male victims of domestic violence.

However, read through the press release (link in paragraph three) again. 

It only mentions that the Gender Equality Duty means councils have to provide services for female victims of violence, when they have a duty for men as well.

Saving the worst to last, under Notes to Editors it says

"...this includes publishing a Gender Equality Scheme by April 2007, gathering information and consulting on the gender equality needs of their community and developing a plan for implementing services specifically for women."

This is not true, it also applies to servcies for men as well.

It is clear that the Equalities and Human Rights Commission does not know what the Gender Equality Duty means even though it is meant to police compliance with it.

Or the most likely reason is that it full well knows what it means but is not interested in ensuring it also applies to men and is not interesting in policing it when there are breaches in the Duty when it is relating to men.

It is almost Stalinist, as if they are trying to re-write the Duty and expunge any mention that it applies to both genders. Even to the extent that the so-called Director of Legal Enforcement puts her name to a press notice that is not telling the media and the public the truth about the remit of the Duty.

It says all you need to know about how equal the Equalities and Human Rights Commission is.

 

Comments

[Groan]

Absolutely the point. Though its an uphill struggle the EHRC should be constantly pressured to apply the act. Write to them, your MP. Ask your Local Authority what it is doing for men.

[sim s]

Excellent work, Rights Of Man Editor. If it weren't for your highlighting of this hypocrisy, I doubt many would really be aware of it happening, and might even take the EHRC at face value.

[Groan]

http://www.karmanirvana.org.uk/honour-network

I note that Karma Nirvans, the mian chaity supporting victims of honour crimes, is under threat with regard to some of its funding. I wonder if this is conncted to the fact it supports men and women through its helpline and refuges. Not in favour with the VAWG.