Making Fairness Count

1
Making Fairness Count

• Northwest Equality and Diversity Conference
• 19th Sept 2008
• Tim Wainwright
• Director of English Regions, EHRC

2

• This country will not be a good place for any of
  us to live in unless we make it a good place for
  all of us to live In.
• Theodore Roosevelt (Responsibility of Fairness)

3
Fairness is.

• A Right
• A 21st Century Value
• About us all.

4
We all expect

• The same kind of medical treatment as others.
• The same kind of employment as others.
• The same kind of service as others
• As citizens, as customers, we expect to be
  treated fairly.

5
Fairness gives us

• Social Cohesion
• Lower crime
• Better Schools
• Stronger Families
• Economic prosperity
• Social Wellbeing
• Better Health
•  

6
What might success look like?
Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression
in order that every man present his views without
penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in
the entire population." -- Albert Einstein
Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression
in order that every man present his views without
penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in
the entire population." -- Albert Einstein

• Barriers removed so everyone can realise their
  potential.
• Fairness a value mainstreamed into British
  society.
• Simple legal framework supports this.
• Citizens empowered, have information, can hold
  organisations to account.
• Services are responsive to all peoples needs
• Employers are flexible

7
Role of the EHRC?
Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression
in order that every man present his views without
penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in
the entire population." -- Albert Einstein
Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression
in order that every man present his views without
penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in
the entire population." -- Albert Einstein

• Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression
  in order that every man present his views without
  penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in
  the entire population.
• Albert Einstein

8
EHRC a modern regulator

• Culture change vs legal challenge
• Promote the good vs punish the bad
• Driving up standards in British Business and
  public service
• Progressive employers
• Better services for all

9
Fairness in the North-West

• Positive public attitudes
• (half as likely to feel negative towards minority
  groups as national average)
• Challenges remain
• public perception of how responsive services are
  to their needs
• representation of different groups

10
What about you?

•  
• Washing one's hands of the conflict between the
  powerful and the powerless means to side with the
  powerful, not to be neutral.
• Paulo Freire