Scotland – Equity Reports
Key Equity Reports – Scotland
Equity Reports – Scotland
- 2004: A Review of the Scottish Executive’s Response to the Race Equality Advisory Forum’s Recommendations
- 2004: Race Equality Scheme Annual Report
- 2005: Scottish Executive Review of Race Equality Work in Scotland: A Summary of the Review and the Way Forward
- 2010: Race Equality Strategic Group – Report on Progress
- 2013: Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report 2013
- 2013: The Surjit Singh Chhokar Inquiry
- 2014: Final Report on Race Equality Statement 2008 – 2011
- 2015: Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report 2015
- 2017: A fairer Scotland for All: Race Equality Action Plan and Highlight Report 2017-2021
- 2017: Scottish Government – Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report 2017
- 2017: UK Event – Race Disparity Audit (UK)
- 2019: Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) – Year 1 Progress Update
- 2020: Fairer Scotland Action Plan: Progress Report
- 2020: Race Equality Action Plan (REAP): Year 2 Progress Update
- 2020: Race Equality Action Plan: Year Two Progress Update
- 2021: Anti-racist policy making: Learning from the first 20 years of Scottish devolution – CRER
- 2021: Final report on progress to address COVID-19 health inequalities
- 2021: National Taskforce for Human Rights: Leadership Report
- 2021: Race Equality Action Plan: Final Report
- 2021: Scottish Government – Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming
- 2021: Scottish Government – Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report
- 2021: Scottish Government – The Race Equality Action Plan (REAP) Final Report
- 2022: A fairer Scotland for all: race equality action plan and highlight report 2017-2021
- 2023: Anti-racism in Scotland Progress Review
- 2023: Anti-Racism in Scotland: Progress Review 2023
- 2023: Scottish Government – Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report
- 2024: Equality Impact Assessment – Review of the National Outcomes
- 2024: Scotland SPL – Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025: Interim Review
- 2025: Scotland Equity Report – Scottish Government Workforce Information
- 2025: Scottish Government – Mainstreaming Report 2023-2025
Mainstreaming Report 2023 to 2025
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Mainstreaming Report 2023 to 2025 – by Subject
Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
AI, Data & Technology – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Improved Monitoring and Reporting | Clearly defined success measures are critical for tracking progress. Developing robust frameworks and identifying accountable leads for each outcome can enhance transparen |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Workplace – Policy Leads Feedback on Outcomes | Feedback from policy leads across government highlighted several challenges with the 2021–2025 equality outcomes. The broad wording of the outcomes, coupled with the absence of specific underpinning actions, made it difficult to allocate clear responsibilities to individual teams for driving progress. This lack of defined actions created significant barriers to identifying and utilising data to demonstrate progress towards achieving the outcomes. As a result, opportunities to measure impact effectively, identify gaps, and adapt approaches were limited, ultimately reducing the potential for meaningful and sustained progress. We have identified the following lessons from this experience. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Equality Evidence | Significant progress has been made in strengthening our approach to equality evidence, with ongoing efforts to enhance data collection and address evidence gaps. Our experience has highlighted the importance of aligning data initiatives with existing strategies, such as the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023- 2025 which promotes the use, collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data across Scottish Government. As reported in Evidence Strategy’s Interim Review at the end of 2024, of the 45 actions in the Strategy, 14 were ‘complete’ and 23 were ‘on course’, demonstrating strong commitment to advancing equality evidence across many policy areas. While the previous mainstreaming equality outcome was broad, it has driven valuable work, laying a strong foundation for more targeted improvements. Moving forward, we are refining our focus to improve the collection of disaggregated data, explore intersectionality, and ensure our evidence base directly informs policy and service delivery. This reflection has shaped our new outcomes, ensuring they are clear, measurable, and impactful. |
Charities & Third Sector – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Spotlight – The Volunteer Support Fund | The Volunteer Support Fund is a procured fund that is delivered by Impact Funding Partners on behalf of the Scottish Government. The funding is for local community grass-roots organisations to support and promote volunteering among a variety of groups who experience disadvantage or barriers to volunteering. This includes supporting more volunteers who are Black and Minority Ethnic, disabled or with a long-term health condition. There is excellent evidence of positive impact from the Fund, particularly in relation to equality and diversity. The VSF has recruited a total of 11,655 volunteers over the 2021-2024 funded period which including 8,223 from targeted priority groups and 3,423 from non-priority groups. The largest priority group consisted of individuals with low incomes. The second largest priority group was people with mental health conditions and third was people from minority ethnic backgrounds. However many volunteers belong to more than one priority group reflecting their intersectional experiences and identities. The Fund plays a crucial role in mainstreaming equality and human rights across Scotland’s volunteer sector by ensuring that volunteering is accessible, inclusive, and representative of diverse communities. By supporting grassroots organisations, the Fund promotes equal opportunities and actively works to remove structural and societal barriers that often prevent participation. The Fund encourages organisations to embed inclusive policies, develop targeted outreach strategies, and adopt an intersectional approach to recruitment and volunteer management. This ensures that individuals who are marginalised, including those from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and those with long-term health conditions, are supported and empowered to contribute meaningfully. Furthermore, by fostering an environment where diverse volunteers and organisations can thrive, the Fund advances a rights-based approach to volunteering, aligning with Scotland’s broader commitments to equality, diversity, and human rights. Many of the volunteers recruited and involved face intersectional disadvantages and other barriers that may make it harder for them to volunteer. Supported volunteering opportunities and the recruitment of a mix of key priority group volunteers and others that generally don’t face disadvantages has helped to increase diversity, skills, opportunity and experience within Scotland’s volunteering pool. |
Children & Young People – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Children’s Rights | The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 makes Scotland the first UK nation and devolved nation globally to directly incorporate the UNCRC into domestic law, fostering a culture of accountability for children’s rights across public services. Key provisions, commenced in July 2024, include duties ensuring public authorities act compatibly with the UNCRC, interpreting legislation in line with UNCRC requirements, and empowering courts to strike down or issue incompatibility declarators for non-compliant legislation. The Act also enables children, young people, and their representatives to enforce their rights through the courts, reinforcing Scotland’s commitment to protecting and advancing children’s rights. |
Disability, Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
Link | Description |
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 – 2025: Spotlight – Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) Online | The Scottish Government’s review of the Disability Related Student Support in Further Education and Higher Education reported its findings and recommendations in 2022. The findings covered a wide range of areas but throughout there was a clear message from across the sector that the processes by which service users apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) ought to be transformed to make it a more straightforward, supported service for a group or users who are potentially at risk of experiencing poverty. Since then, the DSA Online project has developed a digital service to streamline the application process for eligible disabled students applying for DSA. The move from a paper-based process to a digital service has been designed to improve the funding experience for disabled students and make it more accessible and inclusive. The new system enables students to access features such as screen reader compatibility, adjustable text sizes, and voice-to-text options. This aims to reduce barriers for individuals with mobility impairments, as they will be able to approve the submission online, and allow those with visual or cognitive disabilities to navigate the application process more independently with assistive technologies. The provision of an online service should make our DSA students’ experience more consistent and coherent, removing the need for offline elements. It supports our aim to build trust with DSA students, Advisors, and Assessors by providing an application process that is easy to use, fast, and efficient. By embedding an inclusive and accessible approach across the system, this ensures that all service users, regardless of their needs or circumstances, can engage with the process, reducing barriers and promoting a more seamless and supportive experience. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: BSL Action Plan | The BSL National Plan 2023-2029, published on 6 November 2023, outlines 45 actions across 10 priority themes to address barriers faced by BSL users and promote equal access, opportunity, representation, and inclusion in areas such as education, health, justice, and culture. The plan reflects the Scottish Government’s commitment to mainstreaming BSL as a unique language with its own vibrant culture while removing barriers for BSL users. Delivered in collaboration with the Implementation Advisory Group, which includes representatives of deaf and deafblind communities, the plan ensures accountability and benefits from lived experience. Ongoing engagement with the BSL community and stakeholders will enhance accessibility through technology, awareness of communication tools, |
Employment, Business, Enterprise, Leadership & Management- Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employment | We have made meaningful progress in enhancing labour market outcomes for women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities. The publication of the evidence plan and the delivery of the Fair Work Action Plan have provided a strong foundation for driving positive change. Reporting has also been strengthened through the inclusion of key statistics, ensuring greater visibility of progress. This work has reinforced the value of aligning employment initiatives with wider strategies, such as the National Performance Framework, and highlighted the importance of strengthening data collection. In addition, our Fair Work First approach seeks to drive high quality and fair work, and workforce diversity, across the labour market in Scotland by applying Fair Work First criteria to grants, other funding and public contracts being awarded by and across the public sector, where it is relevant and proportionate to do so. On 18 November 2024 we published updated Fair Work First guidance which included updated wording within the Fair Work First criteria and good practice examples to better reflect priority action required to address labour market inequalities faced by women, people from racialised minorities, disabled people and workers aged over 50. Moving forward, we will continue to build on these achievements, ensuring our efforts remain ambitious, evidencedriven, and responsive to emerging challenges. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Fair Work | We have made significant progress in improving labour market outcomes for women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities through the Fair Work Action Plan and the Anti-Racist Employment Strategy. The Fair Work evidence plan provides a solid foundation for driving further positive change. The disability employment gap has improved, now at 30.2 percentage points—the lowest since the 2016 baseline of 37.4 p.p. (ONS, APS Jan-Dec 2023). Scotland continues to have a narrower gender pay gap than the UK as a whole. In 2024, the median gender pay gap for full-time employees in Scotland was 2.2% compared to 7.0% in the UK, and for all employees (full and part-time) it was 9.2% versus 13.1%. Our Anti-Racist Employment Strategy addresses labour market inequalities for racialised minorities by supporting employers to adopt an anti-racism approach in policy, data, and workplace culture. Key commitments include strengthening senior leadership, increasing the use of Positive Action, updating the Minority Ethnic Recruitment Toolkit, and developing an Anti-Racism Training Framework. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Leadership | We have established a new Equality and Human Rights Senior Leadership Group (EHR-SLG) within the Scottish Government. This group was formed in response to various drivers, including recommendations from the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) to accelerate progress on intersectional gender equality. The EHR-SLG plays a pivotal role in driving system-wide change by fostering collective leadership, influencing policy and practice, and ensuring that equality and human rights considerations are embedded across the Scottish Government and the wider public sector. |
Faith & Religion – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Spotlight – Faith and Belief Engagement Strategy | In March 2023, the Scottish Government published the Faith and Belief Engagement Strategy with the key purpose to strengthen communication, engagement and collaboration between Scottish Government and Scotland’s diverse faith and belief communities. This supports all three needs of the general equality duty and especially supports fostering good relations. The strategy was developed in collaboration with the Faith and Belief Representatives Group, established during the pandemic, for stakeholders and officials to have regular and constructive engagement between faith and belief communities and government, and to build relationships based on trust and respect. Whilst this work has a direct impact on the people of Scotland based on the protected characteristic of religion and belief, the impacts go beyond this due to the compounding nature of protected characteristics. This work is wide reaching across communities, with positive impacts on people across multiple intersecting characteristics, including age, sex and race. |
Gender & Sexuality – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 – 2025: Spotlight – Drugs Policy | Women affected by drug or alcohol use present unique, sex-related concerns that are often not addressed by services which were designed to support men and therefore may disadvantage women. These concerns are particularly acute for pregnant women and mothers. The Scottish Government made more than £5.5 million available over this parliamentary term, to support the establishment of two houses run by Aberlour Childcare Trust specifically designed to support women and their children through recovery. The mixed model of abstinence-based and medication-assisted treatment offered at the houses allows women to have a choice around which form of recovery works best for them. Funding for the houses has been administered from the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund (WFWF) since 2022-23. This work forms part of a package of initiatives which aim to ensure that high quality drug and alcohol services are available and accessible for women at any point in their recovery journey. A core pillar of our National Mission is to increase access to and the provision of residential rehab. Our vision is that residential rehabilitation is available to everybody who wants it, and for whom it is deemed to be clinically appropriate, at the time that they ask for it and in every part of the country. As part of this vision, we are investing in family-inclusive and women-specific services, to ensure that women and mothers are not excluded from residential treatment, and that they are given the best chance possible to keep their families together. One of our overall aims is to increase the number of residential rehabilitation beds in Scotland from an estimated baseline of 425 as reported in 2021 to 650 by March 2026. Investment in the Mother and Child houses, which provide a total of 8 national beds for women going through recovery, is a direct contribution towards this aim. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 – 2025: Spotlight – Non-Binary Equality Action Plan | The Scottish Government’s Non-Binary Equality Action Plan 2023-2028 (the “Plan”) was published in November 2023 and is the first of its kind in the UK. It was developed in collaboration with LGBTQI+ equality organisations and non-binary people and was based on the recommendations of the Working Group on Non-Binary Equality. The Plan sets out a range of actions to improve the lives of non-binary people and the wider trans community in Scotland by taking steps to address inequality and barriers that they face in their everyday lives. Whilst having a direct impact on the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, this work also has positive impact on other intersecting characteristics. For example, trans and non-binary people are more likely to be younger, and have a disability. A progress report was published in December 2024 marking the first year of this five-year plan. It summarised the achievements of the first year and also outlined next steps for 2025. The Plan sets out our vision for Scotland to be a place where everyone’s identity is recognised, respected and celebrated. It should be a place where everybody can participate, access rights and opportunities and thrive in society. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: LGBT Curriculum | LGBT inclusive education builds on Scotland’s recognition as one of the most progressive countries in Europe on LGBT rights. We will be the first country in the world to have LGBT inclusive education embedded across the curriculum. Inclusive education needs to start early so all children and young people begin to learn and understand tolerance, respect, and equality. This will support our children and young people to build healthy relationships and prevent prejudice occurring in any form. Educational settings have a lot to contribute, but it is vital we all help instil the values of respect and tolerance in our children and young people |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Spotlight – Equally Safe Strategy | Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls (VAWG), is co-owned by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). In 2023, the strategy and the development of the accompanying delivery plan was refreshed. Both were developed collaboratively with colleagues across the Scottish Government, COSLA, Improvement Service, and Public Health Scotland, informed by the lived experience of victims and the expertise of professionals. A collaborative approach was vital, recognising that all spheres of government and all sectors of society have a role to play. We recognised that to drive meaningful change, VAWG must not be siloed. While specialist organisations remain crucial in supporting victims, the refreshed Equally Safe strategy underscores that addressing VAWG requires collective action across government and society. The refresh allowed adaptation to evolving social and legislative landscapes while preserving the strategy’s core aims and objectives. |
Health, Wellbeing & Social Care – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
Link | Description |
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Health | In September 2024, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care made a clear commitment to applying an anti-racism lens to improving services. In his anti-racism statement Mr Gray identified racism as a key driver of racialised health inequalities, and a significant public health challenge and called on everyone in the NHS in Scotland and in social care to become leading anti-racism organisations. We asked all 22 NHS Health Boards to develop and deliver against anti-racism plans, covering workforce and service delivery. Anti-racism planning guidance has been developed in collaboration with stakeholders including the NHS Ethnic Minority Forum (EMF) to support this work. Some boards have already made good progress on anti-racism, and some of the improvement we expect to see will come from sharing good practice. The 2023 report references the Community of Practice on Racialised Inequalities in Health & Social Care. The community continues to grow from strength to strength, membership continues to expand. We have received positive feedback that the sessions are thought provoking and useful in helping embed anti-racism approaches with a focus on equity in service delivery and policy making. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Leadership, Culture Wellbeing – Embedding Anti-Racism | We are working with NHS Scotland to embed anti-racism practice within the workplace. Following recommendations from the Expert Reference Group on Covid-19 and ethnicity and the EHRC we began to develop a programme of systemic change that will lead to improved recruitment, retention, and progression outcomes for ethnic minority staff. More diverse staff alongside improved training on diverse health needs will lead to improved outcomes for patients |
Housing, Planning, Construction & Transport – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
Link | Description |
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Transport | Progress has been made in reducing inequalities in transport and advancing equality of opportunity, with ongoing work helping to shape a more inclusive and accessible system. This is set out in detail in the fourth NTS Delivery Plan, which was published on 19 December 2024; some of these achievements are highlighted below. Over 2.3 million people in Scotland now benefit from free bus travel, with young people making over 190 million free journeys since January 2022. The Scottish Government remains committed to concessionary travel, ensuring continued eligibility while exploring better targeting of public funds. Efforts focus on improving access to free travel for children and promoting responsible usage. A new bus services improvement plan is being developed to enhance service stability. Major rail developments include the reopening of Levenmouth railway, a £116 million investment with two fully accessible stations and improved active travel connections. The ScotRail Peak Fares Removal Pilot led to a year-long season ticket discount and permanent Flexipass changes. Accessibility improvements continue, including step-free access at Carstairs and ongoing feasibility work for other stations. Research into the safety of women and girls has led to plans for expanding ScotRail’s Travel Safe Team. Work on the Islands Connectivity Plan continues, shaping long-term ferry service improvements. Findings from the 2024 public consultation and initial response to the consultation report have been published. The MV Glen Sannox was deployed in January 2025, with further vessels under construction. Procurement for small new vessels is progressing, and future ferry fares policy will be outlined following consultation. A review of deck space reservations and a pilot for healthcare worker priority access are also underway. The Scottish Government continues to support the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) in advocating for accessible transport. The National Transport Strategy Monitoring and Evaluation report provides key insights into progress, reinforcing the need to balance ambition with practical delivery to improve accessibility and equality in transport. |
Immigration, Asylum & Refugees – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: New Scots | The New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy, jointly led by the Scottish Government, COSLA, and Scottish Refugee Council, supports the integration of refugees, people seeking asylum, and other forced migrants into Scotland’s communities. Published in March 2024, the refreshed strategy builds on the pioneering New Scots approach which has been in place for over a decade, while addressing the impact of changes in asylum legislation and large-scale relocations and resettlement of people from Afghanistan and Ukraine. It seeks to advance equality, eliminate discrimination, and foster good relations by promoting integration within safe and welcoming communities, recognising rights and responsibilities, and celebrating the diversity and strengths New Scots bring. Guided by a rights-based approach and meaningful participation of New Scots, the strategy ensures their needs, rights, and aspirations shape policy and decision-making. Through collaboration with organisations and communities, it provides integration support from day one of arrival, creating inclusive and resilient communities across Scotland. The New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: Delivery Plan 2024-2026 was published in July 2024 and contains the actions that New Scots partners are undertaking to deliver the strategy. This includes actions on a number of areas which are key for New Scots, such as a national advice and information helpline, as well as improving support around the recognition of qualifications and information on routes into employment. The delivery plan will be reviewed annually to reflect changing context, new actions required and progress. The first review will be undertaken in summer 2025. |
Inclusion, Participation, Co-Design – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
Link | Description |
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Lived Experience | We have made progress in embedding lived experience into policy-making, and efforts to improve resources, training, and learning opportunities are ongoing. For example, we are establishing a procurement framework for participation work with adults (complementing an existing procurement framework for participation work with children and young people), have published guidance on paying participants expenses and compensating their time, and are in the process of establishing a network of trained participation representatives across the organisation who can provide advice and assist in co-ordination. Challenges remain in achieving the level of embeddedness required and measuring progress through organisationwide information and co-ordination. Work on the development of quality improvement plans and ongoing discussions about the provision of resources demonstrate our commitment to deepening public participation. Collaboration across teams has reinforced the importance of openness and ensuring people can meaningfully influence the decisions that affect them. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our approach, exploring new ways to capture impact while building a more inclusive and participatory policy-making process. |
Policing, Crime & Justice – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Hate Crime Strategy | In November 2023, we published the Hate Crime Strategy Delivery Plan, setting out actions for the next two years to deliver Scotland’s Hate Crime Strategy, launched in March 2023. The strategy focuses on three key aims: improving support for victims, enhancing data and evidence, and developing effective approaches to preventing hate crime. Central to this was implementing the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, which came into force on 1 April 2024 and protects against offences aggravated by prejudice. Developed in collaboration with expert partners, this work addresses the profound impacts of hate crime on individuals and communities. |
Politics, National & Local Governance – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Diversity | Positive steps have been taken to improve diversity within the Scottish Government workforce, with a particular focus on increasing representation. Progress has been made, especially in understanding and addressing barriers to getting started in a career in the Scottish Government. Further efforts are needed to improve the experience in relation to disability, ethnicity and race and religion and belief, and to attract more people who are disabled, over 55 and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Action over the last decade has seen the number of disabled colleagues working in the Scottish Government double and number of minority ethnic colleagues working in the Scottish Government nearly double but they remain underrepresented. Reflecting on this, we recognise the importance of targeted initiatives and data-driven approaches to ensure meaningful change. Our focus will remain on embedding inclusive recruitment and retention practices to create a more representative workforce. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Employer Outcomes – Workplace Culture | Significant activity is planned over the next three years to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace culture in government. This ongoing work underscores our commitment to ensuring that all employees feel valued, heard, and empowered to reach their full potential. Resource constraints may present challenges, but careful planning and prioritisation will help maintain momentum. Positivity around inclusion and fair treatment remains high, and we continue to perform well on this as a measure in comparison to the wider Civil Service. However, inclusion and fair treatment experiences do vary across equality groups and further work is required to address this. Our reflection on progress so far has reinforced the need for sustained engagement and clear measurement of cultural change. As we move ahead, we will continue to build an environment where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is at the heart of our organisational culture. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Leadership | We have established a new Equality and Human Rights Senior Leadership Group (EHR-SLG) within the Scottish Government. This group was formed in response to various drivers, including recommendations from the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) to accelerate progress on intersectional gender equality. The EHR-SLG plays a pivotal role in driving system-wide change by fostering collective leadership, influencing policy and practice, and ensuring that equality and human rights considerations are embedded across the Scottish Government and the wider public sector. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Spotlight – Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy for the Scottish Government | The Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy was developed to systematically embed equality and human rights within our workforce. By addressing disparities in employee experience through a data-driven, co-production approach, this strategy moves beyond traditional diversity initiatives to mainstream equality as a core element of organisational design and business planning. It consolidates previous disability, race, and socio-economic diversity action plans into a single, impactful strategy, ensuring a more cohesive and intersectional approach to inclusion. The strategy identified 14 key points in the employee journey where equality groups faced disadvantages, prompting the adoption of a multi-strand and intersectional approach. It introduced gamechanger themes, lead measures, and priority actions to drive meaningful change. Key elements included launching an Employee Experience Insights Series to enhance qualitative data collection, embedding change goals with associated key performance indicators and establishing a robust governance framework. |
| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Strategic Decision-Making | We have embedded equality and human rights assurance into key Scottish Government strategic processes, such as the Programme for Government, Budget and Certificates of Assurance. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and previous Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees responded to the Equality and Human Rights Budget Advisory Group (EHRBAG) recommendations in September 2023, committing to the recommendations in principle. An action plan was developed in collaboration with the Group and is now being delivered to ensure we continue progressing our goals in Equality and Human Rights budgeting. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government and Minister for Equalities attended the EHRBAG meeting in October 2024. The Cabinet Secretary and Minister strongly value the advice and expertise of the EHRBAG, and look forward to continuing to engage with them as we further improve our processes. We worked with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to learn from international best practice on gender budgeting, and to support Scottish Exchequer to conduct two pilots. This included asking the OECD to assess our existing approach to gender budgeting and explore how alternative approaches might be applied in the Scottish Government. |
Research, Training & Education – Mainstreaming Report – 2023 to 2025
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| Equality Outcomes 2023 to 2025: Spotlight – Education Scotland | Education Scotland is committed to embedding equality and human rights at the heart of Scotland’s education system. Through a comprehensive approach that integrates professional learning, practitioner networks, and practical resources, we are ensuring that inclusion, wellbeing, and equality are not treated as standalone topics but as fundamental aspects of everyday teaching and leadership. To drive this mainstreaming approach, our strategy focuses on: • Delivering high-quality professional learning that empowers educators with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills to create inclusive learning environments. • Establishing specialised networks that connect educators, leaders, and key stakeholders to share best practice, address challenges, and sustain meaningful change. • Developing resources, guidance, and case studies that provide tangible examples of effective practice, ensuring that equalities work is embedded into policy and daily teaching. Through these initiatives, Education Scotland is supporting practitioners to deliver an inclusive curriculum, adopt appropriate teaching approaches, and address inequalities within education settings. Our evaluations demonstrate strong impact: the majority of participants in our professional learning sessions report increased confidence, greater awareness of equality and human rights issues, and a clear commitment to implementing inclusive practices in their schools and organisations. These outcomes contribute directly to creating a more equitable education system that benefits all learners. This will benefit children and young people with many intersecting protected characteristics. A key initiative in mainstreaming equality and human rights is the Education Equalities Policy Guide, developed in partnership with Highland Council, schools, researchers, and specialist third-sector organisations. The guide serves as a national tool to support educational settings in reviewing and developing robust equalities policies that reflect the needs of learners and communities. |
