Equalities

 
 

Gender Equality

Westminster City Council welcomes the new Gender Equality Duty introduced by the Equality Act 2006, which came into force on 6 April 2007. The Gender Equality Act is in two parts: a “general” duty and a “specific” duty. The general duty places a legal duty on all public authorities to:

  • Eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment
  • Promote equality of opportunity between men and women

To meet this general duty, Westminster City Council, like other public authorities, has a specific duty to:

  • Produce a Gender Equality Scheme, setting out its gender equality goals and actions to achieve them, in consultation with stakeholders
  • Monitor and review progress
  • Review the scheme at least once every three years
  • Develop, publish and regularly review an Equal Pay Policy, including measures to address promotion, development and occupational segregation
  • Carry out and publish gender equality impact assessments on all major policy developments and publish its criteria for carrying out these impact assessments

This scheme, which is over three years (2007-2010), has been produced using evidence gathered from equality impact assessments, research and performance monitoring data and consultation with our internal and external stakeholders, including residents and staff. The purpose of this scheme is to show how we intend to:

  • Mainstream gender equality into all of the City Council’s functions
  • Ensure that we go beyond mere compliance to achieve real gender equality outcomes
  • Address any gender inequality, eliminate discrimination and harassment and promote equality of opportunity between men and women (including boys and girls)

The new Gender Equality Scheme supports Westminster City Council’s One City vision and is aligned with the City Council’s progress against the Equality Standard for Local Government. The new Scheme builds on work already begun in the Race Equality Scheme, Disability Equality Scheme and Corporate Equalities Action Plan and will ensure that gender equality becomes integral to every area of Westminster City Council’s work.