Race Law Reform
The 2010 Equality Act in Great Britain improved legal protection against racial discrimination there, leaving people less well protected in Northern Ireland. We are calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to make urgent changes to the race equality legislation in Northern Ireland and are proposing changes to the law that would bring us into line with the rest of the United Kingdom.
These changes are aimed at strengthening, simplifying and harmonising the race equality legislation so that individuals in Northern Ireland have robust and effective protection against unlawful racial discrimination and harassment.
The changes relate to a wide range of areas covered by the race equality legislation and therefore strengthen the rights of individuals as employees, customers, pupils in school, tenants, as members of private clubs and as students in further and higher education.
We also recommend changes to the
fair employment legislation aimed at improving workforce monitoring on racial grounds by registered employers.
Download our race law reform recommendations (pdf):
Reasons for reform
Race - the forms of discrimination
Proposals for reform of the race law
Race law reform consultation responses
The Equality Commission's consultation responses relating to race law reform:
Common Platform
The Equality Commission made a contribution to the
Racial Equality Common Platform paper which has been agreed by organisations working for and with people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds living and working in Northern Ireland, in response to the draft Racial Equality Strategy.
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Law reform
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Addressing inequality