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How is our work influencing life in Northern Ireland and delivering equality? Learn more about our policy, legal and research work.
 
 

Equality Data

What you need to know

 

Equality Data


We recommend the collection, analysis and dissemination of disaggregated equality data across the Section 75 equality grounds, including for all key measures of Government in Northern Ireland. 

 

Targeting Interventions, Tracking Impacts:  All key measures of Government should be tracked across the full range of equality grounds.

 

  • All key measures (including across the Programme for Government (PfG) and key strategies) should not only be tracked in aggregate but also for the impact on individuals from across the full range of equality grounds.
  • The key measures of government will be more fully delivered if they target and track delivery for the full range of equality groups. 
  • Providing comprehensive equality metrics for all key measures will further assist equality considerations to be a core component of public policy design and delivery. 
 

 

Equality Data: There is a need for comprehensive equality data to underpin the targeting of interventions and tracking of equality impacts.

 

  • There is a need for Government and Public Authorities to collect and share comprehensive equality data to support the targeting of interventions to advance equality, and the tracking of impacts on individuals from across the full range of equality grounds.
  • Key Government datasets should contain comprehensive equality data to facilitate full equality analysis.  There is a need to address gaps in the equality data held within key government datasets. 

Gaps in equality data

The Commission has highlighted the lack of specific data across a number of themes in relation to a range of equality grounds, including gender identity, sexual orientation, and race; as well as multiple identity. It has also highlighted the lack of data disaggregation in relation to some equality grounds, such as ethnicity, disability and gender.

The Programme for Government should include actions, particularly by Departments and other public bodies, to address key gaps in equality data – including to ensure that data is available across the full range of equality grounds, and in respect of people’s multiple identities.

The absence of key equality data means that it is difficult for the Executive, Departments and others to assess the nature and extent of key inequalities, as well as to track progress in achieving agreed equality and good relations outcomes.

For example, research into educational inequalities in Northern Ireland has highlighted that the lack of available and/or robust data relating to several equality groups, as regards educational access, attainment, progression and destinations, hinders progress being made on redressing the educational inequalities they may face.
 

Briefing note on need for Equality Data (2020)

The Equality Commission has long identified the need for robust equality data in Northern Ireland, both to enable good evidence-based policy making and to ensure effective compliance with the equality and good relations duties established by the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

More recently, the COVID -19 pandemic has highlighted the need for access to up to date and detailed equality data in Northern Ireland, as a vital component in shaping public policy responses.

 
 

Priorities for the Programme for Government (PfG)

We recommend that all key measures of Government (including across the Programme for Government (PfG) and key strategies) should not only be tracked in aggregate but also for the impact on individuals from each of the Section 75 grounds.

We also recommend action to:

 

  • collect comprehensive equality data across the full range of equality grounds - to identify equality impacts and shape targeted actions to advance equality;
  • address key gaps in equality data (including on the grounds of gender identity, sexual orientation, and race), and to rectify a lack of data disaggregation (including in relation to ethnicity, disability and gender).

Further information is available on the Programme for Government section of our website: www.equalityni.org/pfg
 

Education (2016)

Research into educational inequalities in Northern Ireland has highlighted that the lack of available and/or robust data relating to several equality groups, with respect to educational access, attainment, progression and destinations, hinders progress being made on redressing the educational inequalities they may face.
 
Further information is available on the Key Inequalities section of our website:  www.equalityni.org/KeyInequalities-Education
 

Housing (2016)

Research into inequalities in housing and communities in Northern Ireland has highlighted specific data gaps and/or a lack of data disaggregation across a number of themes and in relation to a range of equality grounds.  These shortfalls limit progress being made on redressing the housing inequalities certain groups may face.
 


Further information is available on the Key Inequalities section of our website:  www.equalityni.org/KeyInequalities-Housing

 
 

 
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