The Equality Commission recommends that
the law is amended to prohibit unlawful discrimination and harassment by public authorities on the grounds of sex in the exercise of their public functions.
This would mean that men, women and trans people in Northern Ireland would have the right to bring a complaint if they are discriminated against or harassed on grounds of their sex by public bodies, such as the police, immigration services or prison authorities, when exercising their public functions, or by private bodies acting on behalf of a public authority. Other examples would include the denial of primary health care services, or access to shelters for asylum seekers, victims of domestic violence or trafficking.
The changes proposed by the Commission would the bridge the gap that currently exists between Northern Ireland and Great Britain where sex discrimination law was extended to cover public functions under the Single Equality Act.
The Equality Commission’s paper
Gaps in equality law between Great Britain and Northern Ireland (pdf, 2014) summarises the key gaps that exist following the introduction of the Equality Act 2010. Among the areas highlighted is gender discrimination.
The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was ratified by the UK in 1986 and provides an international standard for protecting and promoting women's human rights within political, civil, cultural, economic, and social life.
The Government submits national reports, at least every four years, on measures they have taken to comply with their treaty obligations.
In January 2019, the Equality Commission prepared a Shadow Report (pdf) to inform the UN CEDAW Committee's Concluding Observations on the UK. The submission highlights the priority equality issues affecting women in Northern Ireland. In March 2019, the UN CEDAW Committee issued its Concluding Observations on the UK (pdf).
The Equality Commission conducted a formal investigation into the employment experiences of pregnant women and mothers, on maternity leave and on their return to work.
We explored whether pregnant women and mothers receive equal treatment in employment and identified both barriers to equality of opportunity and employment practices that women have found helpful and supportive.
Almost 1,000 women across Northern Ireland responded to an online survey sharing their experiences through focus group discussions and interviews. Employers were also given the opportunity to tell us about their experiences, concerns and good practices.
The findings were launched at Titanic, Belfast, on 29 November 2016 – read the press release
Download the investigation's findings:
Following the investigation the Commission produced new guidance for employers on pregnancy and maternity in the workplace:
If you would like to know more about the investigation please contact Rosalynd Harkness, email: Rharkness@equalityni.org, Tel: 028 90500574
The Equality Commission considers that appropriate, accessible and affordable childcare provision in Northern Ireland should, alongside providing for the child, additionally seek to promote equality of opportunity for parents and benefit wider society and the economy.
A summary of our policy recommendations are available online:
Download our research - Childcare in NI: Maximising the economic participation of women:
'Getting a fair share?'
This issue of childcare, along with other factors that impact on women’s economic independence, were discussed at the Commission's 'Getting A Fair Share’ conference in March 2013.
Chief Commissioner Dr Michael Wardlow said, " We are conscious that gender inequality still exists. Nearly one in three complaints to us relate to discrimination against women. The time is right to ask the question: ‘Are Women Getting A Fair Share?’ and we mean a fair share in terms of jobs, career choice, life opportunities."
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Key speakers included:
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Dr Michael Wardlow, Chief Commissioner, Equality Commission NI (view video)
- Introducing the Commission's research report - Maximising the economic participation of women
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Junior Minister Jennifer McCann MLA (view video)
- Challenges and opportunities facing women in business and female entrepreneurs
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Tracy Meharg, Executive Director of InvestNI (view video)
- Challenges and opportunities facing women in business and female entrepreneurs
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Bronagh Hinds, Senior Associate with DemocraShe (view video)
- Women’s position in the economy and the impact of the recession
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Adrianne Peltz, President of the National Union of Students & Union of Students in Ireland (view video)
- The issues facing women in further and higher education
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Lynn Carvill, Women's Research and Development Agency (view video)
- Impact the Government's welfare reform proposals may have on women's economic autonomy
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Dr Evelyn Collins CBE, Chief Executive, Equality Commission NI (view video)
- Q&A's from delegates and panelists
The Equality Commission is working with the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) and the STEM Business Group to address gender imbalance in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) businesses in Northern Ireland.
Employers are encouraged to sign the Commission's
STEM Charter and join the STEM Employer Equality Network>
The CEDAW Committee (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) asked in its concluding observations in 2008 that Government initiate a process of consultation on the abortion law in Northern Ireland. Specifically, the Committee asked that consideration be given to amending the abortion law to remove the punitive provisions imposed on women who undergo abortion.
The Commission regrets that this has not taken place. While recent events, including the opening of a Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast, have increased public discourse on access to reproductive health care services and Government is consulting on guidance on the limited circumstances for a lawful termination of pregnancy, neither of these constitute a full consultation and public debate on these matters.
We believe that such a consultation should consider, among other things, the issue of women in Northern Ireland having the same access to reproductive health care as women in the rest of the United Kingdom.
All of the Equality Commission's gender/sex related press releases, articles and blogs are
available online
Lauren’s story
Lauren McGee took a case claiming sex discrimination with the Commission’s help when she tried and failed to arrange a management trainee position with a local company.
Examples of sex discrimination legal cases:
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Examples of harassment cases:
Further examples of Sex discrimination cases supported by the Equality Commission are
available online