Equality Agenda
Background
The Equality Agenda is made up of three areas: Equality Obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 places a statutory obligation on Public Authorities to carry out all our functions with due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and good relations in respect of religious belief, political opinion, gender, race, disability, age, marital status, dependents and sexual orientation. To implement this obligation, we have produced an Equality Scheme which has been approved by the Equality Commission.
Equality Scheme
The Department's new Equality Scheme was subject to a public consultation between January and March 2011. It was approved by the Equality Commission on 9 August 2011. You can view the Equality Scheme for 2011 - 2016 by clicking DRD Equality Scheme 2011. A Summary of the Equality Scheme can be viewed by clicking Summary of DRD Equality Scheme 2011. 
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When a person believes that he/she has been directly affected by a failure of the Department to comply with the Equality Scheme he/she is free to make a complaint. Details of how to make a complaint can be found at: the DRD Web Site under Complaints Procedure
The Department's Equality Scheme commits the Department to submitting a formal review of progress, on an annual basis, to the Equality Commission, setting out the action taken to fulfil Section 75 commitments. Copies of previous reports to the Equality Commission can be found below
- Annual Report to the Equality Commission 2006-07 (452KB)
- Annual Report to the Equality Commission 2007-08 (211KB)
- Annual Report to the Equality Commission 2008-09 (240KB)
- Annual Report to the Equality Commission 2009-10 (147KB)
- Annual Report to the Equality Commission 2010-11 .(144KB)
Five Year Review of Equality Scheme
The Department conducted a five year review of its Equality Scheme in 2006. The report which issued to the Equality Commission can be found below.
Full details of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 can be found at:
Revised Guidance for implementing Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 was published in April 2010 by the Equality Commission. This revised guidance and information on the Equality Commission can be found on their website by clicking here.
