The Public Policy Used in Preventing Inequality in the UK - Essay Example

Managing Equality Total Number of Words 400 Table of Contents I. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………. 3 II. The Different Public Policy Used in Preventing Inequality in UK ……………. 4 III. Discussion on Issues behind the Existing Public Policies on Equality in UK . 5 IV. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………… 7 References …………………………………………………………………………………8 - 10 Introduction For many years, social scientists throughout the local educational institutions have been studying issues related to work equality regardless of gender, race, age, sexuality and disabilities.1 In line with the increasing importance of work equality, the UK government strongly supports the development of public policy in order to protect the equal rights of both the disabled and non-disabled people. For this study, the researcher will examine and discuss the different public policy that prevents inequality in UK. In order to provide the readers with a better idea on how these public policy works, the researcher will briefly discuss how these policy and concepts of equality protects the equal rights of the local people. Prior to the conclusion, the researcher will highlight some critics and debate issues behind these existing public policies. The Different Public Policy Used in Preventing Inequality in UK In order to protect the local people from inequality, the UK government implemented a lot of different public policy. Particularly the Equality Act 2006 focuses on the promotion of equality and diversity in relation to the importance of human rights.2 Aiming to protect the disabled people, the UK government has implemented the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which states that it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against disabled employees.3 In line with this policy, employers are required to make necessary adjustments on the building construction design or the provision of audio tape or sign language interpreter in order to enable the disabled people to function well within the business organization.4 Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equality and Human Rights Commission aims to reduce the work inequality related to direct and indirect sex5 or status discrimination6 on employment or vocational trainings and sexual harassment.7 The local government also maintain the Race Relations Act 1976 in order to prevent and minimize racial discrimination to anyone regardless of the person’s race, colour, nationality, ethnicity or national origin.8 Eventually, the Race Relation Act was amended back in 2000. Aiming to improve the policy on gender, race and disability equality, the UK government introduced the Public Sector Duties back in 1999.9 The Public Sector Duties protects not only the women but also the men on work equality. In line with the local government’s effort in reducing the racial and gender discrimination at work, the employment rate gap among the black, Asian and the ethnic minority significantly reduced from 19% in 1996, 16.9% in 2003 down to 14% in 2006.10 The UK government also introduced the Equal Pay Act 1970 (ammended back in July 2003) which address the socio-economic problems related to gender pay gap.11 This Act states that employers should provide an equal pay to men and women who perform the same work or is equivalent to the work load or value. Between 1997 to 2007, the gender pay gap in UK fell from 17.4% down to 12.6% respectively.12 Discussion on Issues behind the Existing Public Policies on Equality in UK Being male and female has a lot of differences and distinct characteristics which makes it not easy to develop a single policy that could fully satisfy the differences in the gender role.13 Racial issues in terms of the differences among the different traditions, culture and beliefs in each nationality could also raise a similar problem on equality. Despite the government’s effort in promoting equal treatment between men and women, the differences and inequalities will still remain.14 Particularly the issue on gender-based equality and diversity in the work place is often being debated because of the difference between the specific needs and treatment on men and women.15 In fact, there are some feminist groups that criticize the fact that the liberal idea of equality does not consider the major challenges that contributes to the gender inequalities.16 The promotion of diversity in the workplace may solve some of the problems related to gender equality. The main concept of diversity was developed to enable the business owners to maximize the potential of each employee within the business organization.17 According to Phillips (1992), implementing diversity in the workplace could solve the problem on work equality considering the plurality of many differences.18 However, the human resources management strategy19 considers the implementation of diversity as a social problem in the sense that the definition of diversity in business management is not aligned with anti-discrimination policies in UK20. Aside from the differences between the role of men and women within the work environment, each woman or each man is still different from one another in terms of race or class.21 For instance, white women are most likely to experience a different level of work discrimination as compare to black women.22 Specifically the different inequalities related to gender, race and disability is not similar because each issue is differently considered based on its relevance as policy problems.23 The gender equality policy in UK started with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 followed by the introduction of the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and the Public Sector Duties 1999. In order to enhance the policy on gender, race and disability equality, the UK government finally introduced a single policy on equality known as the Equality Act 2006.24 Conclusion Over the years, UK government has implemented several policies concerning the different factors that could increase inequality within the work environment. It was only in 2006 when the UK government introduced a single policy on gender, race, age, sexuality and disabilities. As a result, the gap on racial employment rate and gender pay significantly decreases over the years. Despite the effort of UK government in promoting work equality, a lot of critics question the effectiveness of these policies given the gender differences between men and women as well as in racial issues. Eventually, diversity at work is being considered to solve the problems on work equality and other related differences. References: Barton, L., & Oliver, M. (1997). Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future. Leeds: Disability Press. Bendelman, D. S. (2007). Equality: The Governments Response to the Report of the Communities and Local Government Committee - Government Equalities Office. London: TSO. Bronchain. (2003). Managing Diversity in Health and Social Care. Conference Presentation. Dublin: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Council of Europe. (1998). Final Report of Activities of the Group of Specialists on Mainstreaming, EG-S-MS (98) 2. Council of Europe: Strasbourg. Kandola, R., Fullerton, J., & Institute of Personnel and Development. (1994). Managing the Mosaic: Diversity in Action. London: Institute of Personnel and Development. MacKinnon, C. (1998). Difference and Dominance: On Sex Discrimination. In Phillips A. (eds) Feminism and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 295 - 313. Nussbaum, M. (1999). Sex & Social Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Office of Public Sector Information. (2008). [Online] Retrieved February 12, 2008, from Equality Act 2006 (c.3) - The Commission for Equality and Human Rights: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/ukpga_20060003_en_2#pt1-pb2-l1g8 Office of Public Sector Information. (2008b). [Online] Retrieved February 12, 2008, from Disablitiy Act 1995 (c.50) - Part I: Disability: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/ukpga_19950050_en_2#pt2-pb1-l1g4 Office of Public Sector Information. (2008c). [Online] Retrieved February 12, 2008, from Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (c.50) - Part III: Discrimination in Other Areas: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/ukpga_19950050_en_4#pt3 Pateman, C. (1988). The Sexual Contract. Cambridge: Polity. Phillips, A. (2001). Feminism and Liberalism Revisited: Has Martha Nussbaum Got It Right? Constellations , 8(2):249 - 266. Phillips, A. (1992). Universal Pretensions in Political Thought. In Barrett M. & Phillip A. (eds) Destabilizing Theory: Contemporary Feminist Debates. Cambridge: Polity. pp. 11 - 30. Rhode, D. (1998). The Politics of Paradigms: Gender Difference and Disadvantage. In Phillips A. (ed) Feminism and Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. The University of York - Equal Opportunities Office. (2008). [Online] Retrieved February 12, 2008, from Race: http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/eo/test/race.htm Thomas, R. (1990). From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity. Harvard Business Review , March/April:107 - 117. van Oorschot, V., & Hvinden, B. (2001). Disability Policies in European Societies. The Hague: Kluwer Law International. Verloo, M. (2006). Multiple Inequalities, Intersectionality and the European Union. European Journal of Womens Studies , 13(3):211 - 228. WEU. (2003). Delivering on Gender Equality: Supporting the PSA Objective on Gender Equality 2003. London: Department of Trade and Industry. WEU. (2006). Women and Equality Unit. 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