Equity Approaches = Human Rights

Fundamentally, equity is about human rights. Inclusion is a humanitarian act, not a political one. Diversity is not about making concessions at the expense of others but instead recognising the value in our differing experiences, thought processes and perspectives... This is Equity.

Equality or Equity?

Language and definitions in diversity work become essential to ensure we all have the same understanding of the terms of reference. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010is the core legislation which protects people with specific identities and lived experiences, which are called ‘Protected Characteristics’.

The definition of Equality is often taken at face value, “being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.” But this dictionary definition is not accurate in articulating the breadth and depth of what was meant by ‘equal opportunities’ back when the Equality Act was created i.e. creating systems and pathways to ensure everyone, regardless of their protected characteristics, had equal access to all aspects of society and opportunity.

The word Equality was not used to suggest we approach inclusion by giving everyone the same/equal amount of support but to denote the equality of outcomes, which the legislation aimed to achieve.

The definition of Equity is – “the quality of being fair and impartial” but this dictionary definition is both vague and subjective. My definition highlights Equity as action-focused, “the recognition of an individual’s unique value”, which requires recognition of the individual’s current circumstances, followed by allocation of resources and opportunities specific to the individual's needs. This is a newer term in the diversity space, which better reflects the variants and differentiation required to ensure high-quality inclusion and accessibility as the aim.

The constant evolution of language and terminology in the professional diversity arena can seem relentless. But as the phrasing changes and we grow our ability to express and describe the richness of diverse human experience and identity. Beyond the limited parameters of colonial, patriarchy, ablest and heteronormative descriptors. We will begin to see shifts in society.

Changes in language and thinking lead to behaviour changes and normalisation of the new narrative. The pro-social modelling of identity-led inclusive language has already seen diversity conversations increase across different communities and sectors. Ethics and inclusion are higher priorities for younger generations and quiet acceptance of poor practice is less common.

Pushback and Resistance

There are still significant numbers of people who are determined to argue against improvements to diversity and inclusion. The arguments are usually based on victim blaming i.e. claims of‘reverse racism’ (or twisting of another 'ism' to deflect onto the victim). These statements highlight a lack of cognition regarding socio-economic, historic or political parameters, which can be easily researched to dismantle and disprove such arguments. Sadly, no amount of evidence is likely to change some people’s minds. This is a huge topic and will be explored further in future articles.

But using well-researched data and evidence to support your inclusive leadership strategy, is not only good practice, it also provides structure on which to build a business case. It is essential to ensure representation of lived experiences are central to your data and research processes. You can find out more about how to engage co-design approaches by joining our Ethics in Action community.

Human Rights Conventions

The UK and UN conventions regarding human rights identify core expectations which ALL human beings should be able to live safely and with basic protections from discrimination and harm. These conventions form the basis of Equality legislation and define the characteristics which are protected in the Equality Act 2010.

I suggest everyone should have a working knowledge of the Human Rights Conventions, as understanding the legislation is vital when violations of human rights occur. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the UK are the organisation responsible for governance in this area. However, there have been questions raised over their approach to enforcement and the impact of their interventions. With calls for the EHRC to improve the experiences of individuals and groups who identify as having one or more protected characteristics and who have experienced discrimination, being able to easily access necessary routes to justice.

As an inclusive educator for many years in the public sector, I spent a lot of time teaching young people about their legal human rights, responsibilities and freedoms. Understanding our human rights is empowering and effective as part of our drive towards equity. Human rights are easily identified and clearly stated in legislation. We can list them and teach them, ensuring people understand that these rights have been fought for over centuries, through unions, women’s rights movements, racial justice direct action, disability action groups, LGBTQ+ activism, among many, many other groups and causes. People lost their lives to secure the rights and freedoms which weenjoy today.

Continuing Battle

It is also important to remember that people are still fighting to have their human rights appropriately recognised. From the Grenfell disaster to the Windrush Scandal, to the failures of the Department of Work and Pensions to support disabled applicants, to the confusing double standards between Ukrainian and other refugees or asylum seekers entering the UK.

The battle does not stop and we see regular challenges in the specific area of employment rights, through the increase in unionisation and workers' strikes happening across the globe. Identifying that fighting to attain human rights is not the end, people have to actively fight to maintain their rights and this is a significant issue for people everywhere. Human rights in the UK, particularly as they pertain to our