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Gender equality - legislation
There have been several pieces of legislation introduced over the past 40 years that have helped to ensure men and women are treated equally at work, beginning with the Equal Pay Act in 1970.
Most recently, the Equality Act, which came into force in April 2007, put the General Equality Duty on public authorities to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment
- promote equal opportunities for men and women.
As part of the new duty, authorities must explain how they are meeting it. The duty covers equality in employment as well as through the development of policies and the delivery of services. They publish this explanation through a gender equality scheme.
The Duty also covers a responsibility to report on action on equal pay.
Another significant piece of legislation from recent years was the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, which gave transsexual people the right to live in their chosen gender - with the same rights and responsibilities. (See Gender identity for more information).
To read more about these two acts, and other legislation that has helped promote gender equality in the workplace, visit the Commission for Equality and Human Rights website at www.equalityhumanrights.com.