About us
The Government Equalities Office leads work on policy relating to women, sexual orientation and transgender equality. We are responsible for a range of equalities legislation.
Responsibilities
We are responsible for:
- improving equality and reducing discrimination and disadvantage for all in the UK, improving people’s life chances at work, and in public and political life
- taking the lead on the Equality Act 2010 and being the lead department on gender, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in government including the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, Civil Partnership Act 2004, and Gender Recognition Act 2004
- supporting and implementing international equality measures in the UK – including our international commitments to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
Priorities
Our priorities include:
- helping women to fulfil their potential in the workplace and helping businesses get the full economic benefit of women’s skills
- eliminating the gender pay gap (GPG) by introducing regulations requiring larger employers to publish their gender pay data, and working with other government departments to address the causes of the GPG
- improving female career progression, increasing the number of women on government boards, and in the FTSE 350
- addressing the discrimination and inequalities that LGBT people face
- eliminating homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying in schools
- promoting the rights of British citizens abroad and using our influence to promote international equality
- supporting cross-government strategies, such as; increasing female participation in the labour market, and preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG)
Who we work with
We work across the government, but in particular we work closely with:
- Home Office, which leads on hate crime and violence against women and girls
- Department for Education, which is responsible for the Equality Act’s provisions relating to schools and children
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which leads on integration, race and faith policy, and community issues
- Department for Work and Pensions, which leads on disability discrimination policy and legislation, and Fuller Working Lives agenda
- Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which has responsibility for policy relating to maternity and paternity leave, flexible working and the Women on Boards’ Review
- Department for Transport, which is responsible for the Equality Act’s provisions on disability and transport
- HM Treasury, which is responsible for economic participation
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which leads on women in digital, women in sport, and online abuse
- Ministry of Justice, which leads on human rights policy, marriage policy women offenders and forced marriage
We also work closely with:
- Cabinet Office on civil society
- the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
We sponsor one non-departmental public body, The Equality and Human Rights Commission.
We also provide funding for the Equality Advisory and Support Service which provides free advice and support to people in England, Scotland and Wales facing discrimination or human rights issues.