About us
The Women and Equalities Unit is part of the Office for Equality and Opportunity. We lead work on policy relating to gender equality, LGBT+ people and the overall framework of equality legislation in the UK.
Responsibilities
We are focussed on ensuring that every person, no matter their background, has access to the opportunities that allow them to thrive and be treated with respect and dignity. Our responsibilities include:
- gender equality
- LGBT+ equality
- equality legislation, including the Equality Acts 2006 and 2010
- sponsorship of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Social Mobility Commission
Priorities
Our priorities include:
- delivering the equalities legislation set out in the King’s Speech including equality measures in the Employment Rights Bill and the draft Conversion Practices Bill
- delivering on the government’s manifesto commitments in relation to LGBT+ people including improving the Gender Recognition Act, whilst maintaining the single-sex spaces exceptions in the Equality Act
- addressing the discrimination and inequalities that LGBT+ people face
- tackling violence against women and girls, in partnership with the Home Office, FCDO and others
- promoting women’s equality including tackling misogyny, making work pay and eliminating the gender pay gap
- championing the rights of British citizens abroad and using our influence to promote international equality
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
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, religion and belief, and community issues
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Department for Business and Trade, which is leading on the Employment Rights Bill and has responsibility for policy relating to maternity and paternity leave, and, flexible working
- 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
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office which leads on international human rights policy, including promoting gender and LGBT+ equality abroad
We also work closely with:
- the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
- The Equality and Human Rights Commission
- Social Mobility Commission