A single Equality Commission

The British Council of Disabled People’s policy on the issue of a single equality commission is that we are opposed to it.

The government is proposing that a single organisation should take over the work of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), and the Disability Rights Commission and also cover discrimination against older people and people on the grounds of their sexuality or religion.

Why BCODP is against this is because: -

• The DRC is new and has not yet created a track record to take into such a single commission compared to the more established CRE and EOC.
• The DDA is weak legislation. Until there is better legislation the interests of disabled people will not be met by being encompassed in a commission which is not wholly focussed on disability issues.
  
• The experience of single equality commissions elsewhere is that disability ends up at the bottom of the agenda.

© Copyright British Council of Disabled People 2002