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The Equality and Human Rights Commission yesterday published its corporate plan for 2013/14. The work programme contained in the plan is based on a prioritisation of where the Commission can add most value to the protection and promotion of equality and human rights through the effective use of its unique powers and duties as a UN National Human Rights Institution.

The Commission has a number of statutory duties and powers which provide the basis of the corporate plan including: providing legal assistance to victims of discrimination, providing codes and guidance on equality and human rights, regulating and enforcing relevant legislation and monitoring and promoting respect for human rights.

The Commission's work will build on the activities carried out in 2012/13. This includes: following up on its statutory 2010 spending review and working with departments across government to ensure future financial decision making is fair. It will also work with local authorities, public and private sector providers and other regulators to implement the recommendations from previous inquiries into the provision of home care for vulnerable people, disability harassment and the treatment of vulnerable workers.

Other work for the forthcoming year includes:

• Stop and search - the Commission has worked with police forces over the past 18 months to improve their use of stop and search and this area of work will extended over the next year.
• Diversity at work – the Commission will follow up on earlier research into how female non-executive directors are appointed to corporate boards by widening its focus to look at the talent pool more generally and way in which women can be encouraged to advance their careers.
• Deprivation of liberty safeguards - The Commission is developing proposals for a formal inquiry to examine policy and practice in care homes and hospitals to ensure the rights of people in extremely vulnerable situations are protected.
• Caste discrimination - the Commission will undertake work to gather evidence on caste issues in this country and make recommendations.

Mark Hammond, Chief Executive, Equality and Human Rights Commission said:

'The Commission is has a valuable role to play in helping Britain become a fairer country, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and we all have an equal chance to succeed. To help achieve this aim, our corporate plan for 2013/14 sets out a clear and robust sense of direction so that the public, our partners and our staff can see how we can achieve this outcome and where they can work with us to make a real and lasting difference.'

For further information contact the Commission's media office on 0161 829 8102 out of hours 07767 272 818.

Notes to editors

The Commission is a statutory body established under the Equality Act 2006. It took over the responsibilities of Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission. It aims to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people, and promote and protect human rights. The Commission enforces equality legislation on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and encourages compliance with the Human Rights Act. It also gives advice and guidance to businesses, the voluntary and public sectors, and to individuals.