What Every Politician Must Do

Diverse Cymru has today unveiled its calls to action for Welsh Assembly election candidates highlighting the need for Wales to lead the UK in promoting equality and celebrating diversity. The calls come at a time when funding and resources for equalities work is shrinking but the need is increasing.

Diverse Cymru acknowledges the great work already being done for many protected groups, but they believe there should be greater recognition of the multiple aspects of every individual’s identity, which policies and services must accommodate.

A ‘one size fits all’ approach will not meet the equalities requirements of all generations in an increasingly diverse and ageing Welsh population. Failure to make this fundamental shift in the way we address equality and diversity will leave many people in Wales at risk of discrimination, poverty and injustice.

The calls to action are as follows:

1. Assembly Members must use all the powers at their disposal to ensure every person is recognised as an individual with individual needs and treated with dignity and respect.
2. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 must be implemented in a way that ensures health and social care provision is delivered in a joined up manner. These services need to be designed and delivered in ways that support the well-being of diverse communities across Wales.
3. Tackling poverty and addressing socio-economic inequalities, which are disproportionately felt by the most disadvantaged groups and individuals, must be advanced through the provision of high-quality information, advice and advocacy services.
4. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 must become the vehicle for delivering justice, equality and respect for all people. The Act must embed equality, diversity and human rights principles in the design and delivery of all public services, across all sectors.
5. We must create an Age of Justice, where people from diverse communities are safeguarded and fully supported to live free from prejudice and discrimination.

Diverse Cymru CEO Martyn Jones said:

“We believe equality and human rights should be at the heart of every decision politicians make in Wales. They must consider the impact of their policies on all people; understanding that every individual is potentially vulnerable to discrimination, poverty and being treated unfairly. We must stand up for the human rights of all people in Wales.”