Equal Opportunities Commission
Encyclopedia
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) was an independent non-departmental public body
, (NDPB) in the United Kingdom, which tackled sex discrimination and promoted gender equality. Its last chair was Jenny Watson
.
It was set up under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and had statutory powers to help enforce this Act, the Equal Pay Act and other gender equality
legislation
that existed in Britain. Due to the ability of the Scottish Parliament
and Welsh Assembly to vary the law in this area, separate EOC sub-agencies existed for Scotland
and Wales
. The EOC did not cover Northern Ireland, where instead these matters were dealt with by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Similar agencies existed for other categories of equality law in Great Britain. In October 2007 these all became part of a new single equality body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
, (NDPB) in the United Kingdom, which tackled sex discrimination and promoted gender equality. Its last chair was Jenny Watson
Jenny Watson
Jenny Watson is the chair of the United Kingdom Electoral Commission.A long term campaigner for women's rights , she had a 20+ year career in the not for profit sector. She started out at Liberty, and then political campaigners Charter88, before moving to Victim Support...
.
It was set up under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and had statutory powers to help enforce this Act, the Equal Pay Act and other gender equality
Gender equality
Gender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
that existed in Britain. Due to the ability of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and Welsh Assembly to vary the law in this area, separate EOC sub-agencies existed for Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The EOC did not cover Northern Ireland, where instead these matters were dealt with by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Similar agencies existed for other categories of equality law in Great Britain. In October 2007 these all became part of a new single equality body, the Equality and Human Rights Commission.