Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy

Data and evidence

Robust and comprehensive equality evidence is vital for the design and delivery of inclusive policies and services, so building skills to effectively utilise such evidence, is crucial. Comprehensive equality evidence involves the integration of research evidence, policy-maker expertise, and critically insights from people impacted by the policy, and those experiencing it. Blending knowledge from different sources is essential in establishing an inclusive approach because knowledge is personal, intersectional, context-driven, and evolving. Equality evidence provides vital insights into the impacts of policies on different groups, while skills to analyse and apply this evidence enable policy makers to design meaningful solutions.

This allows for analysis and understanding of whether differential impacts (e.g., in terms of access, satisfaction and outcomes) are being experienced by those sharing certain characteristics. There are a number of complexities involved in collecting and analysing equality data (as set out in the Equality Evidence Strategy), which requires the development of specialist skills and understanding to ensure best practice is followed.

There are many challenges to collecting, analysing, and reporting intersectional equality data. Despite improvements in recent years, there remain gaps in Scotland’s equality evidence base. A stronger and more complete equality evidence base will support the collective effort across the public sector to fulfil the requirements of the PSED. 

Our aim is to utilise this approach to utilising evidence and experience to develop policy. This will support the creation of innovative policies, based on individual, organisational and service level evidence. It will also reduce bias.

Human Rights indicators are essential in the implementation of human rights standards and commitments, to support policy formulation, impact assessment and transparency.

Lived experience and engagement

The Scottish Government and public sector should continue to improve how they collaborate closely with diverse stakeholders including through robust impact assessment processes. This enables us to learn from lived experiences and create policies that truly serve and improve outcomes for all communities in Scotland and all those intersected characteristics that live within them. 

One of the main tools the Scottish Government uses to gather evidence are lived-experience panels. Lived experience means using knowledge from direct, first-hand involvement experiences from real people and communities, rather than what officials believe to be the case. This ranges from setting up small panels for individual pieces of legislation to investing in significant infrastructure such as the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland.