Equality Manifesto

The first ever Equality Manifesto for Wales will be launched today, in advance of the National Assembly election in May.

Some 20 organisations have pooled ideas to create the manifesto in the hope that political parties will take them on board and implement them.

Proposals include:

• Assisting disabled and older people to live independently if they wish to
• Closing the 12% pay gap between women and men
• Removing all forms of discrimination from the health service
• Extending the availability of Welsh-medium education from early years to higher education
• Tackling the blight of bullying, including homophobic bullying, in schools and colleges
• Assist a more diverse range of people to get into positions of power in politics and public life
• Tackling violence in the home and community including domestic violence and hate crime against older and disabled people, ethnic and religious minorities and homosexuals

Kate Bennett, Director of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Wales, said, "Every voter in Wales belongs to an equality group and politicians ignore our needs at their peril."

Source: "Equality manifesto launch for election", Western Mail, Friday 16th March 2007

Last Updated: 16/03/2007 14:16:29 By Sian Baird Murray