Race Equality Framework for Scotland 2016-2030

What is the Race Equality Framework for Scotland?

The Race Equality Framework for Scotland sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to promoting racial equality and tackling racism and racial inequality between 2016 and 2030. The Framework is based on the priorities, needs and lived experiences of Scotland’s minority ethnic communities, with expertise contributed by the public and voluntary sectors and academia. The Framework aims to create measurable progress on racial equality.

CRER provided the Scottish Government with independent support in the development and delivery of the Framework.

The Framework was launched on 21st March 2016 to mark the UN Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

How was the Framework developed?

The Scottish Government led on the development of the Framework with input from key stakeholders and practical support from CRER. CRER led the evidence gathering process, which focused on the five key areas:

  • Community Cohesion and Safety

  • Participation and Representation

  • Education and Lifelong Learning

  • Employment, Employability, and Income

  • Health and Home

The structures involved in developing the Framework included:

  • The Community Ambassadors Programme to ensure widespread consultation with BME communities across Scotland by training community-nominated ambassadors to facilitate a consultation with their community members

  • Reference Planning Groups to assist in the planning and delivery of four thematic workshops. The members of these groups included representatives of race equality bodies and others who were invited based on their knowledge and expertise of race equality theory, policy, and practice

  • Thematic Workshops with key stakeholders on the five key areas of the Framework, plus intersectional workshops with equality organisations

  • Further consultation with all relevant partners, including through an online survey

  • Desk based research which resulted in the production of five evidence papers

The content of the Framework was developed with input from key stakeholders and drafted collaboratively, with the Scottish Government and CRER both contributing and editing on an ongoing basis. The aim of this was to ensure that all evidence was taken into account and to provide a practical, user-friendly, and effective final Framework. All of the visions and goals within the Framework were based on the priorities put forward by community members. Feedback was provided to those who contributed through the Community Ambassadors Programme and Thematic Workshops to show how their input had shaped the framework. The final stages of development were undertaken by the Scottish Government as they secured the commitments needed for action.

What has the Framework achieved?

To mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Race Equality Framework for Scotland, the Scottish Government and CRER held an event on 21st March 2017, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Angela Constance, the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security, and Equalities, and Kaliani Lyle, the Race Equality Framework Adviser, were the keynote speakers for the event. Discussions held at the event will help develop future work towards achieving the Framework's goals and vision.

You can read the Cabinet Secretary's speech here.

Following the end of the related Race Equality Action Plan, Scottish Government published an Immediate Priorities Plan in September 2021. This plan is a short-term delivery mechanism and will be followed by a new action plan designed to meet the goals and visions of the Race Equality Framework for Scotland in 2023.

In support of this work, CRER was commissioned by Scottish Government to undertake a review of race equality policy since devolution, with recommendations for anti-racist policy making: Anti-Racist Policy Making in Scotland: Learning from the first 20 years of Scottish devolution.