Promoting equality for disabled people
The council is one of only two local authorities in Scotland to be a Disability Confident Leader.
To support disabled people at work the Council has in place a Reasonable Adjustment Protocol. This provides employees and their managers with a process for agreeing what tailored adjustments need to be made to support the employee to do their job.
For further information visit northlanarkshire.gov.uk.
Human Rights
This section contains information about human rights – what they are and links to the Scottish Human Rights Commission.
As a local authority we are obliged to act in accordance with the European Convention of Human Rights. This means that we will promote human rights and take them into account in our day to day work.
The following information is available below:
- European Convention of Human Rights
- Getting it right – an overview of human rights in Scotland
- Human Rights Human Lives A guide for Public Authorities
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Getting it right – executive summary
- Scottish National Action Plan on Human Rights – Year 2 Report
Other useful information:
Hate Crime
What is hate crime and what you can do about it?
Have you been victimised because of your race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity? If so, this is a hate crime
You can report hate crime where you see this sign.
What is hate crime?
A hate crime is any crime motivated by malice, ill-will or prejudice against:
- disability
- race
- religion or belief
- sexual orientation
- transgender identity
You don’t have to be physically attacked or injured to be a victim of a hate crime. Hate crime can include:
- having insulting graffiti sprayed on your house or car
- having hurtful things said to you day after day
- being pushed, hit or hurt
- having something you own vandalised
- having something belonging to your community vandalised
- having your belongings stolen
- people threatening you, your friends or family
- people swearing at you or making abusive remarks
- people making you feel scared, intimidated or distressed
No hate crime is too minor to report.
Reporting hate crime helps the police find those responsible for hate crime and prosecute them. It also helps the police get a better picture of what’s happening in your community, highlights areas of concern, and monitor patterns of behaviour.
So even if you don’t leave your own details, reporting hate crime will help others.
What does the law say about hate crime?
Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 created two offences: racially aggravated conduct and racially aggravated harassment.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 protects crime victims who are targeted as a result of hatred of their actual or presumed race or religion.
The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act protects those who are targeted as a result of hatred of their actual or presumed sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.
What does this mean?
Any crime committed because of prejudice against someone’s actual or presumed race, religion, sexual orientation or identity, or disability is classed as an aggravated hate crime. If a crime is classed as aggravated, the courts will take it into account when deciding sentences. In most cases, if it’s proven the main motivation was prejudice, sentencing will be more severe.
Third party reporting. What is third party reporting?
Many people, for various reasons, are reluctant to report crime directly to the police. Third party reporting is an important way to overcome this. Third Party Reporting Centres are organisations that have agreed to assist by writing a report on your behalf and sending it to the Police. You can decide whether you want to provide your personal details or remain anonymous
Why should you report?
There are many positive reasons for reporting:-
- If you have been a victim, you can receive help and advice.
- You will help build a picture of the nature and extent of Hate Crime in your community.
- Your information will help the Police understand where to focus their resources.
- You will help to raise public awareness of the issue and change attitudes, which could prevent future Hate Crime.
- Your information may lead to arrest and conviction.
Role of a third party centre
The Third Party Reporting Centre staff are trained to note your report in their own environment and allow you to take your time explaining what has happened to you or someone else. Your report will be handled in confidence and you will be offered support and reassurance to help you through the process.
What happens next?
When the Police receive the report they will investigate the matter giving full attention to your needs. In some cases the matter may not be criminal but will highlight a pattern of behaviour to the Police.
Ways to report hate crime
- In an emergency, phone 999
- If it’s not an emergency, phone 101
- Visit your nearest police office
- Complete the online reporting form within the ‘Keep Safe’ section of the Police Scotland website Hate crime reporting online form
- At a Third Party Reporting Centre, a list can be obtained on the Police Scotland website or by phoning 101.
- Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers, by telephoning 0800 555 111 or using the online form at crimestoppers-uk.org Crimestoppers
- Victim Support Helpline on 0845 603 9213
The following information is available below:
Accessible and Inclusive Communication
The following information is available on best practice in providing accessible communication.
- Principles of Inclusive Communication
- Visual Impairment and Dyslexia Friendly Guides
- Plain Talking
- Plain English Guide
- Tips for Communicating with a Deaf Person
- Writing for Deaf People
Gender re-assignment
Further information can be found in the following:
- Changing for the Better 2012
- Potential Areas of Concern between Local Authorities and Transgender Community
- Cornwall School Transgender Guidance
What’s the difference between sex and gender?
Is there a difference, aren’t they the same thing? – find out here
Sex refers to a natural or biological feature -the biological difference between women and men.
Gender refers to cultural or learned significance of sex – social roles that define women and men in a specific social context
Here are some examples:
- Women give birth to babies, men don’t (sex)
- Little girls are gentle, boys are tougher (gender)
- Women make up 70% of administrative, secretarial, personal services and customers service occupations (gender)
- Most building site workers in the UK are men (gender)
- In Ancient Egypt men stayed at home and did weaving. Women handled family business. Women inherited family property and men didn’t (gender)
- Men’s voices break at puberty, women’s do not (sex)
- Good, affordable childcare helps women to balance work and family commitments (gender)
- Women can breast feed babies, men can bottle feed babies (sex)
- According to UN statistics, women do 67% of the world’s work, yet their earnings for it amount to only 10% of the world’s income (gender)
Extract from ‘Into the lion’s Den’ by Oxfam
Further information can be found in the following:
Pregnancy and Maternity
Further information can be found in the following:
Race
Gypsies and Travellers
Further information can be found in the following:
Ethnic Minority Law Centre
NLC has a partnership with the law centre to provide free complainant and legal services to black and minority ethnic people in Lanarkshire
Services include: – legal representation on Employment, Discrimination, Immigration & Nationality, Asylum & Refugee, and Human Rights as well as training and second tier advice to Citizens Advice Bureaux, throughout North and South Lanarkshire.
Contact the centre on 0141 204 2888, e-mail admin@emlc.org.uk
Language Line
Language Line is a 24/7 telephone based interpreting service.
It provides immediate access to an interpreter for employees and service users where language is a barrier.
Further information can be found in the following:
Religion and Belief and Non-Belief
Religions at a glance
| Religion / conviction | Prophet / founder/ thinker | A holy book / text | A major celebration | A primary belief | A holy place |
| The Baha’i Faith | Baha’u’llah | Kitab’i’Aqdas | Birth of Baha’u’llah | Promote peace and unity irreespective of race, status or education | The shrine of Bab in Haifa Israel |
| Buddhism | Siddhartha Gautama | Pali Canon | Full moon day in May | A cyclical life, the ultimate goal being the attainment of Nirvana | The Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya |
| Christianity | Jesus | The New Testament | Easter | Only one God who is the Trinity – 3 equal persons in one deity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit | Mount of Olives Jerusalem |
| Hinduism | x | Vedas | Diwali | In selfless living, the soul survives death | Benares Ganges River, India |
| Humanism | Greek thinkers, Erasmus, Thomas Moore | Humanism: A new religion | x | Rationality and scepticism triumph over superstition | x |
| Islam | Mohammad | The Qur’an | Eid al-Fitr | There is no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet | Ka-aba |
| Judaism | Moses | Torah | Yom Kippur | God id One and the practice of Torah Commandments | Western Wall in Jerusalem |
| Paganism | x | x | Beltane | Organic vitality &spirituality of the natural world | Stonehenge |
| Sihism | Guru Nanak | The Guru Granth Sahib | Baisakhi | Everyone is equal before God | Harimandir Sahib |
| Taoism | Lao-Tse | Lao-Teh-King | x | Maintain order in oneself by balancing the forces of ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ | Mount Tai Shan |
Sexual Orientation
Whether a person’s sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes
The other useful websites provide a wealth of information and helpful resources relating to sexual orientation and transgender issues.
The Stonewall LGBT people and public services training video is an excellent resource exploring the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people accessing public services. It aims to assist us in our work by helping us understand the kinds of low-level homophobia that our service user may encounter daily.
Your Service Your Say – Stonewall Scotland Report is available here.
Myth: It’s a choice to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight
Sexual orientation and gender identity are not choices any more than being left handed or having brown eyes or being straight are. The choice is in deciding whether or not to live your life openly and honestly with yourself and others.
Myth: All gay men are promiscuous (have multiple partners)
A recent survey of 8,000 gay men and lesbians in couples revealed that 56% of gay men and 71% of lesbians were in steady monogamous relationships.
Myth: Children raised by LGBT parents will not have proper role models
Children find role models in every environment with which they are involved. Most LGBT parents make sure their children have consistent, positive contact with teachers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and neighbours. Positive role models come in many forms.
Myth: HIV and AIDS are gay diseases
HIV is not a gay disease. All of us are at risk of contracting HIV if we have unsafe sex or other modes of blood to blood contact, like sharing needles. The truth is that 16,000 people worldwide are infected every day with HIV. Many of those people are not gay.
Myth: Most lesbian or gay people regard themselves as the opposite sex
The majority, if not all, gay and lesbian people are quite happy with their gender. In many ways their sexual identity is seen as a celebration and affirmation of their gender not a rejection of it. People often confuse homosexuality with transexuality or transvestism. Transsexual people feel as if they were born into the wrong body and should be of the opposite gender. Transvestites like to sometimes dress in the clothing of the opposite sex. Most transvestites are heterosexual.
Myth: Homosexuality does not exist in nature therefore it is unnatural
Historians tell us that homosexuality has existed since the earliest human societies. Anthropologists report that homosexuality have been a part of every culture. It is also a well known fact that same sex behaviour also occurs in many other species and is therefore not unnatural.
Other Useful Information:
EHRC Protected Characteristics
Scottish Accessible Information Forum
Stonewall – LGBT people and public services (training video)LGBT Helpline Scotland
Gender Based Violence
If you are experiencing or have experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse at any time in your life and it is having an impact on you, there are specially trained colleagues in the council who can help . You can email them in confidence at GBVSupportofficers@northlan.gov.uk
Easy Read
NLC welcome applications from people with disabilities for all our jobs we will help and support you in any way we can during the recruitment process.
We are A Disability Confident Leader employer and through the scheme we are ensuring that people with disabilities have the opportunity to reach their goals and aspirations.
The undernoted Easy Read documents will help explain the process and what happens during the selection process.