Race Equality Panel
Race Equality Panel
About Greater Manchester’s equality panels
The Greater Manchester Equality Panels have been established to advise, support and challenge Greater Manchester’s political leaders and policy-makers to tackle the discrimination and disadvantage that cause injustice and inequality in society, and champion Greater Manchester as an inclusive city-region. They do this by working together with the GMCA and partners to:
- Provide insight into Greater Manchester’s diverse communities, enabling political leaders and public bodies to listen and engage in a more targeted and effective way
- Communicate key messages to our communities as trusted sources
- Codesign policies, programmes and strategies to ensure they work effectively for communities
- Support an asset-based approach, highlighting new opportunities (and challenges) for positive collaboration that build on the resources and strengths within our communities
The Race Equality Panel is one of seven equality panels established and funded by the GMCA. Other equality panels include:
Disabled People’s Equality Panel
Faith and Belief Advisory Panel
Older People’s Equality Panel
Women and Girls' Equality Panel
Aims of the Race Equality Panel
Greater Manchester’s Race Equality Panel was established in December 2020. The aims and objectives of the Panel are to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation (and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty)
- Public agencies tackle all forms of racism and discrimination within their organisation and the structure they contribute to. Priority area:
- Discrimination in policing and criminal justice
- Public sector bodies are proactive in their approaches to meet their Public Sector Equality Duty
- Public agencies tackle all forms of racism and discrimination within their organisation and the structure they contribute to. Priority area:
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
- Hate crime and community cohesion
- Health and wellbeing inequality
- Employment and labour market inequalities
- Educational inequalities and achievement
- The Greater Manchester Strategy tackles inequality and increases equity for ethnic communities. Priority areas:
- The diversity of the public service workforce, including volunteers and senior leadership, is increased. Priority area:
- Diversity in leadership, especially in the public sector and political systems
- Positive role models, particularly in leadership positions, public services, civic society and with the business community are promoted
- Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
- Greater Manchester’s cultural heritage and history of community inclusion and social justice is championed
The priorities for the Panel have been identified by residents through a series of listening exercises that took place in 2020. The priorities are:
- Educational inequalities and achievement, including Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM)
- Employment and labour market inequalities
- Financial inclusion and poverty
- Hate crime and preventing discrimination
- Health and wellbeing inequality
- Housing and homelessness, including hidden homelessness
- Discrimination in policing and criminal justice
- Ethnic diversity in leadership, especially in the public sector and political systems
Furthermore, it is felt that all issues are the consequences of structural racism, and this is a focus for the Panel throughout its work.
Thematic groups
The Race Equality Panel also has several thematic groups that tackle specific pieces of work, these include:
- Criminal justice
- Education
- Employment, training and leadership
- Health and wellbeing
They also consider cross-cutting themes of:
- Housing and homelessness
- Young people
Panel members
Maqsood Ahmad
Janice Allen
Sophia Begum
David Berkley
Faye Bruce
Elizabeth Cameron
Jay Charara
Elinor Chohan MBE
Priya Chopra
Kush Chottera
Adam Danquah
Khadijah Diskin
Falah Ghafori-Kanno
Aba Graham
Martin Ingham-Griffith
Sharmila Kar
Dr Charles Leyman Kachitsa
Alyson Malach
Zara Manoehoetoe
Saba Mirshafiei
Parkash Bobby Singh
Circle Steele
Dr Maria Zubair
Contact the Race Equality Panel
The Race Equality Panel is facilitated by The BHA for Equality. To get in touch with them, please email Anna Anthony at: anna@thebha.org.uk
Email: race.equality@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
Follow the Race Equality Panel on Twitter
Key Documents
New Race Equality Panel meets for the first time (news article)
Developing a Race Equality Panel for Greater Manchester - We Asked, You Said, We Did
Race Equality Panel - Six Month Report June 2021 (PDF, 85KB)
Race Equality Panel - Terms of Reference - April 2021 - (PDF, 168KB)