The Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) is …

A network of national organisations committed to equal opportunities, social justice, good community relations, respect for human rights and an end to discrimination based on age, disability, gender and gender identity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

Its objectives are:

• To promote equality and in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or any combination thereof;
• To promote Human Rights;
• To promote for the public benefit the efficiency and effectiveness of Voluntary Sector Providers working in the areas of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and Human Rights or any combination thereof;
• The advancement of conflict resolution or reconciliation between competing strands of equality and diversity.

The Equality and Diversity Forum’s work benefits …

• Members of the Forum, mainly charities working in different areas of equality and human rights (see members page for details)
• Observers on the Forum – organisations representing a wide range of interests who contribute to a better understanding of equality, diversity and human rights
• the wider public, including individuals experiencing discrimination directly and employees of organisations providing services and support to vulnerable and marginalised members of society – click here to find out how to join EDF’s network of correspondents

What the Equality and Diversity Forum does …

• Draws together a wide range of information about all aspects of equality and human rights, providing its users with the information, expertise and understanding they need to tackle discrimination.
• Provides a space for developing dialogue, trust and working relations between organisations tackling discrimination, social and economic disadvantage and human rights abuse, so that they can, in turn, provide better services that recognise the multiple identities of individuals and their circumstances.
• Strengthens the contribution of the third sector to public policy by sharing expertise and advancing shared views.
• Commissions research and runs seminars about equality and human rights to advance knowledge and increase understanding between different sections of society.
• Holds regular meetings to share information and encourage good practice in service delivery and in the development of public policy on equality and human rights.

What people say about EDF …

Below is a selection of comments from the Equality and Diversity Forum’s members, observers and users showing how EDF helps them to improve their services and activities.

‘In my experience, EDF provides consistently timely, accurate and high quality advice to practitioners and policy makers in the field of equality and diversity. I find the EDF website a very valuable source of information, and the EDF newsletter has become a must read publication. Keep up your very good work.’ Séamus Taylor, former Director of Equality and Diversity, Crown Prosecution Service

‘The EDF plays a crucial role bringing together people from across the equality strands, advice sector and unions to work together, increasing our understanding of the whole range of equality issues, and leading the development of new thinking. For the Citizens Advice service, the information we gain from our membership of the EDF contributes significantly to our work continuously improving services to marginalised people at local level.’ Hilary Watkins, Chair, Citizens Advice

‘What is good about the website is knowing that all the equality issues are in one place and up to date. It saves time trawling through a plethora of other websites.’ EDF newsletter subscriber

‘The Equality and Diversity Forum (EDF) is an invaluable resource for NAT (National AIDS Trust), keeping us informed of upcoming opportunities and challenges in the equality and diversity field and providing an invaluable space for charities and NGOs to work together on human rights issues. EDF’s focus on multiple discrimination is particularly important to us, given the work NAT does to protect the rights of people living with HIV who sadly often face such multiple discrimination.’ Deborah Jack, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust

‘To fight inequality and discrimination, first there needs to be an understanding of each other’s differences so that we can embrace and celebrate them. Without networking, talking to each other and information sharing this is impossible to happen. EDF helps achieve this aim at a national level by providing an opportunity to its members to join their voices for an equal and diverse society’. Theo Gavrielides, Acting Chief Executive, Race on the Agenda

‘Perhaps the greatest tribute to the work of the EDF is that you have demonstrated it is possible to build a common understanding, without losing sight of your own specific experiences. As the EDF has shown, it is possible to create solidarity and mutual understanding by empathising with experiences different to our own, and to become advocates for each other.’ Jacqui Smith, Deputy Minister for Women and Equality, speaking at an Equality and Diversity Forum Conference on 14 July 2004

‘The newsletter is extremely informative and a good means to alert practitioners to developments in the field.’ EDF newsletter subscriber

‘The Equality and Diversity Forum is very helpful to RADAR in bringing us together to share thinking with other groups promoting equality, on different grounds to our own; and in providing us with up-to-date information on policy and legislative changes affecting us and our member organisations round the country.’ Liz Sayce, Chief Executive, RADAR

‘The EDF provides an effective information exchange for national organisations involved in equality and human rights issues.’ Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern England

‘Membership of EDF has enabled Women’s Resource Centre to ensure that the continued discrimination experienced by both women and their organisations is understood across all equalities sectors, and that pan equality solutions are focussed on wherever possible, this improves our efforts to challenge and shift such discrimination. The EDF newsletter is enormously helpful in keeping us up to date with the latest policy developments in equality and human rights.’ Vivienne Hayes, Chief Executive, Women’s Resource Centre

‘I find the newsletter extremely useful…There is always something of interest in it and I rely on it for pointers and information.’ EDF newsletter subscriber

‘Oxfam makes regular and extensive use of Equality and Diversity Forum meetings, papers and minutes to support its work on race/gender equality and poverty in the UK. The EDF provides an excellent quality and up-to-date source of information on development in the equalities arena, upcoming legislation, research, and opinion. The meetings offer access to opinion-formers and other agencies working in similar and related areas.’ Kate Wareing, Oxfam UK Programme Director

‘By bringing together equality and human rights specialists working in different areas, the EDF has helped to ensure that we, and no doubt all its members, have a better understanding of the whole field, and because people so often suffer discrimination or are denied their rights on the basis of more than one characteristic, it means that we are better able to understand their needs and provide the support they require.’ Hanne Stinson, Executive Director, British Humanist Association