Race Equality
The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 places a statutory duty on public authorities to promote race equality.
Its aim is to help public authorities to provide fair and accessible services and to improve equal opportunities in employment.
The general duty of the Act applies to all public authorities and requires them:
- To eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;
- To promote equality of opportunity between persons of different racial groups; and
- To promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.
The North Hertfordshire Race Equality Scheme was first published in January 2003. It is now incorporated within the Corporate Equality Strategy
The Equality Act 2010 will continue to provide protection against unlawful racial discrimination and promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups.
The Act includes a new single public sector Equality Duty which will bring together the existing race, disability and gender duties, and extend to cover age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and gender reassignment in full. The Duty requires listed public bodies to consider the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations in all their functions.
The new public sector Equality Duty 
came into force in April 2011. This duty replaces the Race Equality Duty and Disability and Gender Equality Duties.
A Guide to Religions and Multifaith Calendar
The North Herts Minority Ethnic Forum has established a Resource Centre for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people to improve their quality of life. The aims are to give local BME communities a better voice to tackle local problems; improve employment prospects; promote equality; and combat disadvantage and discrimination.
