Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council
Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council has been active since 1971 in various guises.[1] The aim of the organisation is to promote equality of opportunity for all, fight discrimination, promote a culture of human right, foster good relationships in local communities. ELREC has a remit to work across the areas of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian council areas. ELREC has been vocal in promoting the aims of the organisation throughout the years for example after the Edinburgh Central Mosque fire attack in 2016,[1] discussing the fears of Edinburgh's Spanish population regarding the Brexit referendum,[2][full citation needed] speaking on a race row after Edinburgh residents were told to wear earplugs during Ramadan near a Mosque.[3] In 2017 ELREC was vocal in calling for incidents of private hire drivers being racially abused to be investigated after a spate of incidents including a robbery occurred.[4][full citation needed]
Notable Members
Shami Khan
Cllr Carl John
Rt Hon Lord Prov Frank Ross
Programs
Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council works as an umbrella organisation and as such has a number of projects that work under it to help further its aims.
Bright choices
Bright choices is a new service and is there to support people who have difficult relationships within their families or communities. They aim to offer hope to people who suffer from honour based violence including female genital mutilation (FGM). Around 40% of those referred to Bright choices have been affected by FGM it provides support to survivors including counselling and assistance accessing healthcare.[5][full citation needed] In 2014 Bright choices was awarded nearly £800,000 from the Big Lottery Fund this followed a survey that revealed honour based violence was accepted by a significant proportion of Edinburgh's BME families.[6][full citation needed]
Equalities Engagement
The Equalities Engagement projects supports public bodies to engage with diverse communities and community organisations to positively advance the public sector equality duty in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The project also progresses the capacity and participation of diverse communities across Edinburgh and the Lothians Routes to roots This project intends to explore the intertwining shared heritage of Scottish and diverse communities and mainstream histories of minority ethnic communities in Edinburgh and the Lothians. This project focuses on minorities of South Asian, African, Polish, Spanish and Chinese Communities.
Communities for Conservation
Communities for conservation aims to inspire minority communities to reduce their carbon footprint through energy saving, cycling and food growing. The project provides home energy advice visits to demonstrate and explain ways in which householders can move out of fuel poverty by reducing their energy consumption and carbon footprints. The projected additionally offers bikeability classes, food growing workshops, events such a movie screenings on the topic of climate change and in 2017 was involved in a climate festival in Edinburgh to help people learn more about climate change.[7][full citation needed] On the 1st of November 2017 Communities for Conservation received the Energy Category Award for engaging diverse ethnic minority communities in Edinburgh at the inaugural Climate Challenge Fund awards.[8][full citation needed]
Barriers of poverty and inequality
Barriers of poverty and inequality is a six month study funded by the Big Lottery's 'Investing in Ideas' programme and its goals are to shine a light on barriers that might be perpetuating the experience of poverty for ethnic minorities in Edinburgh
Young People Against Hate
Young people against hate endeavour to bring young people in Edinburgh together to raise awareness about the hate crime in their community to do more to tackle problems such as racism, homophobia and Islamophobia.
True Colours
True Colours is a group funded by young people with the aim to challenge bullying and discrimination in Edinburgh. This project aims to provide young people boice and to promote a regime which address the important issues like bullying, discrimination, racism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and gender equality.
Youth Zone and Euro Desk
The Youth Zone and Euro desk is a space created for all young people in Edinburgh with different Cultural backgrounds who are looking for employment, higher education or volunteering opportunities.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Police issue description of man after fire attack on Edinburgh Central Mosque". Sunday Herald. 18 September 2016.
- ↑ https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spaniards-happy-with-slice-of-life-zw9zpvz5k
- ↑ John-Paul Holden (22 June 2015). "Race row as residents told 'wear earplugs' for Ramadan". Edinburgh Evening News.
- ↑ https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/private-hire-drivers-suffer-racial-abuse-in-north-edinburgh-1-4386115
- ↑ http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/female-genital-mutilation-victim-opens-10114934
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-30133595
- ↑ http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2017/02/climate-festival-on-the-southside-in-march/
- ↑ http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2017/11/edinburgh-category-winners-at-first-ever-climate-challenge-fund-awards/
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