Introduction

This form is optional. We ask you about this information because as a provider of goods and services (such as our awareness raising, training and programme workshops) the Equality Act means it is important to collect information for us to consider potential discrimination on 9 protected characteristics. These are:
 
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage or civil partnership
  • Pregnancy or maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
 
We provide information on how each of these is described in the Equality Act.
 
We also set out additional grounds on which people are protected from discrimination under Article 14 in the Human Rights Act. This includes a list of grounds in the text of Article 14 and additional grounds which have been upheld by the UK courts and European Court of Human Rights (because Article 14 ends with the words “any other status” this has been developed through the courts). Whilst the Human Rights Act does not apply to BIHR, because we are not a public body, we ask about this to make sure we consider discrimination issues under both equality and human rights law.
 
If you choose not to answer one or any of these questions, it would be useful to tick the ‘Prefer not to say’ option so that we are aware of your choice. You can use the “Additional information about this protected characteristic” to provide any further data that is important to you, e.g. your specific age, a specific disability, your reassigned gender, your specific protected belief system, etc.
 
Protected Characteristics under the Equality Act

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* 1. AGE: What is your age?
We have provided age ranges as the Equality Act refers to protecting a person(s) of a particular age group, or within the same age group. You can use the Additional information box to provide an exact age, if you would prefer.

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* 2. DISABILITY: Are you disabled, as defined under the Equality Act 2010?

The Equality Act defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out ordinary day-to-day activities.

The Equality Act and its Regulations say some people are automatically considered disabled:  people who certified as blind, severely sight impaired, sight impaired or partially sighted by a consultant ophthalmologist; a person who lives with cancer, HIV, or multiple sclerosis. The Equality Act and its Regulations also exclude some conditions from being considered "impairments": addiction or dependency on alcohol, nicotine, or any other non-medically prescribed substance; seasonal allergic rhinitis (e.g. hayfever), except where it aggravates the effect of another condition; tendency to set fires; tendency to steal; tendency to physical or sexual abuse of other persons; exhibitionism; and voyeurism. However, people in any of these situations may also have additional impairments which meet the definition of disability and are covered by the Equality Act.

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* 3. GENDER REASSIGNMENT: Have you reassigned your gender?

The Equality Act protects people on the basis of gender reassignment when a person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) of reassigning their sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex.

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* 4. MARRIAGE OR CIVIL PARTNERSHIP: Are you married or in a civil partnership?

 The Equality Act is focused on discrimination against people who are married or in a civil partnership. It does not apply to people who are: single; in a relationship but not married or in a civil partnership; divorced; or widowed.

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* 5. PREGNANCY OR MATERNITY: Are you pregnant or have you recently given birth?

Under the Equality Act maternity means the period after the birth and is linked to maternity leave in the employment context. Outside of work, protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes unfair treatment due to breastfeeding.

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* 6. RACE OR ETHNICITY: What is your racial or ethnic group?

Under the Equality Act the term race includes colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin. We have included the categories used in the 2021 ONS surveys (England), but you may want to add additional or specific information that is relevant to you.

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* 7. RELIGION OR BELIEF: What is your religion or belief?

Under the Equality Act this is about whether you have a religion, don’t have a religion, or have a set of strong non-religious protected beliefs that are important to how you live your life. In UK court cases protected beliefs have included beliefs in climate change that influence life decisions, the belief that sex is immutable, and ethical veganism.

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* 8. SEX: What is your sex?

The Equality Act says this is whether you are a man or a woman.

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* 9. SEXUAL ORIENTATION: What is your sexual orientation?

Under the Equality Act this is whether you are attracted to people who are the same sex as you (Lesbian or Gay) or the opposite sex to you (heterosexual or straight) or people of both sexes (Bisexual).

Non-discrimination under the Human Rights Act

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* 10. In Article 14 in the Human Rights Act (and the European Convention on Human Rights), the following grounds of discrimination have been legally recognised; we have only listed those that are in addition to or different from the 9 protected characteristics in the Equality Act. If you any of these grounds apply to you, you can tell us here:

Thank you for completing this, and assisting us to understand equality issues in the delivery of our work. You can find out more about BIHR's work and the Human Rights Act on our website: www.bihr.org.uk

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* 11. Please enter the date of your workshop or session with BIHR. This form is anonymous, tracking is turned off and we cannot trace it back to the person who has completed it. However, knowing the date of your workshop or session, helps us to understand equality data for our specific programmes or training sessions.

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