MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social
Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Welsh Government has published
and laid before the Senedd its Annual Report on Equality and
Human Rights 2025. This year's report covers the period from 1
January 2024 to 31 March 2025.
Equality and Human Rights
annual report and Welsh Ministers' Report 2025 | GOV.WALES
We take our duties and commitments relating to equalities and
human rights very seriously. This report outlines the work we are
doing as a government and provides examples of what is happening
across Wales through the efforts of partners in the public
sector.
Equality of opportunity has always been a key feature of the
devolution settlement. The Report brings together our statutory
reporting requirements under the Government of Wales Act 2006,
the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty and the
Welsh Specific Equality Duties. As a government, our Strategic
Equality and Human Rights Plan 2025-2029, sets out our long-term
aspiration for Wales: where “Wales is a nation based on equity,
anti-discrimination, and inclusion, through strengthening and
advancing equality and human rights”.
We believe every person should be treated fairly and are working
towards a more equal Wales. We recognise the important
relationship between equality and human rights when developing
policy and making decisions. We believe equality is both a
principle in its own right, and an outcome of respect, protection
and fulfilment of human rights.
Alongside delivering on our Wales Specific Equalities Duties,
Welsh Government has committed to a statement on human rights,
which we have set out as part of the Strategic Equality and Human
Rights Plan 2025–2029:
“Human rights are rights which belong to everyone. We will
respect, protect and fulfil our human rights and equality duties
so everyone in Wales may live their lives with dignity, freedom,
security and without discrimination. We commit to a human rights
approach which puts people at the centre of everything we do,
improving the well-being of current and future generations.”
This Annual Report on Equality and Human Rights 2025 looks back
over what we have done to promote both in the last 15 months. It
reflects on actions to support the Strategic Equality Plan 2020 –
2024, while also introducing some of the concepts we have
developed for the successor plan for 2025 – 2029.
Welsh Ministers have directly engaged with many different
stakeholder groups working to promote equality and human rights,
helping us to better understand their priorities and the
challenges they face daily.
The Welsh Government has several well-established forums through
which we regularly engage with advocates and representative
groups to discuss equality and human rights matters. These
include:
- Disability Equality Forum and Disability Rights Taskforce;
- Wales Race Forum;
- Human Rights Advisory Group
- And the VAWDASV National Partnership Board
These forums are either chaired by Welsh Ministers or a senior
Welsh Government official and/or co-chaired with representatives
from the relevant community of interest. Some of them are
unique within the UK in the way they enable equality stakeholders
to engage directly and regularly with the most senior levels of
government on the issues that concern them.
This year's report also incorporates an overview of how some
public sector organisations have performed against the Public
Sector Equality Duty. Examples have been provided across the
public sector to demonstrate progress, whilst the Equality and
Human Rights Commission continues to act as the formal regulator
for this area.
I am pleased to lay this report before the Senedd. We will
continue to work towards a more equal Wales where discrimination
and disadvantage become a thing of the past.
