The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s updated Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations has now been laid before Parliament.
We welcome the guidance, which confirms that it is lawful to provide services exclusively to one sex where this is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim, and where one of the relevant conditions applies. We particularly welcome the explicit reference to victim-survivors of male violence.
nia has been providing specialist services to women and girls subjected to men’s violence for fifty years. In 2017, we made a clear strategic commitment to protecting single-sex services, including through our Prioritising Women Policy, based on the exemptions set out in the Equality Act 2010.
We believe we were the first specialist provider in the UK to state publicly our commitment to maintaining single-sex services for women and girls experiencing men’s violence.
This updated guidance does not change our priorities, approach, or commitments. We will continue to deliver women- and girl-led, women- and girl-only services.
We remain committed to working in partnership to ensure that all victim-survivors can access timely, specialist support.
Jodie Woodward, CEO nia
