Equity is concerned with fairness, justice, inclusion, respect, and the upholding of social justice to ensure that all individuals have equal opportunities and their rights protected. In sport, this is about making sure that everyone has an equal chance to participate in sport if they choose to do so, and no one is discriminated against for any reasons, whether due to gender, race, disability, age, religion, politics, sexual orientation or social background.
Everyone has a unique range of skills and knowledge that they bring to sport, and equity is critical if we are to increase diversity in sport. Information on the issues surrounding Equity in Sport are available on sportscotland's Ethics Webpages.
The Equity Strategy
sportscotland published its Equity Strategy - Working Towards Diversity and Inclusion in Sport in 2004. The Strategy outlines sportscotland's long-term approach to achieving equity, and sets out how sportscotland will encourage its partners to do likewise. The Strategy was based upon The Equity Standard: A Framework for Sport, to which all the UK Sports Councils are joint signatories and was produced to assist sports organisations in meeting their legislative obligations.
Progress towards full implementation of The Strategy is underway, the pilot was assessed in 2006 and the revised strategy is being rolled out accross all the governing bodies. It is hoped that achieving the Standard will eventually be a requirement for all organisation that sportscotland invest in. This will ensure that sport funded by public money has achieved the highest standards for equity.
For more information on sportscotland's progress click here.