Abortion Service Safe Access Zones (Scotland) Bill: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

The full EQIA process has been followed given the equality impacts of the Bill.

In developing this EQIA the Scottish Government is mindful of the three requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty – to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between such people. Where any negative impacts have been identified, the Scottish Government has sought to mitigate/eliminate these, whilst being mindful that the Scottish Government also has a positive duty to promote equality. The Scottish Government, and Gillian Mackay MSP, have therefore sought to promote equality through the provisions within the Bill and this EQIA outlines how provisions could have a positive and negative impact on one or more of the protected characteristics.