Ukraine - A Warm Scots Future: equality impact assessment

Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality

Having considered the data and evidence you have gathered, this section requires you to consider the potential impacts – negative and positive – that your policy might have on each of the protected characteristics. It is important to remember the duty is also a positive one – that we must explore whether the policy offers the opportunity to promote equality and/or foster good relations.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their age?

Age: Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The aims of this policy position paper are far reaching but are generally intended to foster integration of displaced people from Ukraine in Scotland. So far evidence does not suggest that the policy position paper will have an effect on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation in relation to the protected characteristic of age.

Age: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The overall aim of the paper is to provide context for future policy actions which foster integration for displaced Ukrainians by advancing equality of opportunities. Improving access to long term housing, healthcare, education and employment will advance opportunities for all displaced people from Ukraine who remain in Scotland for the medium to longer term.

Ukrainians have a younger age profile than the Scottish population as a whole and so children and young people are especially likely to benefit from positive approaches in the paper.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Age: Promoting good relations among and between different age groups

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The paper has the potential to promote good relations between different age groups through community engagement. Proper community integration should promote good relations between displaced people and local communities across all ages.

Do you think that the policy impacts disabled people?

Disability: Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: Our data on this subject is very limited, but there is no evidence to suggest that the paper will influence eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

Disability: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The needs of disabled people will be considered in developing the actions required to support delivery of the priorities set out in this policy position paper.

This is particularly important in relation to options for housing as well as health, education and employment.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Disability: Promoting good relations among and between disabled and non-disabled people

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between disabled and non-disabled people through community integration and engagement.

Do you think that the policy impacts on men and women in different ways?

Sex: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: So far evidence does not suggest that the policy position paper will have an effect on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation in relation to the protected characteristic of sex.

Sex: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: Evidence shows that there are more females that have arrived in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme than males. The policy position paper specifically recognises the differing needs of individuals and their demographics, including sex. However, more women will experience the benefits of the strategic direction of the paper. This particularly applies where women are the sole caretakers for children – advancing opportunity for women will increase where there is greater access to employment and education. This data may require regular review as demographics change as the war in Ukraine evolves. This could lead to families being reunited and more males coming to Scotland.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Sex: Promoting good relations between men and women

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between men and women through community integration and engagement.

Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?

Pregnancy and Maternity: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: Our data is very limited, but there is no evidence to suggest that the strategic aims will influence eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

Pregnancy and Maternity: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The benefits of the policy position paper will be available to those going through pregnancy and maternity – such as improved longer-term housing options, greater access to healthcare support and employment, and financial assistance.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Pregnancy and Maternity: Promoting good relations

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between those going through pregnancy and maternity, and those who are not, through community integration and engagement.

Do you think your policy impacts on people proposing to undergo, undergoing, or who have undergone a process for the purpose of reassigning their sex? (NB: the Equality Act 2010 uses the term ‘transsexual people’ but ‘trans people’ is more commonly used)

Gender reassignment: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: Our data is very limited, but there is little evidence to suggest that the policy position paper will influence eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation for trans people. However, considering the hostility faced by LGBTQ+ people in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia, there is potential for integration to have a positive impact.

Gender reassignment: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The benefits of the policy position paper will be available to people who are undergoing, or have undergone, gender reassignment – such as improved housing offers, better access to healthcare support, employment and financial assistance.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Gender reassignment: Promoting good relations

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between trans and non-trans people, through community integration and engagement.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?

Sexual orientation: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: Our data on this subject is very limited. However, we do know that Russia exercises extreme hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community and therefore this will impact displaced people from Ukraine who may have to return to parts of Ukraine where Russia has taken control. Additionally, Ukraine currently does not allow same sex marriage. Displaced people from Ukraine in Scotland who are in same sex relationships will be able to marry under Scots law. Therefore the policy position paper to promote the integration of displaced people from Ukraine and support them to remain in Scotland for as long as they wish to, may influence the elimination of unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The benefits of the policy position paper will be available to people of any sexual orientation – such as improved housing offers, better access to healthcare, employment and financial assistance.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Sexual orientation: Promoting good relations

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The outcome of the policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between people with the same or different sexual orientations through community integration and engagement.

Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?

Race: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: Positive & Negative

Reasons for your decision: This policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups. However, our data is limited, but there is no evidence to suggest that the policy position paper will have an effect on eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on race.

Race: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The benefits of the policy position paper will focus primarily on displaced Ukrainian people in Scotland.

It recognises the barriers to integration for those displaced from Ukraine, including language and ESOL.

Race: Promoting good race relations

Potential Impacts: Positive & Negative

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper aims to promote good relations between people with the same or different race through community integration and engagement.

The policy position paper aims to promote integration policy that is also put in place via the wider refugee integration policy position paper through the New Scots approach. The policy position paper highlights the importance of working towards parity of offer with other groups (not just those displaced from Ukraine).

However, it should be noted that there may be potential negative impacts too. There have been reported incidents of animosity towards Ukrainian guests in some communities in Scotland. To mitigate this, we have adopted strong partnership workings with delivery partners and provided financial support to third sector organisations in 2022/23 and 2023/24 to mitigate the negative impacts there may be.

Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their religion or belief?

Religion or belief: Eliminating unlawful discrimination

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: There is no evidence to suggest that any of the strategic aims will influence eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation based on religion or belief.

Religion or belief: Advancing equality of opportunity

Potential Impacts: Positive

Reasons for your decision: The benefits of the policy position paper will be available to people of any religion or belief.

The policy position paper places a focus on the needs of displaced people from Ukraine, which may differ from other groups.

Religion or belief: Promoting good relations

Potential Impacts: None

Reasons for your decision: The policy position paper has the potential to promote good relations between people with the same or different religion or belief through community integration and engagement.