FOIrequester congratulations on getting that Action Plan removed from the Welsh Gov't website!
Cuntysnark I had the same thought about asking for receipts for payment for work done on the Action Plan for the Welsh Gov't and went looking for clues to who might have done it.
I still think it is worth asking if any outside bodies were funded or commissioned to produce it and, if so, how much they were paid. However, from what I could work out from snippets of information here and there, it looks as if it might have been produced solely by the "Fairer Futures Division" of the Welsh Government, though with some organisations being granted funds to produce "guidance", "training", etc. as part of implementing the plan.
The two voluntary organisations that stand out are the ones already mentioned by FOIrequester, ie. Welsh Women's Aid and Youth Cymru, the latter for producing the "Transform Toolkit".
I don't know who is responsible for the Youth Cymru website but they need a kick up the arse for this monstrosity of an inaccessible, dog's breakfast of a website. Massive chunks of code all over the place, navigation links that do not work and the "Transform Toolkit" can, apparently, only be accessed by scrolling the inaccessible PDF embedded on this page:
youthcymru.org.uk/transform-toolkit/
As the Welsh Government has told FOIrequester that the "Trans Action Plan" is "out of date" it is worth looking out for any relevant motions going to the Assembly about its replacement/updating.
The Trans Action Plan exists as a result of a Lib Dem motion on 19/11/2014 that included a proposal for Transgender Action Plan.
Assembly Proceedings 19/11/2014
"Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate: The Transgender Community"
www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/pages/rop.aspx?MeetingID=2764&language=en#C184097
Motion NDM5623 Aled Roberts
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
- Recognises that transgender people in Wales are among the most vulnerable to social isolation and prejudice.
- Notes that there is inadequate service provision in Wales for the transgender community in a number of areas, including employment and training, healthcare and housing.
- Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) identify a Minister to take responsibility for the issues faced by the trans community;
b) formulate an action plan for identifying institutionalised prejudice, improving access to public services and tackling social stigmatisation, harassment and bullying for this group; and
c) report back to the Assembly within 6 months of the Minister being appointed.
Voting:
www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/pages/votes.aspx?MeetingId=2764#2764_0013_000_180127
I presume that most of the votes against were because the proposal was to adopt the motion unamended and there were three amendments about "hate crime" that would have otherwise gone to the vote?
Amendment 1—Paul Davies
Insert new sub point at end of point 3:
‘raise public awareness of transgender hate crime, to encourage reporting of incidents by victims.’
Amendment 2—Paul Davies
Insert new sub point at end of point 3:
‘ensure that transgender victims of hate crime have access to comprehensive and easily accessible support services.’
Amendment 3—Elin Jones
Add as new point at end of motion:
Work with LGBT groups and Police and Crime Commissioners to ensure that the police force takes transgender hate crimes seriously and that victims feel able to report crimes and are supported throughout the criminal justice process.
The proposers and movers of the amendments all voted against the main motion, as did Leanne Wood, who was pushing the "hate crime" line again earlier this week, as a justification for removing the right of parents to exclude their children from Relationships and Sex Education lessons.
LGBT hate crime is rising in Wales – we need to tackle it now
Nation.Cymru 23rd October 2019
Sian Gwenllian and Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru AMs
(Extract)
"The Welsh Government have a framework for tackling hate crime but we haven’t been updated on its progress for almost two years.
Meanwhile, preventative measures are needed to solidify the safety of our communities and to see hate crime figures drop permanently.
That starts in schools.
For example, lessons in relationship and sex educations would mean children gain a clear understanding of the diversity of healthy, social beings and relationships. They would learn about different types of families, friendships, professional relationships and sexual relationships as well as identity acceptance, tolerance, and inclusivity.
It’s crucial that this education is delivered to every child in Wales and that parents’ right to withdraw does not extend to this section of a child’s education. Schools must have the confidence to be able to deliver RSE lessons effectively.
But the real, long-term change can come from a better justice system.
The current ‘England and Wales’ criminal justice system is failing our communities and does not work for Wales. We need change – and full power and responsibility over criminal justice to create a fairer system to the benefit of all our communities and to enable us to build our own system in Wales that fits the needs of our citizens.
Wales could create a fairer, transformative system that would be a beacon for justice around the world and ensure an integrated approach to tackling LGBT hate crime and protect LGBT people in Wales.
For example, we could review hate crime laws so that hate crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity or disability are treated equally to those based on race and faith, by making them aggravated offences. We could also train all prosecutors on anti-LGBT hate crimes on and offline, track successful prosecutions to develop best practice, and provide targeted support to victims.
We could also focus on tackling abuse online and develop training packages for frontline practitioners to improve their knowledge of online hate crime and their confidence in dealing with this form of crime.
We are far from the days of Section 28 and the anti-equal marriage lobby. But we still have so much more to do before LGBT people can feel safe and accepted without exception in Wales today."
(My bolding)
Continued at:
nation.cymru/opinion/lgbt-hate-crime-is-rising-in-wales-we-need-to-tackle-it-now/
Main points I picked up:
- wanting to remove the rights of parents to exclude their children from Relationships and Sex Education lessons
(In a previous consultation, 89% of respondents backed the right of parents to take children out of the classes:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49879797 )
Current 8 week consultation opened on 3 Oct:
gov.wales/welsh-government-working-teachers-parents-and-students-ensure-learners-have-access-broad-and
- wanting a separate Criminal Justice System for Wales, so that they can ramp up the "hate crime" prosecutions, including "online hate crime", for a wider range of protected characteristics - such as the non-existent protected characteristic of "gender identity" but no mention of the actual protected characteristics of "sex" and "gender reassignment".
The comments are good (so far) - maybe a good opportunity to also give them a public prod in the ribs about that missing EIA and how competently the Welsh Government has been dealing with trans policies, seeing as how they are so keen on LGBT issues and want the Welsh Gov't to run its own Criminal Justice System?
Perhaps Welsh criminals will be allowed to delete sentences after a year like the Welsh Government deletes emails??