Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Welsh Government has published and laid before the Senedd its Annual Report on Equality and Human Rights 2025. This year’s report covers the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 March 2025.
Equality and Human Rights annual report and Welsh Ministers’ Report 2025 | GOV.WALES
We take our duties and commitments relating to equalities and human rights very seriously. This report outlines the work we are doing as a government and provides examples of what is happening across Wales through the efforts of partners in the public sector.
Equality of opportunity has always been a key feature of the devolution settlement. The Report brings together our statutory reporting requirements under the Government of Wales Act 2006, the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Welsh Specific Equality Duties. As a government, our Strategic Equality and Human Rights Plan 2025-2029, sets out our long-term aspiration for Wales: where “Wales is a nation based on equity, anti-discrimination, and inclusion, through strengthening and advancing equality and human rights”.
We believe every person should be treated fairly and are working towards a more equal Wales. We recognise the important relationship between equality and human rights when developing policy and making decisions. We believe equality is both a principle in its own right, and an outcome of respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights.
Alongside delivering on our Wales Specific Equalities Duties, Welsh Government has committed to a statement on human rights, which we have set out as part of the Strategic Equality and Human Rights Plan 2025–2029:
“Human rights are rights which belong to everyone. We will respect, protect and fulfil our human rights and equality duties so everyone in Wales may live their lives with dignity, freedom, security and without discrimination. We commit to a human rights approach which puts people at the centre of everything we do, improving the well-being of current and future generations.”
This Annual Report on Equality and Human Rights 2025 looks back over what we have done to promote both in the last 15 months. It reflects on actions to support the Strategic Equality Plan 2020 – 2024, while also introducing some of the concepts we have developed for the successor plan for 2025 – 2029.
Welsh Ministers have directly engaged with many different stakeholder groups working to promote equality and human rights, helping us to better understand their priorities and the challenges they face daily.
The Welsh Government has several well-established forums through which we regularly engage with advocates and representative groups to discuss equality and human rights matters. These include:
- Disability Equality Forum and Disability Rights Taskforce;
- Wales Race Forum;
- Human Rights Advisory Group
- And the VAWDASV National Partnership Board
These forums are either chaired by Welsh Ministers or a senior Welsh Government official and/or co-chaired with representatives from the relevant community of interest. Some of them are unique within the UK in the way they enable equality stakeholders to engage directly and regularly with the most senior levels of government on the issues that concern them.
This year’s report also incorporates an overview of how some public sector organisations have performed against the Public Sector Equality Duty. Examples have been provided across the public sector to demonstrate progress, whilst the Equality and Human Rights Commission continues to act as the formal regulator for this area.
I am pleased to lay this report before the Senedd. We will continue to work towards a more equal Wales where discrimination and disadvantage become a thing of the past.