The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) has called on Parliament to amend the Public Administration Bill to ensure non-discrimination and equality was  given its due weight. 

In a statement, the NCPE said that the Bill being debated in Parliament only made one reference to non-discrimination in the First Schedule, Code of Ethics for Public Employees and Board Members.

Carrying out functions in a non-discriminatory manner was a fundamental value of public administration and this should be reflected in the relevant legislation, the NCPE said.

In fact, the Act currently in force included three references to non-discrimination and, most importantly, the obligation “…to avoid discrimination…” was included in Article 4 of the Act which outlined the values of public administration.

In the envisaged new Act, such an obligation should be strengthened rather than weakened. Further to the obligation to avoid discrimination, the new Act should also include an equality duty on public administration to strive for the inclusion of different social groups in the carrying out of its functions.

A legislative framework that gave sufficient importance to equality and non-discrimination was essential for a public administration that led by example in this area, and that respected and promoted the founding values of the country as enshrined in the Constitution.