Improving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) within publicly funded modern slavery research in the UK
Rights Lab project lead: Elizabeth Such
Funder: MSPEC
Duration: August 2022 - February 2023
Programme: Health and Wellbeing
The aim of this project is to:
1) Generate new data and insights into equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in modern slavery research in the UK, identifying key strengths, opportunities, gaps and challenges,
2) To identify examples of good and emerging practice to develop a picture of ‘best practice’ in EDI, and
3) To outline a series of feasible and operational recommendations to build and sustain an equal, diverse and inclusionary modern slavery research landscape.
A network of modern slavery and equality specialists working in the community and research sectors will lead the project. We will look at all areas covered by the Equality Act 2010 (‘protected characteristics’) and others relating to the needs of modern slavery research, particularly proper representation of people with lived experience. We will consider equalities issues across the full spectrum of people and institutions involved in modern slavery research including:
1) People who do research (the researcher workforce),
2) Research participants,
3) The funder workforce and their institutions (e.g. people working in funding organisations and the structures and processes of those institutions),
4) People who shape and guide research agendas and projects (e.g. public or survivor advisory groups) and,
5) People who advise research funders and decision makers (e.g. external reviewers, people on committees).