Over two hundred projects working to promote equality and address discrimination will benefit from more than £20 million of investment across Scotland over the next year.
More than £5 million will be provided to organisations supporting engagement with communities experiencing prejudice on the grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion, belief or sexual orientation, while £2.7 million will go to front-line projects promoting equality and tackling prejudice.
Current funding levels of £11.8 million will be maintained to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, sexual assault, and honour based violence including forced marriage and female genital mutilation. This will include £700,000 for Scotland’s local rape crisis centres to provide specialist services, information and support to rape and sexual abuse survivors.
In addition, a move to provide three year rolling funding from 2017-2020 will give vital reassurance and continuity to these organisations.
Kenneth Gibson said:
“The SNP Government is determined to remove barriers that prevent anybody from making a full contribution to the economic, social and cultural fabric of our society.
“With this funding, we continue to support and empower people and groups to tackle inequality and discrimination head-on, helping secure positive and sustained change.
"As a nation with a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities and faiths, integration is essential. We want people to know that regardless of where they were born, where they live or what they do, when they live in Scotland they are valued members of our communities.”
The full list of Equality Budget recipients 2017-2018 can be viewed by clicking on the following links:
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