4A. Collect and analyse equality data consistently - Read more
Foundation
4. Utilising evidence and experience
Using data and listening to people’s real-life experiences makes equality and human rights work more relevant and effective.
What this driver aims to achieve:
To use robust evidence and experience to help improve policy development, supporting innovation and adaptation, at individual, organisational and service levels.
This could include addressing any resource or capability gaps that prevent the effective collection, analysis, and use of equality and human rights data. It could also mean actively and meaningfully involving those with lived experience and those directly impacted in the design and implementation of policy.
Good equality evidence can allow for analysis and understanding of whether differential impacts (e.g., in terms of access, satisfaction and outcomes) are being experienced by those sharing certain characteristics.
Robust and comprehensive equality evidence is vital for the design and delivery of inclusive policies and services.
Why this matters:
Decisions based on evidence and lived experience are more likely to be effective and equitable. Using robust data and listening to those affected ensures that policies and services address real needs and reduce inequalities, rather than relying on assumptions.
Good evidence could include:
Thorough equality evidence, which involves:
• Research evidence and data analysis.
• Policy-maker expertise and institutional knowledge.
• Lived experience insights from people directly affected by policies.
• Understanding of intersectional impacts (how different protected characteristics interact and combine to create unique experiences).
A mixed methods approach supports inclusivity by recognising that knowledge is personal, intersectional, shaped by context, and constantly evolving.
Blending knowledge sources can be beneficial because:
• Knowledge is personal and context-driven.
• Different groups experience policies differently.
• Understanding evolves as circumstances change.
• Intersectional analysis reveals complex impacts.
High-quality equality evidence offers crucial insights into how policies affect different groups, while the ability to interpret and apply this evidence empowers policymakers to design solutions that are both meaningful and equitable.
Using evidence effectively
Data collection and analysis aims to:
• Use appropriate methods to collect data that shows whether services and policies affect different groups differently, in accordance with data protection legislation.
• Strengthen organisations’ capacity to responsibly collect data that highlights how different groups may be affected by policies and services.
• Build analytical capability to understand how characteristics influence access, satisfaction, and outcomes.
• Develop expertise in intersectional analysis to uncover complex inequalities.
• Contribute to closing gaps in Scotland’s equality evidence base.
A strategic approach can help identify areas where better evidence would make the biggest difference.
Lived experience and meaningful engagement aim to:
• Centre lived experience in policy design and implementation, recognising that it offers insights not always visible through data alone.
• Engage meaningfully with marginalised communities to inform inclusive decision-making.
• Reduce bias and improve policy effectiveness through sustained engagement.
• Draw on diverse expertise via staffing, advisory groups, and community partnerships.
Drawing on lived experience means using insights from people who have direct, first-hand knowledge of how policies and services affect their lives. This needs to be done with care, sensitivity and respect.
Benefits of lived experience engagement could include:
• Reducing policy bias and improves effectiveness by incorporating real-world perspectives.
• Revealing barriers and impacts not visible through data alone.
• Building trust and legitimacy with affected communities.
• Enabling more innovative and practical solutions.
• Providing ongoing insight that evolves with changing circumstances.
This supports the creation of innovative and informed policies, based on individual, organisational and service level evidence.
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