The lesson
The UK includes people with different ethnic backgrounds, faiths, and family histories. Migration and social change have shaped modern society, alongside changing expectations of equal opportunity in work and public life.
Equality is reflected in protections against unfair discrimination and in changing expectations around education, work, and family responsibilities. Population percentages describe data from a specific survey year.
The UK includes many ethnic, cultural, and religious communities. Laws protect people against discrimination in areas such as employment, education, and access to services.
Women and men have equal legal rights. People must not be discriminated against because of characteristics such as disability, religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation. Discriminatory behaviour can be unlawful even when the person responsible claims it is a tradition.
Women make up about half the workforce in Britain and work in all sectors of the economy. Women also hold senior positions, including management roles in traditionally male-dominated occupations.
Women and men have equal legal rights, including rights to work, own property, marry and divorce. Both parents have responsibilities for their children. Household work and childcare can be shared, and women work across all sectors of the economy. Surveys use broad ethnic categories including white, Asian, black and mixed backgrounds, alongside more detailed identities.