The Scottish Government’s Equality and Human Rights Fund (EHRF) supports a range of projects delivered by civil society organisations, focussed on tackling inequality and discrimination, furthering equality, and advancing the realisation of human rights in Scotland. The fund covers a three-year period between October 2021 and September 2024. Protected characteristics covered by this fund include age, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and race. As the majority of BSL users are Deaf and Deafblind, the fund was awarded to three organisations with particular focus on BSL work.

The organisations delivering BSL-focused projects under the Equality and Human Rights Fund are:

• British Deaf Association: EHRF - British Deaf Association
• Deafblind Scotland: Deafblind Scotland
• Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity: SEMDC | Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity

This work includes influencing policies by establishing a policy-focussed working group, and providing support to the deaf and BSL communities, including a helpline and an employability project. If you wish to find out more about the work the funded organisations are doing, please get in touch with them directly. Alternatively, you can get in touch with Inspiring Scotland Equality and Human Rights Fund - Inspiring Scotland, who manages the Equality and Human Rights Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government.