Legally introducing public sector equality duties in Northern Ireland had the higher objective  of including equality in all processes and making it a cross-sectoral issue. This approach is called ‘mainstreaming equality’ and refers to the integration of equality considerations - right from the start - in the day-to-day business of institutions falling under this duty. Such considerations are part of decision making processes and the development of measures right from the beginning and should not be an afterthought when accusations of discrimination are already an issue. In this way, mainstreaming can help to improve processes by granting agencies, administrations etc. more responsibilities to consider citizens’ needs and their interactions with each other.

Northern Ireland has two legal bases obliging state institutions to equality, namely the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, amended by the Disability Discrimination Order 2006.