The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is to play a leading role in promoting good practice and equality on lesbian, gay and bisexual issues in the housing sector.

The work forms part of a wide-ranging equality and diversity strategy being undertaken by CIH in a year when the housing sector will face new commitments and challenges resulting from the introduction of a Single Equality Bill later this year.

CIH is already working closely with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to produce good practice guidance on seven areas of diversity including age, gender, religion or belief, disability, sexuality and transgender. In 2008, CIH became a Stonewall Diversity Champion - the organisation which campaigns on behalf of the lesbian, gay men and bisexual (LGB) community.

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Over the next 12 months CIH will be looking at ways in which it can meet the needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual members and to raise awareness of the housing challenges facing the estimated 3.6 million LGB people living in the UK. Stonewall research already suggests one in five lesbian, gay men and bisexual people expect to be treated less favourably when applying for social housing and a similar number are the victims of 'hate crimes', undermining community cohesion.

In recent years CIH has made significant progress on some of the major strands of equality and diversity, including widening its appeal to Black and Minority Ethnic Groups. Over 17% of CIH members in England come from minority backgrounds. Women also play a leading role in the housing profession, constituting 58% of CIH's 22,000 worldwide membership.

(CD/JM)