Equity involves recognizing that people are different and need different support and resources to ensure their rights are realised. To ensure fairness, measures must often be taken to compensate for specific discrimination and disadvantages.
At a local level this means looking at relative disparities or disadvantages within families and communities, understanding exactly what barriers are faced by disadvantaged people in accessing services, and developing ways to overcome these barriers.
At national and international level it means understanding the dynamics that result in certain countries or regions being favoured over others, or certain sections of the population enjoying greater political influence, and working to direct support to those with least influence or access to services.

Internally, equity means identifying and wherever possible removing the barriers that prevent the recruitment, retention and optimal performance of the best person to do the job.