Two decades after the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence, it is still an "abomination" that there is a fight against intolerance in society, according to his mother.

Baroness Lawrence said that although there has been progress over the last 20 years, "stark inequalities" still persist, with society almost going "backwards" in some ways.

She said white groups facing racism in the UK is something that is currently not discussed.

The justice campaigner said she feels anger towards her son's killers but not hatred as she delivered the keynote speech today at a conference in Edinburgh on tackling prejudice and hate crime.

Her son, an 18-year-old student, was stabbed to death by a group of up to six white youths in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop in Eltham, south east London, with a friend on April 22 1993.

It took more than 18 years to bring two of his killers to justice.

Baroness Lawrence said: "I see prejudice as hurting one's feelings, whereas hate takes it to another area where people can get hurt physically, or even someone losing their life.

"Hate is deep-seated and vengeful. When I have been asked about my feelings towards those individuals who murdered my son, I feel angry at the fact these young men had taken away my son's life and his future, but I don't feel hate.

"As you know, my son Stephen was murdered just over 21 years ago and I have fought all these years to gain justice for his murder.

"It wasn't until 2012, after much campaigning and dedication, that we saw partial justice in the conviction of two of his murderers."

She told the audience gathered for the National Conference on Hate Crime in Scotland that it is important to work together to pursue the "dignity of difference".

"We want a society in which success and choice are not merely limited to a few but available to all," she said.

"We want a society in which not just opportunity but also the outcomes of education create success and are fairly balanced across all ethnic groups.

"Choice and equality must extend beyond the barriers of class, gender and race. We do not currently live in such a society.

"There has been progress over the last 20 years but stark inequalities still persist and in some ways you have to be seen to be going backwards.

"Critically, when we talk about hate crime, race is one of the incidents that can raise its head.

"We are not just talking about the experience of black and minority ethnic groups. The latest is immigrants. Here we are also talking about the experiences of white groups, yet this is something that we as a society still do not acknowledge or discuss.

"Just as we are a society that continues to be organised and shaped by class and by gender, we are a society that some 20 years after Stephen's murder continue to be organised and shaped by race."

Baroness Lawrence concluded her speech by saying: "Over 20 years after Stephen's murder, it is still an abomination that we should fight against intolerance and promote integration.

"All communities should work together to raise awareness to the suffering of others. As a nation, we all are the same but different. Similarity is what unites us and difference is what enriches us."

The conference at Leith Academy, hosted by the Scottish Alliance for Regional Equality Councils, also heard from disability groups campaigning against hate crime and from police on the reporting and tackling of offences.