Vocabulary of
Inequality
To discriminate is to treat people unequally or unfairly because of
some reason which they cannot help, or which is not relevant to the
matter in hand. For instance, to pay two people differently for doing
the same job simply because one is a woman, or black, or a Muslim,
or speaks with a different accent. There are other sorts of unfair
discrimination - because of your religion, disability, age, because
you speak a different language, or because of your political opinions.
Discrimination because of race or skin color or where ancestry
originates is called racism.
Discrimination because you are male or female (your gender) is
called sexism.
Discrimination often happens because people make decisions about
other people which are not based on genuine reasons, ie they are
prejudiced. Usually they think the other person is automatically
inferior because of their race, religion or gender etc. Stereotyping
is to assume that all people from a certain group or societal segment
possess the same characteristics. If you hear someone say, "All
(group X people) are lazy" (or noisy, or untrustworthy), that's
a stereotype.
The aim of the United Nations is to help all people, individually
and as groups, to be valued equally and treated fairly. The UN has
produced many declarations and conventions which set people's rights
.
Article 1.3 of the UN Charter provides ". . . fundamental
freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or
religion".
All of the countries which are UN members must let their citizens
know these rights and how to obtain them. Knowing your rights is
one step towards overcoming discrimination.
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