Discrimination is the result of unequal or excluding behaviour. It describes the disadvantage that people experience because of being unfairly treated or being excluded from society. People can be refused access to society, services, employment or education because of discrimination. Racial discrimination has some very famous examples such as the apartheid regime in South Africa and the segregation Laws in the southern states of America.
Discrimination on the basis of disability can be found in many places where disabled people have no access or are required to use a different entrance to non-disabled people. Education can often be difficult to access because the necessary support may not be available.
Gender discrimination is still evident. Although the situation has improved considerably in the past 10 years, women’s earnings are still around 20 cent less than men’s and there are still fewer women in senior positions. For example, out of 650 Members of Parliament, only 143 were women following the 2010 election. A report from the World Economic Forum looking at 600 companies across 20 countries showed that fewer than 5 per cent had women chief executives. Out of the top 100 companies in the UK, only 12 per cent of board members are women. In the public sector, women make up 65 per cent of the workforce, but only 30 per cent of senior management and 21 per cent of Chief Executives.
It is easy to apply the same principles to a job. Someone who has impaired vision or is in a wheelchair can do a job, as well, or perhaps better, than someone who’d be able-bodied, provided they are allowed the opportunity. That means removing physical barriers such as steps or narrow doorways, and installing equipment that allows someone with impaired vision to “read” documents.
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