NO TO GENDER BASED DISCRIMINATION

Discrimination consists of treatment of an individual or group, based on their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or social category, in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated. It is treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction towards, a person based on the group, class, or category to which the person is perceived to belong. These include age, caste, color, criminal record, height, disability, ethnicity, family status, gender identity, generation, genetic characteristics, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.

Despite some advances, women still suffer gender discrimination in the workplace, especially when it comes to pay. Gender discrimination is treating individuals differently for instance in their employment because an individual is a woman or a man. While Cambridge Dictionary defines gender discrimination as a situation in which someone is treated less well because of their sex,

UNESCO defines it as selection for unfavorable treatment of an individual or individuals on the basis of: gender, race, color or ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, social class, age (subject to the usual conventions on retirement), marital status or family responsibilities, or as a result of any conditions or requirements that do not accord with the principles of fairness and natural justice. It can take a variety of forms and may include the following:

Direct discrimination, for example, refusing to admit as students, employ or promote individuals because they are black, female, disabled or because of their sexual orientation;

Indirect discrimination, for example, setting age qualifications which discriminate against women who have had periods away from work because of family responsibilities. 

The injustices of discrimination are indisputable and as such national and international bodies are urged to eradicate this negative infringing practice. Per then UN, (https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/thematic-areas/human-rights/equality-and-non-discrimination/), the principles of equality and non-discrimination are part of the foundations of the rule of law. As Member States noted in the Declaration of the High-Level Meeting on the Rule of Law, “all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to just, fair and equitable laws and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law” (para. 2). They have also dedicated themselves to respect the equal rights of all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion (para. 3).

                Discrimination which usually results to conflicts and tension is not an ideal practice and should be completely eradicated worldwide.

WELISANE MAAGBOR