What is discrimination?

To discriminate is to treat people unfairly because of their association or perceived connection to a group. Acts
of discrimination take many different forms. For example, a tourist is made to pay a higher price for a place to
stay because the landlord thinks he has a lot of money, whiles the locals pay a lower rate for the same facility.
Unknowingly many of us have treated others unfairly. In the same way, many of us have also been victims of
unfair treatment.
Sometimes, there could be a reasonable explanation for a perceived discrimination act, and unlike physical
abuse or rape, there may be no evidence of the act, and it may be difficult to prove that there has been a
discrimination incident.
Types of discrimination
Direct discrimination:
Probably the simplest and most common form, this kind is an unfair treatment of another person because of
specific protected characteristics, or perceived characteristic, or their association with someone with that
protected characteristic.
Indirect discrimination:
Sometimes there are laws and policies that put a person in a disadvantaged position. Such policies apply to
every person in that circle (school, workplace or community) but because of some particular characteristic that
you have, the law hits you harder than others. If the policy makers can prove that they considered your
characteristics and ended up with the policy with the least effect, it can be disqualified as discrimination.
Harassment:
This is an unwanted, offensive, humiliating and intimidation act directed at you because of your age, disability,
gender, race, sexual orientation or religion. Harassment can be in the form of gestures, spoken or written words,
images or jokes.
Sexual harassment:
This is a kind of harassment, as explained above, but sexual in nature. Sexual harassment incidents often leave
you degraded, humiliated, and offended. It tends to violate your dignity and makes one feel inferior in many
ways. This kind of discrimination may also come with threats and promises that make you feel vulnerable.
Victimization:
This is the unfavorable treatment one receives, often as a reaction to the person's claim of discrimination, or
because the person is supporting someones claim of discrimination, or the persons intentions about something.
In an office setting, the person can be excluded from many activities as a punishment, until the person decides
to leave the job at his own will.
Where does discrimination occur?
In any human community or settlement, discrimination can occur.
Workplace: At workplaces, some employers fail to hire people because of who they are. New staff are
sometimes promoted over others who have been around longer. Peoples contracts are terminated and not
renewed because of their protected characteristic or association to a group
School: Children from minorities or protected characteristics have been denied admission, or scholarships, or
have been excluded from educational programs.
Housing: Many families have had to endure long periods of hard times because landlords and housing officials
have treated them unfairly. They are given all sorts of ridiculous reasons, with the intention of making the
homes available to other people that they are more comfortable with.

Public Places: Many people have been given disrespectful treatment at public places such as restaurants,
markets, hospitals and sports facilities, just because they look like or have some characteristics that others are
not comfortable with.
Access to credit/funds: People have been denied credit or funds bust because they come from particular
families, or are known to be from poor backgrounds, or for other reasons.
Politics/Voting: People are often prevented from being active in political groups because they are perceived to
carry negative images. People have also been disenfranchised (prevented from voting) because of their social,
cultural, religious or political backgrounds.
Law/Police: People are sometimes treated, or profiled by police just because of their skin color or the way they
dress.
Travel/Tourism: People have been denied visas, or harassed by security officers at the airport, or been treated
unfairly because they are perceived to be troublemakers or dangerous people.
Effects of Discrimination
Like abuse and bullying acts, there are effects and consequences and no one wins. Here are a few:
The Victim
Physical and emotional impacts:
Exclusion or rejection directed to you by others for reasons that you often have no control of can cause extreme
worry to an individual. It results in anxiety, sadness, depression and a feeling of guilt and emptiness. These
often translate into depression, loss of interest, eating disorders and stress-related ailments.
Social, educational and financial impacts:
Discrimination, harassment and victimization leave the individual confused and broken.
They may take to alcohol or drugs, or may form their own opinions on others, develop a hatred for others, or
withdraw from people.
It can affect them financially, may lose their job, quit school or do poorly at school.
Society and Businesses
Communities and businesses that fail to take strong action on discrimination tend to be lower in productivity.
This is because people feel disgruntled, and loose interest in working hard. There is a drop in morale, trust and
confidence on the part of the employees. People with talents and exceptional skills and abilities are not attracted
to these places because they do not want to be discriminated against.
Politics
People who face racial discrimination may regroup with some vengeance in mind against other groups. This can
fuel conflicts and social discords. In fact, many conflicts and wars have been started in this way.
The Culprit
There are very strict laws on discrimination that may be applied to individuals who discriminate. There is no
excuse, even if you did not know that your actions were discriminatory. Employees and individuals can bring
legal action on the business or individual who did the act, and there are consequences for guilty parties.
Preventing discrimination
Children are never born racists or with discriminatory minds. They learn these behaviors from people and
events around them. If parents or care givers tell them things that make them see people in a different light, they

will grow up with that idea, and it may be difficult to correct when they are adults.
For Parents or caregivers
The greatest prevention plan may come from parents. Parents must set good examples in their attitudes, words
and behavior towards others. Children are able to recognize differences and hold sectarian prejudices from the
age of three.
Do not think children are too young to know about prejudice and discrimination. As children grow, speak to
them about prejudice and discrimination and how that hurts people. Speak to them about the need to appreciate
differences. Encourage our children to think through the consequences of prejudice & discrimination for
themselves Barnados
Encourage and support children who have been discriminated at. Doing nothing is not a good idea, as it will not
make discrimination go away.
For young people
It is very important that you realize that the world is a very big place and there are humans living in many other
places, very far from you. Because of that, people do things differently and are brought up differently. That
means what you think is cool may not be so for another person, because of where they come from. Being
different is a good thing. Can you imagine if every human was just like you?
Learn to appreciate diversity and respect people who are different in any way. People may be disabled,
transgender, dark-skin or have a different hair color. No one chose to be that way. If even people choose to
believe or join specific groups, they have a right to belong and a right to believe what they want. We MUST
learn to respect that, just as you would like others to respect you for who you are.