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Table of Contents
Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial difference in the treatment of people because of their membership in a social group.
See the fact file below for more information on Discrimination, or you can download our 25-page Discrimination worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION?
- Discrimination refers to the unfair or unfavorable treatment of individuals or groups on the basis of traits like race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.
- When a person cannot exercise their human rights or other legal rights equally with others due to an arbitrary distinction imposed in practice, policy, or legislation, discrimination has taken place.
- Many people mistakenly believe that discrimination does not occur if the impact was unintended or if there were additional reasons that could account for a certain circumstance. In actuality, discrimination frequently occurs without any malicious intent. Additionally, prejudice and other legitimate issues frequently overlap.
RECOGNIZING DISCRIMINATION
- There are numerous ways that discrimination might manifest. For instance, it might happen directly.
- It may occur when persons are specifically denied access to housing, employment, or other services, denied benefits that are available to others, or subjected to additional burdens that are not subjected to others, all without a valid or justifiable justification.
- This discrimination frequently stems from unfavorable beliefs, prejudice, and preconceptions about those who have mental health or addiction-related problems.
- When someone is treated less favorably than another person in a similar circumstance simply because they belong, or are thought to belong to, a particular group or category of individuals, discrimination has taken place.
- Moreover, people can be discriminated against on a number of different grounds, including age, disability, ethnicity, origin, political beliefs, racism, religion, sex or gender, sexual orientation, language, and culture.
- Furthermore, stereotypes may lead to racial discrimination against individuals. Stereotyping often entails assigning the same traits to every individual within a group, regardless of personal distinctions.
- It frequently rests on untrue assumptions, inadequate knowledge, or inaccurate generalizations. Stereotypes typically make unfavorable assumptions about a group. Stereotyping is still possible even when a person has good intentions and is not openly biased.
EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION
- Discrimination, which is frequently the result of preconceptions held by individuals, renders people helpless and prevents them from becoming active members of society.
- It also limits their ability to learn new skills and, in many cases, prevents them from accessing jobs, health services, education, or housing.
- Discrimination has a wide range of detrimental effects. People may also be denied access to adequate medical care, housing, and other basic necessities as a result of discrimination.
- Some people may even experience discrimination if they want to get married, start families, or do other life goals. People regularly suffer subtle forms of discrimination.
- Additionally, it can contribute to worse physical health and have negative effects on mental health.
COMMON VICTIMS OF DISCRIMINATION
- It has been amply demonstrated that discrimination has negative, significant effects on one’s health and well-being.
- Recent surveys demonstrate significant variation in accounts of individual experiences with prejudice based on race, gender, or LGBTQIA+ identity and can be considered as a support for the numerous instances of prejudice people hear about in daily life.
Discrimination can occur anywhere, at any time. According to research, racism most usually occurs at work, at stores, and in neighborhoods. Additionally, it takes place during sporting events, at schools, and on public transportation. - Discrimination can occasionally be shown in the media. This occurs when media commentary or news stories unfairly or negatively portray certain racial groupings.
- Similar percentages of men and women, young and old, those with higher and lower incomes, and blacks across all significant demographic groups claim to have encountered prejudice or been subjected to unjust treatment at some point in their lifetime.
- Additionally, immigrants and refugees frequently encounter racism, particularly those who have just arrived.
- Media articles and commentary that perpetuate unfavorable preconceptions about migrants and refugees might exacerbate bias towards these groups in the general public.
RESPONDING TO DISCRIMINATION
- There are numerous coping mechanisms for dealing with discrimination. First, it will be beneficial to get in touch with the individuals you can trust and ask for the help you require to rebuild your confidence.
- Many people are going through similar experiences, so you are not alone. It can be therapeutic to talk about your experience and listen to other people’s stories.
- It is crucial to keep in mind that it is not their fault if they feel discriminated against because that might be painful. They are the survivors, and what happened to them was wrong.
- They must come up with ways to celebrate who they are. Keep their attention on their assets and remind themselves of the principles and ideals that have shaped who they are.
- One might possess the fortitude and vigor to protest unfair treatment in some circumstances. They ought to be made aware that their actions are improper by others.
- They can use the community’s resources to assist them in making their voices heard. Even though they may feel that it is their duty to speak up, there may be instances when they lack the strength or clarity of mind to do so; then, they can leave and concentrate on their healing or recovery.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE: DISCRIMINATION
- Unfair discrimination takes many different forms and has varying effects on different people. Anti-discrimination laws are not common in all nations, but those that do usually identify a list of “protected” qualities and forbid treating people differently based on these characteristics.
- According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to enjoy the freedoms and rights outlined therein, without any type of distinction, especially with regard to race, color, or country of origin. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
- Since its founding in 1945, the United Nations has fought for human rights and the elimination of racism and racial discrimination throughout the world.
- Modern international law is founded on the tenets of equality and non-discrimination, as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter, among other places.
- They also pervade dozens of significant conventions, treaties, declarations, and other international legal documents, including the two main international human rights Covenants on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and Civil and Political Rights.
Discrimination Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Discrimination across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Discrimination, which is the unjust or prejudicial difference in the treatment of people because of their membership in a social group.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
- Discrimination Facts
- First Impressions
- Choose Right
- What’s in the Mind?
- Workplace Struggles
- Colorful Orientation
- Race Assumptions
- People in boxes
- Discrimination Laws
- Champion of Human Rights
- A Letter of Encouragement
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Link will appear as Discrimination Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 26, 2023
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.