Information » Family & Relationships » What to do if something goes wrong » Discrimination
- Discrimination happens when you are treated differently or unfairly to another person because of your age, gender, race, sexuality, religion or disability
- Everyone has the same rights regardless of who they are
- Discrimination can happen in school, socially or in the workplace
- Discrimination can take many forms. Here are some examples
- Someone who is not given the promotion they are entitled to simply because they are a women is a victim of sex discrimination
- Not allowing a disabled person access to a cinema is disability discrimination
Your rights
- There are now laws in place to stop this kind of unfair treatment and it is illegal to discriminate against people on the grounds of their age, gender, race, sexuality, religion or disability
- To find out more about your rights, please visit the links below or visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau
- These rights also relate to discrimination in the workplace. Your employer is legally obligated to protect you from discrimination so find out your rights and ensure you are treated fairly
- If you are suffering from discrimination in the workplace, it may be useful to:
- Gather evidence of the discrimination and keep a diary of incidents of discrimination
- Find out your rights from your Citizens Advice Bureau
- Try talking to your employer and explaining how you feel
- If that does not work, consult your trade union, if you have one, or take your case to an employment tribunal
- If you feel discriminated against at school by a teacher or by other pupils, talk to someone who can help. You could discuss how you feel with the head teacher or another teacher you trust. Also tell your parents how you are being treated – they can offer support to resolve the problem
- Being discriminated against can be a humiliating and frustrating experience but remember it is not your fault. Discrimination is illegal so don´t stand for it
