UNIT 2: Equality – Are you more equal than me?

Unit 2: Equality

Are you more equal than me?

Equality as a concept recognises that everyone, regardless of age, sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, etc., is entitled to the same rights.

The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights starts with the words “recognition of the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. The concept of citizenship cannot be divorced from equality issues. The existence of inequalities within or between societies obstructs effective citizenship. The idea of equality is therefore at the heart of education for democratic citizenship. As such, it must concern itself with the issue of equality and should empower individuals to act against all forms of discrimination.⁶

Diversity implies moving beyond the idea of tolerance to a genuine respect for and appreciation of difference. It is central to the idea of pluralism and multiculturalism and, as such, is a cornerstone of EDC. EDC must therefore include opportunities to examine perceptions and challenge bias and stereotyping. It must also aim at ensuring that difference is celebrated and embraced within the local, national, regional and international communities.⁷

In many ways, solidarity can be seen as the capacity of individuals to move beyond their own space and to recognise and be willing to act in the defence and promotion of the rights of others. It is also a key aim of EDC in that it seeks to provide individuals with the knowledge, skills and values they need in order to live fully within their communities. As outlined earlier, acts of solidarity are closely related to the idea of action. However, solidarity is as much a mind-set as it is a set of behaviours.⁸

A prejudice is a judgment we make about another person or other people without really knowing them. Prejudices can be negative or positive in character. They are learned as part of our socialisation process and are very difficult to modify or eradicate. It is therefore important that we are aware of their existence.

Discrimination may be practised in a direct or indirect way. Direct discrimination is characterised by the intent to discriminate against a person or a group, such as an employment office that rejects a Roma job applicant or a housing company that does not let flats to immigrants. Indirect discrimination focuses on the effect of a policy or measure. It occurs when an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice puts a person or a particular minority at a de facto disadvantage compared with others. Examples may range from a minimum height requirement for firefighters (which may exclude many more female than male applicants), to the department store which does not hire people with long skirts, or the government office or school regulation which prohibits entry or attendance by people wearing headscarves. These rules, apparently neutral with regard to ethnicity or religion, may disproportionately disadvantage members of certain minority or religious groups who wear long skirts or headscarves.⁹

The term “gender” refers to the socially constructed roles of men and women that are attributed to them on the basis of their sex. Gender roles therefore depend on a particular socio-economic, political and cultural context and are affected by other factors including race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and age. Gender roles are learned, and vary widely within and between cultures. Unlike a person’s biological sex, gender roles can change.¹⁰

Economic and social rights are mainly concerned with the conditions necessary for the full development of the individual and the provision of an adequate standard of living. Often termed the “second generation” of human rights, these rights are more difficult to enforce, as they are considered to be dependent on resources available. They include rights such as the right to work, the right to education, the right to leisure and the right to an adequate standard of living. These rights are internationally outlined in the Covenant on Economic and Social Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations Assembly in 1966.¹¹

Different people have different opinions and attitudes when it comes to how our society should deal with issues of social justice. These opinions and attitudes can be broadly divided into three categories:

• Darwinists, who feel that individuals are entirely responsible for their own problems and should be left alone to deal with them. They believe that people need incentives so that they will try harder. Darwinists tend to stay out of the social policy arena.
• Sympathisers, who feel sympathy for those suffering and want to do something to ease their pain. They view social and economic rights as desired policy objectives rather than human rights. This often results in a patronising approach towards people experiencing difficult social conditions.
• Justice seekers, who are concerned that people are being treated unfairly, largely as a result of government decisions. They believe that they must change the political and economic systems so that people are not forced to live in poverty.¹²

Unit 2: Equality

Are you more equal than me?

6. From “A glossary of terms for education for democratic citizenship”, Karen O’ Shea, Council of Europe, DGIV/EDU/CIT (2003) 29.
7. Idem.
8. Idem.
9. Idem.
10. Idem.
11. From “A glossary of terms for education for democratic citizenship’, Karen O’Shea, Council of Europe, DGIV/EDU/CIT (2003) 29”.
12. Taken from “Duties sans Frontières. Human rights and global social justice”, International Council of Human Rights Policy.