First, we need to understand the meaning of the word discrimination. According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, discrimination means "the recognition and understanding of differences between one thing and another." However, these differences have been used, and are still being used, against people in a negative way.
Some forms of discrimination that have been and are being used negatively against others include:
Gender-based discrimination
Race discrimination (racism)
Discrimination based on culture, etc.
Gender-based discrimination is when people are mistreated because of their gender. This mostly happens to women, but men have also been abused as well (Student Affairs, 2023).
Race discrimination, commonly known as racism, is a form of negative discrimination based on a person's skin color, ethnic group, nationality, status in their country of residence, and background (Anon, 2022). ©Life Matters. Photo CC.
Discrimination on the grounds of culture is a form of discrimination based on a person's culture, such as language, dress, beliefs, customs, and traditions (John Baldwin, 2017).
In Malta, some ways that people might experience this form of negative discrimination are when they are deprived of certain opportunities or delayed in having those opportunities by being asked to provide unnecessary documents for services or benefits. Examples of these services and benefits include residence permits, birth certificates, sick leave benefits, maternity benefits, social security benefits, student maintenance grants, free child care, some jobs, legal marriage in court, and many more.
Some ways to stop this negative discrimination are by focusing on the positive aspects of the differences we see in others, believing that everyone is unique in their own way, understanding that having different people also means having different ideas, knowledge, opportunities to learn new things, and helping in the development of a country.
Precious.
Sources:
-Anon, 2022. Australian Human Rights Commission. [online]
Available at: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-discrimination/what-racism [Accessed 16/02/2023]
-Stanford Student Affairs, 2023. Stanford University. [Online]
Available at: https://www.studentaffairs.stanford.edu [Accessed 16/02/2023]
-John Baldwin, 2017. Culture, Prejudice, Racism and Discrimination. [online]
Available at: https://www.oxfordre.com [Accessed 16/02/2023]
This article has been published as part of the Podcast'Inc project, which is funded under the Erasmus+ program of the European Union.
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