Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people. Discrimination can take many forms, such as direct discrimination, where you are treated less favourably than someone else as a direct result of anything from gender and sexual orientation, to religious or political beliefs. Other forms include indirect discrimination, when a rule or condition works against a specific group of people, and harassment and victimisation, including intimidating or offensive behaviour, or making someone victim of fewer opportunities.

How can we stop discrimination?

Start with yourself
It’s important to remember not everyone is raised in the same way and that we are all a product of our backgrounds; be open to learning more about other peoples points of view and the motivations and thought processes behind why they are the way they are.

Practice inclusivity
Challenge yourself when it comes to practicing inclusion in your everyday life. Is there room for every voice at your staff meeting?  Has every child been invited to the party? Have you asked an elder what they have to say? Is there someone whose opinion is never touched upon? It is important to celebrate, not only, where there is common ground, but also where there is difference.

Speak up against discrimination
Don’t ignore discriminatory behaviour in others, even if you are close to them. Speaking up against discrimination when you see or experience it will help raise awareness and challenge others’ views.

Support others
Support others who are experiencing discrimination and encourage them to take the appropriate action needed to improve their situation; this could be anything from taking records of discrimination, pushing forward with workplace procedures or seeking advice where necessary.

If you feel you are being discriminated against on placement, at work, or in College; please contact us. The College has a zero tolerance policy towards all discriminatory behaviour, whether intentional or unintentional. Incidents of discriminatory behaviour are a serious matter and will be dealt with appropriately.

This month’s prize competition topic is Zero Discrimination Day – enter and be in with a chance to win a £20 amazon voucher!

Zero Discrimination Day, celebrated on 1 March, is an annual worldwide event that promotes diversity and recognises that everyone counts. The day is actively promoted to celebrate everyone’s right to live a full life with dignity regardless of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, skin colour, height, weight, profession, education and beliefs.

In order to be in with a chance of winning a £20 amazon voucher, you simply need to submit an effort you have made to engage with and/or raise awareness of the topic Zero Discrimination Day to marketing@caw.ac.uk by Friday 24 March 2017.

What you choose to submit is open to your interpretation, meaning you can enter anything you feel is relevant. This could be anything from artwork and videos, to personal stories, blogs, fundraising efforts or poems. If you’re struggling to think of ideas, you could send us…

• Artwork – Art has the power to create positive social change. Perhaps there is a particular societal problem involving discrimination that you care about. Why not create a poster or leaflet to highlight this?
• Personal stories – Is discrimination a part of your daily life? Do you have a story about a time when you were discriminated against? Sharing a personal story is an excellent way to break down stigma and open up discussion about a subject that is important to you.
• Blogs – Blogging is one of the most accessible ways to share your ideas with others, and there are endless possibilities when it comes to what you can write about. You could write about any form of discrimination, whether that is on the basis of religion, sexuality, gender, age, or profession.

These are just a few ideas. Remember – we will consider whatever you choose to submit, provided it fits the theme!

Good luck!

This competition is open to all students and staff at The College of Animal Welfare. Entries should be sent to marketing@caw.ac.uk, or handed in to College, by Friday 24 March 2017.

Congratulations to Claire Hobson RVN Cert Hydro, Veterinary Nursing Lecturer at our Leeds centre, for winning our February Equality & Diversity competition. During February , the College invited students and staff to submit entries around the theme LGBT History Month; to which Claire submitted an excellent display board raising awareness of LGBT terminology.

This month’s competition theme is ‘Zero Discrimination Day’. To be in with a chance of winning a £20 amazon voucher, you simply need to submit an effort you have made to engage with, or raise awareness of, the topic to marketing@caw.ac.uk (or hand in to a College centre) by Friday 24 March 2017. Ideas for entries include poems, videos, artwork, personal stories etc. and all students and staff of The College of Animal Welfare are welcome to enter. Good luck!

Many countries are making progress when it comes to LGBT rights. For example since 1990, 40 countries have decriminalised homosexuality, over 30 have outlawed homophobic hate crimes; and as of 2015, over 60 countries legally protect a LGBT people at work.* However, many people around the world still struggle with violence and inequality on a daily basis, simply because of who they choose to love or who they are. Issues range from unjust laws, censorship, medical abuse, domestic violence and other human rights abuses.

Despite projections for the global LGBT population being as high as 10%* in some studies, 73 countries* across the globe hold criminal laws against sexual activity by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people; in 10 of these countries* being gay or bisexual can be punishable by death. In the UK alone, forces recorded 5,597 hate crimes against LGBT people in 2014-15, a rise of 22 percent.* According to reports cited by Stonewall, other worrying statistics include:

• One in five lesbian, gay, and bi employees have experienced verbal bullying from colleagues, customers or service users because of their sexual orientation in the last five years.
• Nearly half of transgender people under 26 said they had attempted suicide, while 59 percent said they had at least considered doing so.
• 59 percent of transgender youth said they had deliberately hurt themselves, compared with 8.9 percent of all 16-24 year olds.
• More than half of lesbian, gay and bisexual students have experienced direct bullying
• Between 2008 and 2014, 1,612 transgender people were murdered across 62 countries, which is equivalent to a killing every two days.

How you can help

Below are sources of further information on the fight for LGBT rights across the globe, including details about how you can get involved.

Human Rights Watch – News, analysis and resources from a human rights perspective, including LGBT rights.
Stonewall – Group campaigning for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the UK.
LGBT Foundation – Offers information for LGBT people on sexual health, well-being, groups and events.

E&D Competition of the Month: LGBT History Month

Remember that LGBT History Month is this month’s prize competition topic. To be in with a chance of winning a £20 amazon voucher, simply submit an effort you have made to engage with this topic to College. This competition is open to all CAW students and staff, submissions should be sent to marketing@caw.ac.uk, or handed in at your centre, by Friday 24 February 2017.