Equality Legislation by Orla

Equality Legislation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (David Amani Shamavu)

2021-10-01 12:41:18 UTC

According to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, here are some of the legislations about Equality and Non Discrimination:

All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. However, with the exception of the exceptions established by the law, only Congolese have the right to exercise their political rights. (Art. 11)

All Congolese are equal before the law and have the right to equal protection of the laws. (Art. 12)

The public authorities ensure the abolition of all forms of discrimination against women, as well as the protection and promotion of their rights.
...(Art. 14)

All Congolese have the obligation to respect and treat their fellow citizens without discrimination and to maintain relationships with them that allow for the preservation, promotion, and strengthening of national unity, as well as reciprocal respect and tolerance.
… (Art. 66)

REFERENCE

UN WOMEN, n.d. Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006, as amended to 2011. Global Gender Equality Constitution Database. [online]. [viewed 1 October 2021]. Available from: https://constitutions.unwomen.org/en/countries/africa/democratic-republic-of-the-congo?provisioncategory=b21e8a4f9df246429cf4e8746437e5ac

Equality Legislation in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC). Rebecca Baseme

2021-10-01 18:53:37 UTC

Some of the legislation about equality in the workplace in DRC are the following:

Article 12
All Congolese are equal before the law and have the right to equal protection of the laws.

Article 13
No Congolese person may, in matters of education or of access to public functions or any other matter, be subject to a discriminatory measure, that results from the law or from an act of the executive, for the reason of his religion, of his family origin, of his social condition, of his residence, of his opinion or political convictions, or his belonging to a certain race, to ethnicity, to a tribe, [or] to a cultural or linguistic minority.

Article 13
The public powers see to the elimination of any form of discrimination concerning women and assure the protection and the promotion of their rights. They take, in all the domains, notably in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural domains, all the measures appropriate to assure the total realization and full participation of women in the development of the Nation. They take measures to struggle against all forms of violence made against women in public and in private life. Women have the right to an equitable representation within the national, provincial and local institutions. The State guarantees the implementation of man-woman parity in these said institutions. The law establishes the modalities of application of these rights.

Article 16
The human person is sacred. The State has the obligation to respect it and to protect it. All persons have the right to life, to physical integrity as well as to the free development of their personality, under respect for the law, of public order, of the rights of others and of public morality.
No one may be subjected to forced or compulsory labor.

REFERENCES
UN WOMEN, 2021. Congo (Democratic Republic of the)'s Constitution of 2005 with Amendments through 2011.Global Gender Equality Constitution Database. [online]. [viewed 1 October 2021]. Available from: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo_2011.pdf?lang=en

Gender Inequality Public workplace (Burundi)

2021-10-01 21:43:03 UTC

According to the dictionary, inequality is unfair or not equal state. Inequality is real in Burundi. Burundi is a country that still believes in a culture where they value a woman as a housekeeper and a caring woman to her men.

The Burundi case study of gender equality and women’s empowerment in public Administration done by the United Nations Development Programme showed how women are represented at a low rate in administration. The analysis of gender participation in public administration cleared that a 2010 report by civil society presents a breakdown of 42% Women Ministers, 3.3 % Women Heads of Department (Chef de Cabinet), 11.5 Women Director Generals and 11.6 Women Directors. That is a good analysis that shows inequality in the workplace. They think that what men can do, women can not do it.

Institutional explanation of inequality according to Carbery & Cross,( 2013): Institutional barriers to employment result from dominant structures, systems and rules that can act to limit access and opportunity for certain people in the workplace. That definition reminds me of Chimamanda Ngozi where she talks about a single story of how it robs people of dignity and makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult.

(Vumilia Hicakibuko)

G E N D E R E Q UA L I T Y A N D W O M E N’S E M P O W E R M E N T I N P U B L I C A D M I N I S T R AT I O N United Nations Development Programme BURUNDI CASE STUDY. (n.d.). [online] Available at: https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/publications/BurundiFinal%20-%20HiRes.pdf [Accessed 1 Oct. 2021].

2021-10-03 09:57:00 UTC

EQUAL PAY

In accordance with the Constitution of Kenya, all human beings are born equal and are equal before the law. The Constitution recognizes the right to fair remuneration.

The Employment Act, 2007 requires every employer to ensure that men and women workers are paid equally for work of equal value. It is also a liable offence to discriminate in remuneration matters.

Source: § 27 & 41 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010; §5(5 & 6) of the Employment Act 2007

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Constitution of Kenya prohibits discrimination either directly or indirectly against any person on the basis of race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth.

Employment Act, with specific reference to employment, states that a person's access to any institution, employment or facility, or the enjoyment of any right may not be denied because of person's belief or religion. The Act further prohibits employers from discrimination against a current or a prospective worker on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, nationality, ethnic or social origin, disability, pregnancy, mental status or HIV status. Discrimination in the process of recruitment, training, promotion, terms and conditions of employment, termination of employment and other matters related to employment is not allowed.

Anti-union discrimination and discrimination against a person with disabilities is also prohibited under the Labour Relations Act and Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 respectively. In accordance with the Persons with Disabilities Act, no person can deny a person with a disability access to opportunities for suitable employment. A qualified employee with a disability is subject to the same terms and conditions of employment and the same compensation, privileges, benefits, fringe benefits, incentives or allowances as qualified able-bodied employees. An employee with a disability is entitled to exemption from tax on all income accruing from his employment.

The National Council for Persons with Disabilities endeavours to ensure the implementation of a five per cent quota for persons with disabilities in all casual, emergency and contractual positions in employment in the public and private sectors.

Source: §27 & 32(3) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010; §5(3) of the Employment Act 2007; §5 of the Labour Relations Act 2007; §12-13 of the Persons with Disabilities Act 2003

EQUAL CHOICE OF PROFESSION

Women are not allowed to work in the same industries as men (especially mining sector).

Source: §91 of the Employment Act 2007

REGULATIONS ON FAIR TREATMENT

Employment Act, 2007

-Elizabeth Majimbo

WageIndicator subsite collection. (2020). Fair Treatment. [online] Available at: https://africapay.org/kenya/labour-laws/fair-treatment-at-work [Accessed 3 Oct. 2021].

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Equality legislation in The United Republic of Tanzania

2021-10-03 12:02:16 UTC

The constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania recognizes that all human beings are born free and equal under the basic rights of Human beings and duties act no 15. of 1984, art 6.

Under the rights to works, the constitution states:-
"1. Every person has the right to work
2. Every citizen is entitled to equal opportunity and the right to equal terms to hold any office or discharge any function under the state authority.
3. Every person, without discrimination of any kind, is entitled to remuneration commensurate with his work, and all persons working according to their ability shall be remunerated according to the measure and qualification for the work.
4. Every person is entitled to own property and has a right to the protection of his property held in accordance with the law. "

Reference
Rsf.org. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 3 October 2021].

By:-
Mary Mzungu Mwanga

Equality Legislation in Ghana

2021-10-03 18:12:56 UTC

According to the Constitution of Ghana, here are some of the legislations about Equality:

Part VI of the Labour Act ensures the protection of working women and Part V protects workers with disabilities. Section 68 specifies that every worker shall receive equal pay for equal work without distinction of any kind. Section 46 offers special incentives for the employment of persons with disabilities, and section 53 places special emphasis on training and retraining to enable the worker to cope with any aspect of the job.

The Labour Act introduces the offense of sexual harassment. Section 175 defines it as “any unwelcome, offensive or inopportune sexual advances or request made by an employer or superior officer or a co-worker to a worker, whether the worker is a man or a woman”.

Labor market information shows signs of gender discrimination.

Work contract

The contract shall express in clear terms the rights and duties of the parties.

Salia TIMITE

rmasvosva — 2021-10-03 18:17:51 UTC

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-020-00023-1
This article touches on Ageism and it also affects the economy. I chose it because ageism is not widely discussed.
"During the 2007–2009 Great Recession, age discrimination complaints related to hiring and firing increased by 3.4% and 1.4%, respectively, in concert with each percentage point increase in monthly unemployment rates." Suh (2021) reports. This is still going on because of COVID-19 and it has been hardest on those who can not afford it.

rmasvosva — 2021-10-03 18:33:02 UTC

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-58175166
Harvey Spence is a former employee of B & M with a learning disability. I chose this article because he sued his former employer for discrimination and won but also refused to claim liability. These are the many instances where companies settle lawsuits in order to remove the bad limelight but have no intentions of acknowledging their wrong doing and making up for the emotional and mental distress they cause the disabled victim.
Employers have a responsibility to make sure that they put their employees first.

Equality / Statutes that apply to equality- Shandukani Ramazhamba

sramazhamb — 2021-10-03 19:12:24 UTC

South Africa has proactive legislation protecting and promoting human rights in general, as well as in the workplace.

The Employment Equity Act of 1998 states that : No person may unfairly discriminate, directly or indirectly, against an employee, in any employment policy or practice, on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, ethnic or social origin, color, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, HIV status, conscience, belief, political opinion, culture, language, birth or on any other arbitrary ground.

It also states that a difference in terms and conditions of employment between employees of the same employer performing the same or substantially the same work or work of equal value that is directly or indirectly related is discrimination.

http://www.saflii.org/za/legis/consol_act/eea1998240/

gtemba — 2021-10-03 23:35:56 UTC

Under the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania equality (The Employment and Labour Relations Act, 2004 and Constitution of Tanzania, art. 12, 3, 7, 23) All human beings are born equal and are equal before the law.
The legislation also acknowledges the rights to labour and to equal pay, and it encourages employers to take efforts to ensure that men and women workers get paid equally for work of comparable worth.
The law requires employers to promote equal opportunity in the workplace and seek to eradicate discrimination in any employment policy or practice also the employer must file a plan with the Labour Commissioner to promote equal opportunity and eradicate discrimination.

Rsf.org. 2021. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA. [online] Available at: [Accessed 2 October 2021].

Nigeria's Statute on Equality

wernest — 2021-10-04 01:33:55 UTC

In the Nigerian constitution (1999), amended in 2011, under Chapter IV: Fundamental rights, Section 42 (1), mandates equality regardless of gender, political party, origin and religion.

According to the constitution, a citizen of Nigeria despite their community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion is protected from being held against discriminatory laws that are not applied to others outside their community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion.

Similarly, within any sub-laws in Nigeria, including in any corporate setting, a citizen of Nigeria will not be held to law because of their community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion if it does not apply to others of other community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion.

What does India say about equality? http://ceodelhi.gov.in/eLearningv2/admin/EnglishPDF/chapter%206%20Democratic%20rights.pdf

Reference
Nigeria's Constitution of 1999 with Amendments through 2011, c. 4, Available at: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Nigeria_2011.pdf?lang=en (Accessed: 4 October 2021)

Ethiopia's legislation on equality

Daruss — 2021-10-04 04:48:14 UTC

The Ethiopian Constitution guarantees the right to equality in employment, promotion, pay and the transfer of pension entitlement (Article 35 (8) of the Constitution).

The Labour Proclamation in its Article 14 (Unlawful Activities) penalizes any discrimination against female workers in matters of remuneration, on the ground of sex (Article 14 (1) b)) and contains a general provision of anti-discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, political outlook “or any other condition” (Article 14 (1) f)).

Even though the Constitution recognizes the given historical disparities, an obligation on certain employers to implement affirmative action measures to advance women's participation is not imposed. The world of work is still far from substantive equality.

Women's Equality issue in Ghana

2021-10-04 05:07:47 UTC

Where permitted by law, spousal sexual abuse, including marital rape, amounts to legal approval of violence against women in one of their most personal settings. This scenario has a negative impact on women's equality in marriage and in society as a whole. Prior to 2007, the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) excused spouses from withdrawing permission provided for the purposes of marriage under section 42(g), and the provision was interpreted to encompass consent to sex in marriage. This clause meant that husbands could not be held legally responsible for raping their spouses since their women had "perpetually agreed" to sex while they were married.1 The marital exemption was ruled illegal in 2007 by a statutory revision2, and a Domestic Violence law3 was established, which stated that violence could not be justified on the basis of consent. Because of these amendments, husbands can now be prosecuted for marital rape if they have sex with their spouses without their wives' permission.(A. Archampong, 2021)

A. Archampong, E., 2021. MARITAL RAPE – A WOMEN’S EQUALITY ISSUE IN GHANA. [online] Theequalityeffect.org. Available at: [Accessed 4 October 2021].

Irene Boadi

Serah Samuel

ssamuel18 — 2021-10-04 05:08:43 UTC

The World Bank’s recent report, gives an analysis of the nature of earnings mobility and inequality of opportunities within the various groups in the Mauritian labor market to better understand the gaps between the low-paid workers and high-paid workers who have the same skills characteristics and to what extent circumstances at birth affect the ability of an individual to access certain good jobs.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/mauritius/publication/mauritius-earnings-mobility-and-inequality-of-opportunity-in-the-labor-market-in-four-charts

Kenya's workplace gender parity gap growing wider

This article gives an overview of the growing gender parity gap in Kenya according to the Global Gender Gap Index 2020. It shows that Kenya’s index has dropped lagging behind other African countries including her fellow East African countries. The article gives a vivid analysis on how disadvantaged women are in Kenya including economic opportunities while highlighting the causes and some of the solutions that can be implemented to increase equal access to these opportunities for women. I personally believe that there should be equal opportunities for everyone despite their gender. No one should be discriminated. Therefore, Kenya still has a long way to go because even the index shows that the gap has increased compared to 2018 which does not really look good for Kenya.

https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/data-hub/kenya-s-workplace-gender-parity-gap-growing-wider-2290398

South Africa's legislation on equality and diversity- Nomvula Mahati

2021-10-04 07:58:59 UTC

As South Africans, our rights are
entrenched and protected by the South African Constitution and its Bill of Rights. In turn, laws give effect to the different rights. The right to Equality, as one of these rights, is secured by the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, No. 4 of 2000 and the Employment Equity Act, No. 55 of 1998. The two Acts work in collaboration. It is to be noted, however, that the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of
Unfair Discrimination Act, likewise alluded to as the Equality Act, does not apply to any
person to whom the Employment Equity
Act applies, or similarly. The Work Equity Act applies to all managers and workers, as characterized by the Act, aside from the individuals from the Public Defense Force, the National Knowledge Agency and the South African Secret Service. The Equality Act gives for those avoided from the Employment Value (EE) Act, subsequently including the jobless and individuals from the up to- referenced legislative offices. The Equity Act can likewise be utilized by all the individuals of South Africa, including employers and employees, for disputes not provided for in the EE Act, such as hate speech.

The Equality Act aims to:
• prevent and prohibit unfair discrimination
and harassment;
• promote equality;
• eliminate unfair discrimination; and
• prevent and prohibit hate speech.
The Act also makes provision for:
• remedies for victims of any of the above;
• compliance with international law obliga-
tions, including treaty obligations; and
• measures to educate the public and raise
public awareness on equality.
The Equality Act endeavours to facilitate
the transition to a democratic society that
is united in its diversity and guided by the
principles of equality, fairness, equity,
social progress, justice, human dignity and
freedom. It places a positive duty and
responsibility on the state, non-govern-
mental organisations, community-based
organisations, traditional institutions and
all persons to promote equality.
In addition, all ministers must implement
measures aimed at achieving equality in
their areas of responsibility by:
• eliminating any form of unfair discrimi-
nation and making sure inequality in any
law, policy or practice, for which they are
responsible, is not continued; and
• preparing and implementing equality
plans for submission to the South
African Human Rights Commission.
Equality, in terms of the Act, includes the
full and equal enjoyment of rights and free-
doms as contemplated in the Constitution,
in all respects.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2004/11/2003_eqc_brochure.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjhi_ednLDzAhVJPBoKHd_4BSkQFnoECAQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1Ug11uD7UV7GA9hmo0oQ20

Equality Legislation in Rwanda

duwase2 — 2021-10-04 09:02:59 UTC

In simpler words, equality before the law means that all people are treated equally before the law, without discrimination. All Rwandans are born with equal rights and freedoms. Discrimination of any kind, or its propaganda, is prohibited and punishable by law, including discrimination based on ethnic origin, family or ancestry, clan, skin colour or race, sex, region, economic categories, religion or faith, opinion, fortune, cultural differences, language, economic status, physical or mental disability, or any other form of discrimination.

Rwanda has signed and ratified a number of international and regional human rights treaties that prohibit discrimination. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention Against All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights are among them. International treaties become part of Rwandan law after they are ratified. Rwanda enacted various anti-discrimination laws between 2001 and 2018 in order to protect and promote the right to be free from discrimination.

https://journals-sagepub-com.gcu.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1177/1358229120956497

-Denyse Uwase-

Equity Legislations in Kenya - Non Discrimination. Diana Wanjiku

dwanjiku — 2021-10-04 13:25:07 UTC

The Employment Act, with specific reference to employment, states that a person's access to any institution, employment or facility, or the enjoyment of any right may not be denied because of a person's belief or religion. The Act further prohibits employers from discrimination against a current or a prospective worker on the basis of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, nationality, ethnic or social origin, disability, pregnancy, mental status or HIV status.
Discrimination in the process of recruitment, training, promotion, terms and conditions of employment, termination of employment and other matters related to employment is not allowed.

Anti-union discrimination and discrimination against a person with disabilities is also prohibited under the Labour Relations Act and Persons with Disabilities Act 2003 respectively. In accordance with the Persons with Disabilities Act, no person can deny a person with disability access to opportunities for suitable employment. A qualified employee with a disability is subject to the same terms and conditions of employment and the same compensation, privileges, benefits, fringe benefits, incentives or allowances as qualified able-bodied employees. An employee with a disability is entitled to exemption from tax on all income accruing from his employment.

The National Council for Persons with Disabilities endeavors to ensure the implementation of a five per cent quota for persons with disabilities in all casual, emergency and contractual positions in employment in the public and private sectors.

Reference-
WageIndicator subsite collection. (2020). Fair Treatment. [online] Available at: https://africapay.org/kenya/labour-laws/fair-treatment-at-work [Accessed 4 Oct. 2021].

Uganda's Equity Legislation - https://chapterfouruganda.org/key-thematic-focus/equality-non-discrimination

Ableism in the workplace (Davina Yawson)

2021-10-04 13:58:46 UTC

This article talks about ableism and the treatment disabled people face due to their conditions.

It looks at the sizable pay gap between disable people and non-disabled people. Additionally, it places emphasis on the low percentage of employment of disabled compared to non-disabled people. This is a very important topic as many companies refuse to actively work towards making their workplaces more accommodating to people with disabilities. It also brings up the importance of education centered around disabilities.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/10/15/guilty-as-charged-ableism-is-everywhere/?sh=d4085f67b42f

Equality Legislation in Rwanda

2021-10-04 16:07:30 UTC

Now after reading this article, I understand that equality does not make sense only when we are talking about gender equality to mean, women's rights being respected or women being given credit for their efforts. Because that is what I used to think, it is a shame. Even at this time. Now I do understand that equality means equity between men and women in every sector, everywhere, not only for women. I have recently read this article, saying how astonishing it was that above that men were being paid more that women on average but also that they are taking the roles that belong to "women" like midwifery. Now this got it. Because I was so moved, asking myself how comes a man can take on that kind of role. The point I am trying to make is that we all have our own stereotypes about what men and women can or cannot do. Which brings us to the term we are discussing about; "equality and diversity". Rwanda is well known for it's growing improvements in gender equality in the legislation. Where 64% of parliamentarians are women. It is impressing. Without omitting that women are also involved in agriculture, among other sectors that are considered to be manly. Now let us talk about diversity because I believe it goes hand in hand with equality and equity. Different people sharing their stories and their savoir faire is a very nice way to achieve productivity and innovation in any sector I believe. There is still progress to achieve, in different sector in Rwanda, because there are still some roles like carpentry or let me say mechanical engineering that are still considered to be manly. That even when a young girl who is passionate about pursuing these roles, her parents tell her that carpentry is a manly role, that maybe she can take trainings as a hair dresser or a shop receptionist. Or the reverse happens, a young boy who wishes to be a hair dresser or a manicurist. And sadly we do not have that many women who occupy manager roles. Not that there is a perfect proportion to be achieved but there is still a gap that needs to be filled when it comes to males and females in the workplace.

Melissa Bonté Igihozo Ngwinutete

References:
Kitetu, T., 2020. Assessment of the role of legislature in attainment of gender equality: a comparative study of Kenya and Rwanda (Doctoral dissertation, Moi University). [viewed on 04/10/2021]. Available from:
http://ir.mu.ac.ke:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/4211

Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace (Davina Yawson)

2021-10-04 16:08:59 UTC

I selected this article because it discusses the discrimination women face as a result of being pregnant. It looks specifically at Chelsey Glasson, a former Google employee who is suing Google for discriminating against her and other female coworkers due to their pregnancy. I believe this issue has been one brushed under the carpet for a while and more victims need to receive justice.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/09/she-sued-for-pregnancy-discrimination-now-shes-battling-googles-army-of-lawyers

Equality Regulation in Ghana

kaddo — 2021-10-04 22:26:23 UTC

The Constitution of Ghana (1992) recognizes the right to fair equal pay to workers for equal value of working effort. In accordance with the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) - every worker has the right to receive equal pay for work equivalent to same work value without any discrimination.

All human beings are recognized as equal before the law and no individual should be subjected to discrimination of any sort including gender, race, ethnic, religion or economic status. The Labour Act further emphasis on not discriminating individuals of disability syndrome or opposing political preferences. Any person who discriminates against individuals with respect to the employment or conditions of employment on the basis of gender, race, colour, ethnic group is guilty of unfair labour practice.

Women are usually victims of discrimination at the workplace however, laws have been put in place to protect their rights and freedoms. Women can work in the same industries as men without any restrictions. The constitution provides freedom for the citizens to choose their choice of occupation without any limitation or discrimination from the employer.

Kobina Nii Duodu Addo

Link : WageIndicator subsite collection. 2021. Fair Treatment. [online] Available at: [Accessed 4 October 2021].

Discrimination on Muslim women for wearing Hijab in France (Omar Gibba)

2021-10-05 06:05:34 UTC

The article was published by a well-recognised news source “the guardian” and it talks about the discrimination Muslim women go through for wearing a hijab in France. Last October, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, laid out the vision behind a new, deeply controversial bill that bans women from wearing headscarves in public sector roles to private organisations that provide a public service. They claimed the ban was meant to safeguard republican values, but critics, including Amnesty International, have raised serious concerns that it may inhibit freedom of association and expression, and increase discrimination against Muslim women.

-Omar Gibba

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/27/i-felt-violated-by-the-demand-to-undress-three-muslim-women-on-frances-hostility-to-the-hijab

2020: The year America confronted racism (Omar Gibba)

2021-10-05 06:08:15 UTC

This article was published by CNN and it talks about how the year 2020 has been a force for Americans to reconcile the past and present in terms of racism. The article talks about how black folks have always been subjected to racism and discrimination. People call 911 on black people when they are doing normal activities such as jogging, birdwatching, walking around neighbourhoods etc, and police brutality on blacks was on the rise. But the incident in 2020 involving George Floyd‘s killing by a police officer shook Americans out of whatever made them numb to racism and police brutality. Within days, people joined more than 10,000 demonstrations nationwide and a movement to demand reform in police departments across the country quickly followed. Confederate monuments were toppled. TV and sports arenas were not exempt from the call for social justice, and athletes were among the leading voices in the fight for racial equality.

-Omar Gibba

https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/12/us/america-racism-2020/

The Gambia Women’s Act 2010 (Omar Gibba)

2021-10-05 07:40:58 UTC

The Women’s Act 2010 was signed into law by former President Jammeh on 28 May 2010. It is intended to provide for the protection of women’s rights and equality in addition to the rights guaranteed under Chapter IV of the Constitution. The Act is divided into six different parts.

1. Women’s human rights protection
This part provides for women’s human rights protection relating to the right to dignity, security of the person, protection from violence, justice and equal protection before the law, freedom of expression and protection from discrimination and other relevant provisions

2. Temporary special measures in favour of women
Section 15 deals with temporary special measures to be adopted by every organ, body, public institution, authority or private enterprise aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women.

3. Protection against discrimination
Section 14 of the Act deals with government’s obligation to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. The provision is quite comprehensive and calls on Government Departments and other public institutions to implement measures, policies and strategies to eliminate discrimination, including periodic training of personnel on gender and human rights, and mainstreaming gender perspective in planning and programming of all activities and initiatives.

4. Right to health and health care
Section 29 of the Women’s Act recognises the right of every woman to enjoy the highest level of physical, mental and social well-being, health care and health care services including family planning. Section29(3) further gives women the right to determine processes concerning reproduction in her body with international best practices.

5. Marriage and the family
Section 35 of the Women’s Act states that ‘no marriage shall take place without the free and full consent of both parties to the marriage’. This means that no person should be forced into marriage and where such a marriage is contracted the marriage will be voidable.

6. Additional Rights
The Act provides for special rights and protection for women. These include right to peace, food security, adequate housing, health and sustainable environment and positive cultural context. It also provides special protection to elderly women, women with disabilities and women in distress.

-Omar Gibba

https://www.lawhubgambia.com/womens-act-2010

Equality Statute in Ghana

2021-10-05 15:51:30 UTC

Equality and Non-Discrimination

“(1) All persons shall be equal before the law.
(2) A person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
(3) For the purposes of this article, “discriminate” means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, gender, occupation, religion or creed, whereby persons of one description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another description are not made subject or are granted privileges or advantages which are not granted to persons of another description.
(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are reasonably necessary to provide—
(a) for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalance in the Ghanaian society”.

Constitution of the IVth Republic of Togo 1992, as amended to 2019

https://constitutions.unwomen.org/en/countries/africa/togo?provisioncategory=b21e8a4f9df246429cf4e8746437e5ac

Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database. Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992, as amended to 1996. [online] Available at: https://constitutions.unwomen.org/en/countries/africa/ghana?provisioncategory=b21e8a4f9df246429cf4e8746437e5ac [Accessed 4 October 2021].

Ama Owaree Twum

How Covid-19 raised up inequalities in our societies.(Amivi Genevieve Adjoha)

2021-10-05 16:50:02 UTC

This article is related to one of the biggest health issues in the world today. It is talking about how people living in rural areas with a lot of neighbors and a lot of people in the same house are more exposed to the covid-19 virus than people who have a good living conditions. A research program in Belgium found that unequal access to health facilities and social services had a bad effect on vulnerable populations and immigrants' health.

https://theconversation.com/how-covid-19-upended-our-understanding-of-migration-citizenship-and-inequality-168318

Equality legislation in Kenya

2021-10-05 16:55:51 UTC

“The constitution of Kenya recognizes that all human beings are born equal and no one is above the law and as such all citizens should be treated equally. The employment act, 2007 aims to ensure that employers pay men and women employees equally for equal work value. Discrimination in remuneration matters is also a punishable offense in Kenya.

The 2010 constitution of Kenya, prohibits discrimination whether directly or indirectly based on race, Language or birth, color, gender, ethnic origin, health status, belief, religion, marital status, pregnancy, disability, dress, or culture.

The employment Act's emphasis on employment clearly outlines that, a person’s access to any institution, employment or facility or the enjoyment of any rights may not be denied because of a person’s belief or religion. The employment Act further prohibits the discrimination of current or prospective employees on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, mental status or HIV status”.

- Margaret Mathenge

WageIndicator subsite collection. (2020). Fair Treatment. [online] Available at: https://africapay.org/kenya/labour-laws/fair-treatment-at-work [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].

smuia1 — 2021-10-05 18:45:57 UTC

The provision of health, safety, and wellbeing of employees is catered for by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) which mandates employers to regulate, maintain and provide systems and mechanism that guarantees the safety of all workers. Workplaces are required to be free from hazards and information must be issued to workers pertaining to any hazard or risks related to new technology. On the other hand, safety measures and training should be conducted prior with the supervision from a line manager or supervisor who is the main coordinator. The occupier is mandated to establish a health committee responsible for overseeing the safety of workers as prescribed by the Constitution of Kenya.

Measures should be set up at least annually after assessment to ensure that all chemicals, machines, and equipment are safe and risk-free. An occupier who fails to comply is liable to a fine not exceeding 500,000 Kenyan shillings imprisonment up to six months or both.

Susan Ndinda Muia

Reference
WageIndicator subsite collection. 2021. Health and Safety. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 October 2021].

Equality Legislation in Kenya

2021-10-05 19:34:39 UTC

The constitution of Kenya makes it clear that every person is equal before the law. Women and men have the right to equal treatment, opportunities in political, economic, and cultural spheres. One shall not be discriminated against based on race, sex, pregnancy, disability, culture, religion, health status, language, or birth. Discrimination based on sex is still seen in the workplaces as maternity leave has been used as an excuse to deny women opportunities to top working positions. Some employers discriminate against women who are willing to create a family and prefer to hire women who already had children or those that do not have the intention of having children.

WageIndicator subsite collection. (2015). How is to be a working woman in Kenya? Are labour laws ok? Is the gender pay gap small? By Irene Kendi. [online] Available at: https://alrei.org/education/how-is-to-be-a-working-woman-in-kenya-are-labour-laws-ok-is-the-gender-pay-gap-small-by-irene-kendi#:~:text=The%20constitution%20of%20Kenya%20recognizes,work%20of%20the%20same%20value. [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].
Newman, C.J., de Vries, D.H., d’Arc Kanakuze, J. and Ngendahimana, G. (2011). Workplace violence and gender discrimination in Rwanda’s health workforce: Increasing safety and gender equality. Human Resources for Health, [online] 9(1). Available at: https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1478-4491-9-19 [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].\

-Caroline Kariuki

‌

bmahlalela — 2021-10-05 19:40:17 UTC

This first article was posted on the University of Kansas’ scholars work, it discusses gender inequality. It discusses it from its history and change in policies along the years all the way to the issues that were addressed, are being addressed and that still need to be addressed. This article I chose because it looks at the repercussions of gender inequality, not just in the workplace but in society in general, and also because it tries to find the underlying root cause of the stereotypes that birthed the behaviors associated with sexism, and the specific instances that shaped and paved the way to the reforming of the ideologies about gender through the enactment of governmental policies and legislations. (J. Sarah, 2021)

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/finnuht/59/

The next article focuses on gender inequality in the workplace, it talks of the effect of HR on the inequality of men and women in the workplace since HR is responsible for hiring, training, paying e.t.c It also delves into the level of sexism within organization decision-makers influencing the enactment of sexist cultures in the organizations.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1368430220984248

Bonkhe Mahlalela

Gender equality legislation in Togo(Amivi Genevieve Adjoha)

2021-10-05 19:46:37 UTC

Togo has modernized several of his legal texts in recent years and adopted several
initiatives for the promotion of gender equality. Data from the latest Afrobarometer survey confirm the progress achieved in Togo on the front of equal rights between men and women on many
dimensions. Nevertheless, they shed light on certain dimensions of this
gender equality where the numbers are worrying. Thus, cases of discrimination based on sex still exist, and the acceptance rate of physical violence against women remains problematic.

Today girls, as well as boys, have equal access to school. More than eight above 10 Togolese (82%) are in favor of the fact that women have the same rights of
possession and inheritance as men with regard to land, women can also work just as much as men even if the equal conditions are not fully respected in practice.
Togo has also established since 2011, a national policy for equity and gender equality whose main objective is the empowerment of women and their effective participation in decision-making at all levels of the development process in Togo.

https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/MONOGRAPH/95069/111789/F-47188773/TGO-95069.pdf

How to accommodate people with albinism in the workplace.

2021-10-05 19:50:59 UTC

I find this article intriguing because it shows how people with albinism can face discrimination in the workplace which in turn leads to inequality be it in relation, salary, or engagement with tasks.

The article continues to share insights into how people with this condition can be accommodated in the workplace alongside inclusion awareness campaigns. According to the Employment Equity Act, these include any modification or adjustment to a job or to the working environment that will enable a person from a designated group to have access to or participate in employment.

Conclusively, I believe it is essential that all companies find ways to accommodate all their employees in a way that they will not feel lower or not fully part of the organization.

Reference
News24. 2017. How to accommodate people with albinism in the workplace | News24. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 October 2021].
(Larissa Keza)

Economic Equality in South Africa

2021-10-05 20:23:14 UTC

The growth and formation of workers' unions in South Africa have come a long way. From the Apartheid era where extreme racial segregation existed and some other races much better than other races, as the law was in favour of them, to the existence of the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE); which is a South African government-led integration initiative aimed at reconciling South Africans and redressing Apartheid-era inequities; and COSATU. I am choosing to focus on COSATU.

Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU is a government policy and organisation that was formed in 1985 in order to fight for worker rights and combat worker exploitation during the apartheid government. Since its start, COSATU now houses over 21 worker unions that represent most of South Africa's working class in the hard labour industries. COSATU believes in a democratic society devoid of racism, sexism, and working-class exploitation and has helped many worker unions to achieve the needs of workers and to ensure that they are protected within the workplace.

-Verna Strydom

REFERENCES:

Wood, G., & Dibben, P. (2008). The Challenges Facing the South African Labour Movement: Mobilization of Diverse Constituencies in a Changing Context. Relations Industrielles / Industrial Relations, 63(4), 671–693. [Accessed: 4 October 2021]

Cosatu.org.za. 2021. COSATU – Congress of South African Trade Unions. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 5 October 2021].

Gender Inequality in the workforce in Kenya.

ikhira — 2021-10-05 20:23:38 UTC

By Isabel Khira
This article written by Business Daily Africa reports an increase in the gender parity gap in the Kenyan labor force. The author highlights a number of statistics to show that not only do women have a lesser presence in the workforce in comparison to men but also of those employed, very few hold key strategic/ managerial positions in the public and private sectors. We can attribute this problem to unfavorable working conditions for women and a general unwillingness for recruiters to employ women due to the provision of possible maternity leaves and other welfare for these workers. I chose this article because it explains why women cannot contribute effectively to the Kenyan economy and how this hampers the country’s growth. Also, I believe gender inequality at the workplace is one of the most prominent issues in the world today which if not addressed can lead to sexual harassment, unequal pay, and inequality in the distribution of wealth and resources.

References
Business Daily. (2020). Kenya’s workplace gender parity gap growing wider. [online] Available at: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/data-hub/kenya-s-workplace-gender-parity-gap-growing-wider-2290398 [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].

Racial discrimination in South Africa: Tshidiso Tolla (2020). Let’s talk about workplace racism - The Mail & Guardian. [online] The Mail & Guardian. Available at: https://mg.co.za/opinion/2020-01-29-lets-talk-about-workplace-racism/ [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].

-Isabel Khira

Equality Statute in Kenya

2021-10-05 20:32:20 UTC

The constitution of Kenya under the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC) clearly states that every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law, all genders have the right to equal treatment, be it political, economic, cultural or social opportunities. The state should not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground be it sex, race, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social status, color, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, language, or birth.

To give full realizations to the rights mentioned above, the state should take legislative measures including policies designed to redress disadvantaged parties discriminated.
It states that any measures taken should provide for any benefits to be on the genuine need.
In addition to the measures contemplated above, it, therefore, states that the state should take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that no more than two-thirds of the members of the elective or appointive body shall be of the same gender.

Reference
KLRC, (2021). Equality and freedom from discrimination. [Online] Accessed [5th October] Available at:
https://www.klrc.go.ke/index.php/constitution-of-kenya/112-chapter-four-the-bill-of-rights/part-2-rights-and-fundamental-freedoms/193-27-equality-and-freedom-from-discrimination#:~:text=(1)%20Every%20person%20is%20equal,equal%20benefit%20of%20the%20law.&text=(3)%20Women%20and%20men%20have,economic%2C%20cultural%20and%20social%20spheres.

South Africa's equality legislation
https://www.justice.gov.za/eqcact/eqc_main.html#:~:text=South%20Africa%20as%20a%20country,which%20is%20the%20Supreme%20Law.&text=Everyone%20is%20equal%20before%20the,of%20all%20rights%20and%20freedoms.

-Regina Wachira

Equality Legislation In Ghana

dianaasilga — 2021-10-05 21:22:00 UTC

Under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, clearly states that, every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest. (Art. 12).

It also gives indicate that women shall be guaranteed equal rights to training and promotion without any impediments from any person in an organisation. It also indicates that special care shall be accorded to mothers during a reasonable period before and after child-birth; and during those periods, working mothers shall be accorded paid leave. These will make women working in organisations feel safe not feel threatened by the fear of losing their jobs.

- Diana Nyaama Asilga

Constitutions.unwomen.org. 2021. Constitution of the Republic of Ghana 1992, as amended to 1996. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 October 2021].

Gender equality: 'We value men's work more than women's'

2021-10-05 21:23:41 UTC

-Kirabo Desire-
I chose this article because it vividly brings out how women have been less considered during the pandemic (COVID-19). Men's work is valued more than women's which has bogged women in a quagmire of misery. Investment is being made in construction which is regarded as sector for men thus neglecting health care sector and well being that is dominated by women. Studies from the institute for fiscal studies portray that women are the most tormented during the pandemic. They have gained a lot of workload which includes staying at home taking care of the children, relatives, families and social care sectors yet they are hardly paid or sometimes earning too little to facilitate their homes. This is because these jobs are considered minor less than the level they should be. Therefore, there is a need for investment in social care for example child care in order to allow women get back to their jobs as stated by Ms Furlong (BBC ,2020).

BBC News. 2021. Gender equality: 'We value men's work more than women's. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 October 2021].

Albinos do not only face social challenges, but they also find it hard to be accepted in the workplaces too".

2021-10-05 21:58:11 UTC

-Kirabo Desire-
This article broke my breath in half as it portrayed the challenges that Albinos face for example high sensitivity to sunlight, eyes facing different directions, visual impairments, and uncontrolled eye movements. This vividly portrays that they may face challenges while at jobs as they may fail to perfect their work. Unfortunately, the community or other workmates may find it uneasy to work with them which creates discrimination and unfair treatment whether intended or unintentionally. As a result, employees may start working in favor of the employees who are doing work perfectly without appreciating the albino's vulnerability. However not all albinos need support to perform well, this article aims at providing support for them in order to make them fit in the workplaces. Several ideas arise in this article calling upon employers to support them with hand magnifiers to ease their sight, breaks, shades and protecting them from being in contact with detergents used for cleaning as their skins may react to them.

News24. 2021. How to accommodate people with albinism in the workplace | News24. [online] Available at: [Accessed 5 October 2021].

Women In the Banking Sector and Ageism in the workplace.

blum31 — 2021-10-05 22:14:36 UTC

1) Bank One. 2021. Women In Banking-Bank One. [Online] Available at: https://bankone.mu/en/women-in-the-banking-sector/ [Accessed: 06 October 2021].

I found this article via Linkedin so inspiring in that, it passes across a message of women in the banking sector (my area of Interest) not to try to conform or adapt to a 'man's world', rather, she should be valued for her own unique contribution in the workplace.

2) VANTAGE Aging,(2021). Ageism in the Workplace-How age discrimination affects businesses. [Online] Available at:
https://vantageaging.org/blog/ageism-affects-us-all/ [Accessed 06 October 2021]

Ageism has silently built up stereotypes and myths that go a long way to affect businesses and individuals. I found this article fascinating as it went on to highlight some losses an organization may face upon practising ageism or inequality due to age differences.

-Blessing Lum-

Equality Legislation/ Statute

ssamuel18 — 2021-10-06 00:54:56 UTC

The republic of Kenya has a proactive and strict legislation embedded in the government’s constitution protecting and promoting human rights in every aspects of the country including in the workplace. The constitution of Kenya clearly states that all human beings are born free and equal under the basic rights of human and no one is above the law. Thus, all citizens should be treated equally with no discrimination. According to the Employment Act, 2007 every employer should ensure that men and women receives equal payment for work of equal value without any discrimination. To add on, it is a liable offence discriminate in remuneration matters as clearly stated in the constitution.

Additionally, the constitution of Kenya 2010 creates an emphasis on the non-discrimination policy which prohibits any form of discrimination either directly or indirectly against any citizen on the basis of race, gender, health status, disability, religion, culture, ethnic group, age, dressing, language, birth or health status. In addition, the Employment Act in reference to employment, outlines that a person’s access to any institution, employment or faculty, or any leisure shall not be denied based on one’s belief or religion. The Act further prohibits any form of discrimination from employer against a current or prospective employee or worker on the basis of the aforementioned forms of discrimination while they are at the workplace. This is in addition to gender equality where women are allowed to seek for work and be employed in the same industries of their choice as men including mining sector.

Lastly, the Labour Relations Act and Persons with Disabilities Act 2003, prohibits any form of discrimination against any person with disabilities. The Act clearly states that no person with disability should be denied access to opportunities suitable for employment. A qualified worker with a disability should be able to have equal treatment, same terms and conditions when it comes to compensation, benefits, allowances as an able- bodied employees. The act as states that an employee with disability is entitled to exemption of tax at all income leave accruing from their employment.
-Serah Samuel

WageIndicator subsite collection. (2020). Fair Treatment. [online] Available at: https://africapay.org/kenya/labour-laws/fair-treatment-at-work [Accessed 5 Oct. 2021].

Gender Pay Gap: Samira Ahmed brought a lawsuit against the BBC over unequal pay rights, and she won the case.

2021-10-06 02:45:07 UTC

This article tells the story of Samira Ahmed, a well-known BBC broadcaster who hosted the popular Newswatch program on BBC Breakfast. Samira launched a complaint against the BBC Corporation, alleging that she was underpaid compared to her colleague "Jeremy Vine," who was anchoring a very similar program of equivalent worth to Samira's because she was of a different gender.

The corporation was clearly in violation of the British Government's Equal Pay Act, which requires employers to pay men and women equally as well as provide equal benefit to the person of the opposite sex when they are doing the same work or similar work. The act was passed in order to prohibit wage discrimination and to help women employees overcome salary disparities. The BBC's defense was based on the differences in the profiles of Newswatch and Points of View, the public profile/level of audience recognition of Ms. Ahmed and Mr. Vine, the market rate payable for both individuals, the types of contract they were both engaged in and the market pressure when Mr. Vine negotiated his terms of pay, all of which were set in a context where a rival broadcaster had made an offer for his service. BBC was required to prove that the salary disparity (£3,000 and £440) was due to a neutral factor other than gender.

They were unable to provide an explicit rationale. The tribunal determined that the difference between the two programs was minor and had no impact on the work performed by the presenter or the requisite skills and expertise. It was also unclear why ‘a glint in the eye’ or ‘being cheeky’ translated into a skill or experience to execute a job, according to BBC. It was also clear that BBC had no clear pay structure and records of how the pay level for the two presenters was determined, disputing the factor of profile BBC claimed to use as it was discovered that Ms. Ahmed was being paid the same as a colleague who had no broadcasting experience. The tribunal unanimously agreed that Samira Ahmed and Jeremy Vine did equal work, and BBC failed to show that any of the five defense elements contributed to the salary being established at that level. The BBC was unable to refute the presumption and demonstrate that the pay disparity was not due to gender.

I chose this article because it chooses that even large corporations have gender pay disparity. It highlights Samira’s courage in taking action against her own employers, as well as the illegal pay culture that had been ongoing within the company, where a majority of the female employees were discriminated against and paid low which prompted the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission launch an investigation into the alleged discrimination against women after Carrie Gracie (famous BBC China editor) resigned from her role due to illegal pay culture within the company.

REFERENCES

Nilsson, P. and Di Stefano, M., 2020. Samira Ahmed wins BBC gender discrimination case. [online] Ft.com. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/38336118-33b5-11ea-a329-0bcf87a328f2 [Accessed 6 October 2021].
Rothman, M., 2020. Samira Ahmed v BBC. [online] Bindmans LLP. Available at: https://www.bindmans.com/insight/blog/samira-ahmed-v-bbc [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Some of the instances of Inequality in Rwanda

2021-10-06 05:17:01 UTC

This article highlights inequality in the health care system, whereas it is shown that female headed households make lower payment than male headed household, in the community based health care facilities. Though this system has been implemented to help the impoverished communities in financing their health care facilities, it is seen that there have been instances of inequality. The Government is working towards correcting that.

Melissa Igihozo Ngwinutete

References:
CHIRWA, G.C., SUHRCKEL, M. and MORENO-SERRA, R., 2021. Socioeconomic inequality in premiums for a community-based health insurance scheme in Rwanda. Health Policy and Planning, 36(1), pp.14-25. [viewed 05 October 2021]. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czaa135

Regional Inequality in Nigeria

2021-10-06 05:56:59 UTC

The Nigerian federation is divided into six geo-political zones. These zones exhibit differentials in inequality reduction over the years. The problem of inequality in these zones can be traced to British colonial policies which laid the foundation for North-South regional divisions in infrastructure, religion, educational systems, gender norms, and a variety of other factors. Geographic differences have also played a role in the divide. An arid climate and proximity to the Sahara Desert render the North more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, while the oil industry in the Niger Delta produces environmental degradation e-damage in the South.

Although the data are not directly comparable across the years owing to differences in the way they were collected, they indicate the presence of a consistent North-South divide. The proportion of people living in poverty in the North–Central region rose from 32 percent in 1980 to 67 percent in 2004. The report said the North–West, and North-East zones of the country recorded the highest poverty rates with 70 and 69 percent, respectively, in 2010 while the South–West recorded the lowest at 49.8 percent.

This article talks about the increasing inequality in Nigeria which has been of growing interest to scholars, international political observers, and the Nigerian public since the creation of the country in 1914 by the British colonial masters.

The focus of this article is on the extent to which the practice of democracy in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has contributed to the reduction of inequality. The article begins with the dimensions of inequality in Nigeria which include Regional inequality. The study shows that democratic governance has not adequately bridged the inequality gap in the country.

-Eunice Etim Effiong

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0169796X13516340

Gender Inequality In Terms Of Right Of Women And Children In Ghana And How Is Solved

2021-10-06 06:29:17 UTC

Although Ghana has ratified most of the international legal instruments which provide for the protection and promotion women’s rights including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and particularly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, much work remains to be done in relation to domestication of these provisions in the national laws to promote gender equality and protect women’s rights. In light of the information, the Initiative for Gender Equality and Development in Africa (IGED-AFRICA) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights respectfully suggests that the CEDAW Committee urge the State party to:

1. Utilize a gender perspective and rights-based approach in the implementation of relevant land and housing laws and policies, so as to prioritize and realize the land, property and housing rights of women in Ghana.

2. Enact into law the Spousal Property Bill and Intestate Succession Bill as soon as possible in order to ensure effective protection of women’s land, property and housing rights.

3. Reflect women’s land, property and housing rights within the Constitution review process currently ongoing in Ghana.

4. Provide mandatory training on gender equality, women’s land, property and housing rights for administrators at every level within the Ministry of Housing, Rent Control Offices and other relevant offices.

5. Initiate a national awareness-raising campaign to educate Ghanaians on the changes in laws, policies and programs that have been initiated to protect women’s land, property and housing rights. A campaign through posters, television and radio should be utilized to reach as many Ghanaians as possible, including in rural and remote areas. Specifically, such a campaign should address Intestate Succession Law, 1985 (PNDCL 111) and women’s equal rights of inheritance.

6. Provide education and training at the grassroots level to raise awareness of women’s land, property and housing rights and promote gender equality. Informational sessions that target landlords, tenants as well as police officers, judges, traditional leaders and other members of the community could enhance knowledge, change attitudes thereby reducing violations of women’s land, property and housing rights.

7. Ensure that the housing policy is implemented in a manner that addresses the needs of poor women and that an evictions policy developed, designed and implemented to protect slum 6 dwellers’ right to housing and to provide guidelines for local authorities to follow where evictions may be unavoidable.

8. Place adequate structures and resources in place to ensure proper implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.

9.Conduct investigations into the allegations of women as witches in Northern Ghana and sensitize the community to put an end to banishing women from their communities. An immediate directive and a law in the long term should be promulgated in this regard to secure protection for these women and their children. Women and children who have been kept in witch camps should be released and integrated into their communities.

10. Establish and maintain relationships with grassroots organizations and civil society groups working on these issues so that information can be shared regarding best practices and patterns of violations found to be occurring

PARALLEL REPORT TO THE UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN Ghana, 59th Session ( Submitted by: Initiative for Gender Equality and Development in Africa (IGED-AFRICA) and Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR). (2014). [online] Available at: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CEDAW/Shared%20Documents/GHA/INT_CEDAW_NGO_GHA_18389_E.pdf [Accessed 6 Oct. 2021].

SANDRA MENSAH

Agegism in the workplace:Story of Rebbcca Danigelis

2021-10-06 06:57:29 UTC

This article tells the tale of Rebecca Danigelis, a former hotel manager at Maloney properties in Boston, where she worked for a long time until being fired without cause. It demonstrates how age discrimination in the workplace can wreck people's life, even when they have had a great career path. Rebbecca had worked at Maloney properties for almost 40 years until she was abruptly dismissed from work. Rebecca was given two weeks' pay after being fired, and she was forced to vacate the flat she had resided in for the previous years within a year.

Rebbecca's life was made even more difficult by the fact that she had depleted her retirement savings to send her son Regis to college, and her other son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her son attempted to assist her in regaining financial stability by assisting her in her job search and teaching her how to use LinkedIn and prepare a resume. However, it was extremely tough and emotionally draining for her because she had to bear the sadness of losing her job, and her "work family" had shattered her, and she was gradually derailing as a result of these events.

Her son, Sian-Pierre Regis, a documentary filmmaker had to find a way to console her by asking her to make a bucket list of everything she wanted to accomplish and places she wanted to visit, and then made a documentary film “Duty-free” about her and her adventures with the goal of starting a dialogue about how people dismantle ageist notions as one intergenerational community as well as using her story to shed light on how people facing similar challenges and make older Americans more visible and included in the society by re0characterizing them for who they truly are: human, capable, productive, useful, beautiful and important. As older Americans are sometimes dismissed as relics: hardened, unteachable, and disposable.

This article appealed to me because it tells the story of a majority of older Americans, not just Rebbecca. It also reveals the extent of age discrimination, as older persons may be ejected from their jobs without warning or justification. It also highlights how devastating it is and makes people feel the work they contributed was in vain and undervalued. The story highlighted the value of storytelling and how it can be used to address concerns and communicate previously untold stories in novel ways and its role in mitigating long-standing issues.

REFERENCES

Aversa, R., 2021. A 75-year-old mom lost her job after 50 years with no retirement fund. Here's what her son did.. [online] Usatoday.com. Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2021/05/05/duty-free-documentary-follows-fired-75-year-old-housekeeper-her-son/4957517001/ [Accessed 6 October 2021].
THORBECKE, C., 2017. Man comforts fired mom by helping her fulfill bucket list. [online] ABC News. Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/man-comforts-fired-mom-helping-fulfill-bucket-list/story?id=47121037 [Accessed 6 October 2021].
Woodruff, L., 2021. Documentary Puts Face on Ageism, Financial Insecurity. [online] AARP. Available at: https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/stories/info-2021/duty-free-documentary.html [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Gender discrimination in the workplace(Adewusi Omobayonle)

2021-10-06 09:25:51 UTC

This article was chosen because it looks at one of the most common types of inequality in the workplace, gender discrimination, especially against women.
It focuses on two women, the first one being a doctor who was disrespected by her male colleagues. After bringing it up with the department chair, she was told that she was being too sensitive and overreacting to the situation. The second woman was unfairly fired from her position as an education faculty member even though she qualified for tenure and promotion. According to the article, under Federal law, gender discrimination in which an employee is treated differently or unfairly based on their gender is illegal, however, this seems to be only theoretical in most workplaces and there is still a lot to be done in achieving gender equality.

Disability discrimination in the workplace(Adewusi Omobayonle)

2021-10-06 09:36:32 UTC

The article is about the many challenges that disabled people face when searching for employment and even after being employed. Some of these challenges include the attitude of employers towards them, lack of accessibility to most jobs that they are qualified for and inflexible working conditions.

Inequality Among The Disabled In Ghana

dianaasilga — 2021-10-06 09:45:45 UTC

Discrimination against persons with disabilities the world over in the realm of employment has been a real problem especially in Ghana, where there are not enough government incentives to help cushion the bad effects of unemployment and redundancy on the disabled.

The disabled in Ghana, thus, can only make ends meet by resorting to begging on the streets or engaging in some vocations.

The few of them who are in employment face problems such as infrastructural deficiencies like the absence of adaptive aides to help them move around easily, for instance, the absence of elevators in storey buildings.
Those in some vocations on their own suffering financial problems and hence cannot expand their ventures to the levels that can help them cater for their needs. Laws made to safeguard their rights are not enforced.
-Diana Nyaama Asilga

Lawn-mower-manual.com. 2021. File:///C:/Users/user/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloa.pdf - Free Download. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Zimbabwe's Equality Legislation/Statute

2021-10-06 09:58:53 UTC

Name: Juliet Mashiri

As a way of addressing damaging and discriminatory traditional practices, Zimbabwe's Constitution, as of 2013, states that" the Constitution recognized gender equality and women's rights among Zimbabwe's founding values and principles. It mandated that the State and all its institutions consider gender equality in laws and policy, to implement measures that provide care and assistance to mothers, and to grant women opportunities to work" (Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 20), n.d.)These measures seek to close the equality gap that has long contributed to the rise of child marriages and domestic violence cases. In addition to this amendment to the Constitution, the government has set up the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development to support the promotion of gender equality across all government programmes, using the National Gender Policy. Zimbabwe is also a signatory to international conventions and treaties that support gender equality, in particular, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women- the CEDAW and the Optional Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa. (Gender Focus, n.d.)

Despite government efforts to enforce this legislature, Zimbabwe still ranks low in terms of gender equality due to oppressive traditional practices that discriminate against women and young girls from accessing their fundamental human rights, such as access to quality education and forced child marriages.

LII / Legal Information Institute. n.d. Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 20). [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 October 2021].
Unicef.org. n.d. Gender Focus. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Gender Inequality In Benin

ekounouho — 2021-10-06 10:01:55 UTC

In the world, some progress on women's rights has been achieved. Although, many works remain in terms of gender equality to be done in Benin.
For example, 30.6% of women aged 20–24 years old who were married or in a union before age 18. The adolescent birth rate is 108 per 1,000 women aged 15-19 as of 2016, up from 94 per 1,000 in 2014. As of February 2021, only 8.4% of seats in parliament were held by women. Moreover, women of reproductive age (15-49 years) often face barriers with respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights: in 2018, 28% of women had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods.

In December 2020, only 40.1% of indicators needed to monitor the SDGs from a gender perspective were available, with gaps in key areas, in particular: violence against women, unpaid care and domestic work and key labour market indicators, such as the gender pay gap. In addition, many areas – such as gender and poverty, physical and sexual harassment, women’s access to assets (including land), and gender and the environment – lack comparable methodologies for regular monitoring.

Emmanuel Cocou Kounouho

Country Fact Sheet | UN Women Data Hub, 2021. Country Fact Sheet | UN Women Data Hub. [online] Available at: [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Barrientos and Project, 2021. Gender Equality in Niger - The Borgen Project. [online] The Borgen Project. Available at: [Accessed 6 October 2021].

Gender Equality Legislation Statute in DRC

2021-10-06 19:32:20 UTC

By the Congoloses law, there are different regulations put in place to support the principle of non-discrimination and equivalent treatment in the workplace to reinforce the principles of equal rights, opportunity and sex. Under the provisions of Article 36, paragraph 3, the Constitution provides that ‘no one may be harmed in their work because of their origin, sex, opinions, beliefs or socio-economic conditions’. This further stipulates that all Congolese have the right and the duty to contribute through their work to the national construction and prosperity. It is therefore forbidden to harm any Congolese citizen in his/ her work, particularly because of his/ her gender. In addition, based on Article 14 of the Constitution, Act No. 15/013 of 1 August 2015 laying down detailed rules for the fulfilment of women’s rights and gender equality sets out terms and conditions for the fulfilment of women’s rights and gender equality. Under Article 20, Act No. 15/013 of 1 August 2015 prohibits any discrimination in employment on the basis of sex, particularly based on a worker’s marital status, family situation or with regard to women, on their pregnancy status. Prohibition of this form of discrimination shall apply to any harmful practice-related, in particular, to hiring, assignments, conditions of employment, pay and other benefits, promotion and termination of the employment contract. The State encourages, through incentive measures, employers hiring women to remedy existing inequalities and adopting policies to better reconcile family and professional responsibilities such as flexible and variable working hours, full-time and part-time employment, other work and social security conditions.

Naokoka Balaluka Naomie .

Reference:
WORKPLACE GENDER EQUALITY IN THE DRC: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING LEGISLATION Author first name: Mr THEODORE KASONGO. (nd). [online] Available at: https://www.phsdsbc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Full-paper-for-the-8th-ILERA-Africa-Regional-Congress.pdf [Accessed 6 Oct. 2021].

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Inequality about gender in Kenya

2021-10-07 19:28:33 UTC

Gender inequality exists in the Kenyan society just like other African countries, and was promoted by colonialism where women were not allowed to run for political offices or have Identification cards. It was also and is still being promoted by the roles different cultures and society have allocated to Kenyan women thus making them subordinate to the men. Religion also has a role in promoting gender inequality in Kenya. Islam for example allows the men to have up to four wives but does not say anything about allowing their women the same number of husbands. The whole issue of marring more than one wife should be done away with if there are no plans to let the Islam women to do the same. Catholics also promote gender inequality in that, women are not allowed to be priests (fathers) thus they can not be popes. Catholic women can only be nuns, meaning that they can not conduct mass, they just set up the alter for the priest and help him to give sacraments. the women should be allowed to make decisions on their own and not have to follow what the man‘ is saying. Gender inequalities is a contributing factor to the slow development in Kenya. This is because, not all the human capacity is being used. Kenya has a large population mostly constituting of women, but the women are not being used or allowed to play prominent roles in the decision making process. No woman has ever held the position of vice president or even president, even though the constitution allows the women to vie as presidents. Kenya should use all the human capacity it has to enable it to develop faster. The key areas of gender inequality are; the health and education sector, economy and workplace, Culture and religion. These areas are where gender inequality is at a high level in Kenya. Cheruto (2006), just as any other woman in Kenya and Africa, believes that equity in Kenya can be achieved through Resocialization and Cultural Reorientation. Finally, the author recommends for effective integration of Kenyan women into the development process by doing away with victimization.

Stephen Warinda

reference
Cheruto J.K,(2006)Gender Inequality in Kenya, United States International University(online) Available at:https://thesiscommons.org

Equality legislation against discrimination in Rwanda

imukunzi — 2021-10-15 11:58:59 UTC

Dicrimination in Rwanda is strictly prohibited in different provisions of the 2003 Constitution of Rwanda, in different pieces of legislation and in international and regional human rights treaties ratified by Rwanda. According to the 2003 Constitution “eradication of discrimination and divisionism based on ethnicity, region or on any other ground as well as promotion of national unity” is one of the fundament principles which have to be maintained by the State. Rwanda is one of the very few African countries whose constitutions criminalise discrimination and different laws have been enacted to deal with the offence of discrimination.

Irebe-Neila Mukunzi

Reference:
Mujuzi, J.D., The right to freedom from discrimination in Rwanda - jamil DDAMULIRA mujuzi, 2020. SAGE Journals. Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1358229120956497 [Accessed October 15, 2021].

Law and Policies for Gender in Rwanda

imukunzi — 2021-10-15 12:02:01 UTC

In Rwanda, in the workplace, there is a law regulating labour. It provides for equal opportunities and equal payments for women and men, it gives the right for a women who gives birth during three months of maternity leave to receive a full salary, it allows pregnant women or women breastfeeding to receive good working conditions and lastly the law prohibits sexual harassment at work.

Irebe-Neila Mukunzi

Reference:
Anon, Laws & Policies for Gender. Available at: http://gmo.gov.rw/index.php?id=570 [Accessed October 15, 2021].