Equality bodies combating discrimination against young people
Equality bodies combating discrimination against young people
Authors: Niall Crowley
The perspective aims to draw out, analyse and learn from the work and experience of equality bodies in combating discrimination against young people and to tease out the implications of their work for policy and practice development.
Why a Perspective on Discrimination against Young People?
Young people experience inequality and individual and structural discrimination on the ground of their age as well as intersectional discrimination based on other characteristics such as disability, gender, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, and sexual orientation. To combat discrimination and promote equality there is a need to raise awareness of the experience of and share good practices from equality bodies in their work on equality for young people.
Main conclusions
- Equality bodies report a spectrum of key issues faced by young people, including issues of economic, political, cultural and social inequality.
- A key to successful work to improve the situation of young people is to cooperate with and involve young people and their organisations in the work of the equality bodies.
- The equality bodies tend to give issues of discrimination against and inequality for young people medium to low focus, often due to limitations in the mandate of the equality bodies, under-reporting and lack of casework, and limited data.
- Equality bodies can be valuable actors in fighting discrimination against and promoting equality for young people if they are independent, adequately resourced and empowered.
