Racial discrimination is any discrimination against any individual based on their skin color or racial or ethnic origin.[1] Systemic racism and discrimination are rooted in society’s structure, governments, the workplace, courts, police, and education institutions. Racism can be explicit but often exists in implicit, subtle, and insidious forms that can be hard to pin down.
As Broken Chalk[2], we would like to celebrate International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[3] United Nations celebrated this year’s day with the theme of “Youth standing up against racism.”
Education plays an essential role in solving social problems and building a multicultural environment where there is no racism and discrimination. It plays a vital role in preparing the young generation for active participation in society and promoting solidarity and tolerance. Education should enable young people to acquire the sensitivities and skills needed to succeed in different communities. Unfortunately, educational environments are at the forefront in meeting this need. Ethnic and religious minorities are still lagging in enjoying all their education rights. Racism and discrimination continue to show up in education systems in many ways today, such as; access to rights and education, bullying and harassment, discrimination in school, dropouts, educational attainment, emotional and symbolic violence, and monitoring and correction mechanisms.[4]
According to the YMCA’s Young and Black report[5], 95% of young none-white people in the U.K. have heard or witnessed racist language at school, with 51% of males saying they heard it “all the time”. Afro-American students are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their White peers.[6]
Structural inequalities and discrimination in our societies have increased more with the Covid-19 outbreak. There are new types of inequality and discrimination, particularly in healthcare, vaccines, and economics which the World is facing. Access to education is a big challenge in many countries. Students and teachers are facing new types of discrimination due to pandemics.
All the E.U. member states are prohibited from direct and indirect racial discrimination in their national constitutions. But the overwhelming majority of the E.U. Member States do not restrict these types of unequal treatment in their education laws. Out of 28 E.U. member states, only nine states prohibited direct racial discrimination while only seven states prohibited indirect racial discrimination in their educational laws. Besides, there are only six states that refused harassment in education laws.[7]
Here we only mentioned the figure in the European Countries. European countries should immediately implement such laws in their constitutions to Eliminate Racial Discrimination.
An education provided equally, with inclusive teaching and learning materials, is a powerful preventive tool and antidote for conflict. Tackling structural racism requires a collaborative, society-wide effort. To Elimination Racial Discrimination, Broken Chalk asked all the governments and stakeholders to take this issue as the number one task in their educational plan. All the education ministers of the states should try their best to Eliminate Racial Discrimination in schools.
Broken Chalk announces it to the public with due respect.
Broken Chalk
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_discrimination
[2] Broken Chalk is a human rights organization and mainly concentrates on violations in the educational field.
[3] The UN General Assembly resolution 2142 (XXI)(link is external), adopted on 26 October 1966, proclaimed 21 March as the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to be commemorated annually. from https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/2142%20(XXI)
[4] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330324073_Fighting_racism_and_promoting_equal_rights_in_the_field_of_education
[5] https://www.ymca.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ymca-young-and-black.pdf
[6] https://www.thoughtco.com/how-racism-affects-public-school-minorities-4025361
[7] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/racial_discrimination_in_education_and_eu_equality_law_web.pdf
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