This past week, we observed this important global issue. NRFR human rights advocate Meg Pickup, examines what it means.
Injustice doesn’t happen in a moment, and neither does justice. For the thousands of people, who experience injustice, the harm evolves over years. Three factors combine to entrench injustice – discrimination is continuously unchallenged, systems fail repeatedly, and voices are simply ignored. For change to happen what is needed are people willing to stand day after day alongside families affected by injustice.
Northern Rivers for Refugees already works to support people facing discrimination through our resettlement program. We can do more in Australia. We can use the law as a tool to expose injustice, ensure accountability and influence systemic change. We have the capacity to challenge discrimination, expose systemic harm and ensure Australia lives up to its promise of equity and fairness for all.
Together, we can challenge discrimination, expose systemic harm and ensure Australia meets its promise of equity and fairness for all. Currently, following the cowardly attack on Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi, there have been increased attacks on followers of Islam.
Laws have been changed to limit the opportunities for groups to protest against Israel’s war in Gaza. At the same time antisemitism has been redefined. Any criticism of Israel’s destruction of Palestine and increased resettlement in the West Bank or of Zionism automatically brands critics as racist. The police violence at the rally in Sydney on February 9 protesting the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog has yet to be explained. Passing knee jerk laws entrenches injustice.
Difference between equality and equity
Equality means that each individual or group of people is given the same resources or opportunities, regardless of need. Equity recognises that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources needed to reach an equal outcome.
A good example is three boys aged 8, 6 and 4 watching a cricket match at an oval with a 1.2m picket fence. The 8-year-old can see over the fence. The 6-year-old and 4-year-old cannot see over the fence. With equality each of the boys would be given a wooden box to stand on. Now the 6-year-old can also see over the fence, but the 4-year-old is still not able to see.
With equity the 8-year-old boy would not be given a box, the 6-year-old would be given a box, and the 4-year-old would be given two boxes so that all can see over the fence. We must always strive for equity.
