Discrimination against certain groups on despite continuous positive advances

The global economic and social crisis has led to a higher risk of discrimination against certain groups such as migrant labour despite continuous positive advances in anti-discrimination legislation, according to a new study published today by International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“Economically adverse times are a breeding ground for discrimination at work and in society more broadly,” said ILO director-general Juan Somavia.

“We see this with the rise of populist solutions,” he said, adding that it threatens painstaking achievements of several decades. The report `Equality at work: The continuing challenge', cites equality bodies that receive increased numbers of complaints, showing that workplace discrimination has become more varied, and discrimination on multiple grounds is becoming rule rather than the exception.

The report also warns against a tendency during economic downturns to give lower priority to anti-discrimination policies and workers' rights in practice. “Austerity measures and cutbacks in the budget of labour administrations and inspection services, and in funds available to specialised bodies dealing with non-discrimination and equality, can seriously compromise the ability of existing institutions to prevent the economic crisis from generating more discrimination and more inequalities”, the report said, adding that the lack of reliable data in this context makes it difficult to assess the exact impact of these measures.

“It therefore calls on governments to put into place human, technical and financial resources to improve data collection on discrimination at the national level,” it recommended.

The report also noted that new forms of discrimination at work arise while the old challenges remain at best only partially answered.

Though, significant progress has been made in recent decades in advancing gender equality in the world of work, the gender pay gap still exists, with women's wages being on average 70 per cent to 90 per cent of men's, the report highlighted. “Sexual harassment is a significant problem in workplaces. Young, financially dependent, single or divorced women, and migrants are most vulnerable, while men who experience harassment tend to be young, gay or members of ethnic or racial minorities, apart from racism.”

Migrant workers face widespread discrimination in access to employment, and many encounter discrimination when employed, including access to social insurance programmes apart from work-related discrimination.

The Global Report recommended series of steps to combat discrimination including four priority areas, like promotion of the universal ratification and application of the two fundamental ILO Conventions on equality and non-discrimination; development and sharing of knowledge on elimination of discrimination in employment and occupation; development of institutional capacity of ILO constituents to more effectively implement the fundamental right of non-discrimination at work; and strengthening of international partnerships with major actors on equality.

“The fundamental right of non-discrimination in employment and occupation for all women and men is part and parcel of decent work policies for sustainable and balanced economic growth and fairer societies,” Somavia said, adding that the right response is to combine policies for economic growth with policies for employment, social protection and rights at work, enabling governments, social partners and civil society to work together.

Published on: 19 May 2011 | The Himalayan Times