NCPE: Symposium on Multiple Discrimination

National Commission for the Promotion of Equality
1.11.11

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) identified multiple discrimination as a concept that offers new insights into the experience of discrimination and that holds new potential for policies to combat discrimination. As part of its ‘Think Equal’ project co-financed by the European Union, NCPE is working to promote deeper understanding of this concept among academics and professionals with a view to stimulating a focus on multiple discrimination in national policy and organisational practice.

A Symposium organised as part of ‘Think Equal’ project, offered insights into the concept and the experience of multiple discrimination. Discussions delved deeper into the practical implications of multiple discrimination for equal treatment legislation, for professional practice in making adjustments for diversity in the provision of services to groups experiencing inequality, and for academic practice and research.

In his introductory comments, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport Hon. Clyde Puli, explained how this Symposium aimed to contribute towards the development of EU and national legislative framework by giving professionals the opportunity to present their opinions and to debate issues related to multiple discrimination. The Hon. Puli said that unfairness and inequality can be eraticated by the proper identification and recognition of the unfortunate occurence of discrimination.

Mr Niall Crowley, moderator and external consultant of ‘Think Equal’ Project gave an
overview of the concept of multiple discrimination and its implications. Following a call for Papers issued earlier this year, keynote experts delivered a presentation during this Symposium on different aspects of multiple discrimination. Dr Erica Howard, from the Law Department of Middlesex University, focused on legislation covering multiple discrimination. Dr Howard quoted a study entitled GendeRace carried out in Bulgaria, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and UK which highlighted that there is a clear impact of gender on experience of race or ethnic origin discrimination. It also resulted that there is a distinct lack of data on multiple discrimination.
Discrimination faced by Muslim Women in Europe was tackled in another presention delivered by Ms Frederique Ast from the Legal Department of the French Equality Body and Ms Riem Spielhaus from the Centre for European Islamic Thought. Both Speakers explained how Muslims and particularly Muslim women wearing the hidjab face a rise of discrimination in Europe especially in the aftermath of 9/11. They examined how this identity shapes their experience of discrimination and to which extent discrimination on the ground of religion reinforces sexism.

Two Speakers from the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD), Ms Vickie
Gauci and Ms Marianne Debono, presented the way how gender and disability issues can be linked since these grounds are rarely combined. The Speakers emphasised that KNPD feels that a discussion of the extent of double discrimination may help this problem come to the fore of policy discussions both in the gender equality and disability rights fields.

Following these presentations, representatives from various institutions and bodies debated the myriad aspects presented on multiple discrimination. In her concluding remarks, NCPE’s Executive Director Dr Romina Bartolo reiterated that NCPE recognises the importance of addressing the concept of multiple discrimination which in a way is a new concept and there has been little debate on it. It was for this reason, said Dr Bartolo, that NCPE came up with this Symposium which is the first national symposium covering all six grounds of discrimination.

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Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Promozzjoni tal-Ugwaljanza

STQARRIJA GĦALL-MEDIA:

Mod ġdid kif tiġi miġġielda d-diskriminazzjoni ... Simpożju dwar id-Diskriminazzjoni Multipla

Il-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali għall-Promozzjoni tal-Ugwaljanza (NCPE) identifikat iddiskriminazzjoni multipla bħala kunċett li joffri perspettivi ġodda għall-esperjenza taddiskriminazzjoni u li għandu potenzjal ġdid għal policies li jitfasslu biex id-diskriminazzjoni tiġi miġġielda. Bħala parti mill-proġett ‘Naħsbu b’Mod Ugwali’ ko-finanzjat mill-Unjoni Ewropea, l-NCPE qed taħdem biex tippromwovi aktar għarfien ta’ dan il-kunċett fost akkademiċi u professjonisti bil-għan li dawn jistimulaw aktar enfasi fuq id-diskriminazzjoni multipla fil-policy nazzjonali u l-prattika tal-organizzazzjonijiet.

Simpożju organizzat bħala parti mill-proġett ‘Naħsbu b’Mod Ugwali’, offra perspettivi varji għall-kunċett u għall-esperjenza tad-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Id-diskussjonijiet daħlu filfond tal-implikazzjonijiet prattiċi tad-disrkiminazzjoni multipla għal-leġislazzjoni dwar ittrattament ugwali, għall-prattika professjonali biex isiru aġġustamenti għad-diversità filprovvediment ta’ servizzi għal gruppi li jesperjenzaw diskriminazzjoni, u għall-prattika akkademika u r-riċerka.

F’kummenti fil-bidu ta’ dan is-SimpoŻju, is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaŻ-śgħaŻagħ u Sport, Clyde Puli, spjega kif dan is-SimpoŻju hu mmirat li jikkontribwixxi għall-iŻvilupp tal-qafas leġislattiv tal-UE u dak nazzjonali billi jagħti l-opportunità lill-professjonijisti li jippreżentaw l-opinjonijiet tagħhom u jiddibattu kwistjonijiet li għandhom x’jaqsmu mad-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Puli qal li l-inġustizzja u d-diskriminazzjoni jistgħu jiġu eliminati billi tkun identifikata u rikonoxxuta l-okkorrenza sfortunata tad-disrriminazzjoni.

Is-sur Niall Crowley, moderatur u konsulent barrani tal-proġett ‘Naħsbu b’Mod Ugwali’, ta ħarsa lejn il-kunċett tad-diskriminazzjoni multipla u l-implikazzjonijiet tagħha. Wara sejħa għal Kitbiet Akkademiċi li nħarġet kmieni din is-sena, esperti distinti taw preżentazzjoni matul dan is-Simpożju dwar aspetti differenti tad-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Dr Erica Howard, mid-Dipartiment tal-Liġi tal-Università ta’ Middlesex, iffukat fuq il-leġislazzjoni li tkopri d-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Dr Howard ikkwotat studju intitolat GendeRace li sar fil-Bulgarija, Franza, il-Ġermanja, Spanja, l-Iżvezja u r-Renju Unit li wera l-impatt ċar li s-sess tal-persuna għandu fuq l-esperjenza ta’ diskriminazzjoni abbażi ta’ razza jew oriġini etnika.

Irriżulta wkoll li hemm nuqqas ċar ta’ fatti fuq id-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Id-diskriminazzjoni esperjenzata min-nisa Musulmani fl-Ewropa kienet indirizzata fi preŻentazzjoni oħra li saret mis-Sra. Frederique Ast mid-Dipartiment Legali tal-Korp tal- Ugwaljanza Franċiż u mis-Sra. Riem Spielhaus mis-Centre for European Islamic Thought. Iż-żewġ kelliema spjegaw kif il-Musulmani u b’mod partikolari n-nisa Musulmani li jilbsu lhidjab qed jesperjenzaw żieda fid-diskriminazzjoni fl-Ewropa specjalment wara l-attakki tal-11 ta’ Settembru. Huma eżaminaw kif din l-identità tinfluwenza l-esperjenza tagħhom taddiskriminazzjoni u kif id-diskriminazzjoni abbażi tar-reliġjon tirrinforza s-sessiżmu.

żewġ kelliema mill-Kummissjoni Nazzjonali Persuni b’Diżabbilità (KNPD), is-Sra. Vickie Gauci u s-Sra. Marianne Debono, ippreżentaw il-mod kif kwistjonijiet li għandhom x’jaqsmu mas-sess tal-persuna u mad-diżabbilità jistgħu jkunu marbuta ma’ xulxin għaliex dawn l-oqsma tad-diskriminazzjoni rari jintrabtu flimkien. Il-kelliema enfasizzaw li l-KNPD tħoss li diskussjoni dwar kemm hi mifruxa d-diskriminazzjoni doppja tista’ tgħin ħalli din il-problema tiddaħħal fid-diskussjonijiet dwar it-tfassil tal-policy kemm fil-qasam talugwaljanza bejn is-sessi u dak tad-drittijiet għal persuni b’diżabbilità.

Wara dawn il-preżentazzjonijiet, rappreżentanti minn diversi istituzzjonijiet u entitajiet iddiskutew aspetti varji li kienu ppreżentati dwar is-suġġett tad-diskriminazzjoni multipla. Fl-għeluq tas-SimpoŻju, id-Direttur Eżekuttiv tal-NCPE Dr Romina Bartolo, tenniet li l-NCPE tagħraf l-importanza li jiġi indirizzat il-kunċett tad-diskriminazzjoni multipla li ’xi mod huwa kunċett ġdid u ftit kien hemm dibattitu dwaru. Hu għal din ir-raġuni, qalet Dr Bartolo, li l-NCPE organizzat dan is-Simpożju li hu l-ewwel simpożju nazzjonali li qed ikopri s-sitt oqsma kollha tad-diskriminazzjoni.

It-Tlieta l-1 ta’ Novembru, 2011