Zero Discrimination Day

“All people are equal, it is not birth, it is virtue alone that makes the difference.”

- Voltaire.

The United Nations, along with other international organisations, observes March 1 as Zero Discrimination Day. It is a day of celebrating the rights that help people to live a life of dignity. It is about eliminating the discrimination that arises out of perceived differences based on a person’s race, gender, religion, sexuality and beliefs. Today, discrimination occurs on numerous, complex and layered grounds such as the way of looking at a rape victim, an HIV AIDS patient, a person with physical or mental disabilities as well as a person’s appearance. Zero Discrimination Day stresses informing people about inclusion, compassion, peace and, primarily, a movement for change. Every year, people throughout the world run campaigns to promote the theme associated with the day. Last year’s theme for the day was “End Inequalities.” This year the theme is “Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower.” The theme emphasizes the urgent need to eliminate discriminatory laws. 

LGBTQ and Section 377

Article 15 of the Indian Constitution focuses on the protection of citizens from discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth or any of them. A recent triumph in Indian Law History is the abolishment of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The verdict decriminalised same-sex relations between consenting adults. After section 377, many of our LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) brothers and sisters got their rights. Today, Indian census offers three gender options: Male, Female and Other. But the discrimination still continues. In order to encourage them and curb their financial insecurity, there are various crowdfunding and fundraising platforms that can help their financial cause. 

The HIV Stigma

There has always been a stigma around HIV. The first HIV case was reported in 1981. According to the WHO reports, there have been around 37.7 million HIV patients at the end of 2020. Until 2017, many HIV patients were refused treatments by doctors due to the stigma associated with it. In April 2017, the Parliament passed the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill that guarantees equal rights in medical treatment, admission to educational institutions and jobs to people living with HIV/AIDS. The Act became effective on September 10, 2018. Under this Act, an HIV/AIDS patient on the refusal of medical treatment by doctors can approach the Court.. It’s time to eradicate discrimination against AIDS patients. This deadly disease has not only infected adults but also children. According to UNICEF, there were around 300,000 newly infected children with HIV in 2020. 

Gender Equality

The origin of gender inequality in India traces back to the pre-independence era where women were put through practices such as Sati, child marriage and female infanticide. Way before the #MeToo Movement - in the 1970s, many Indian women came together and started a movement against female atrocities. The event brought about revolutionary changes in Indian society. 

Where does gender inequality begin? We often witness people around us gender stereotyping. The phrase “Girls should play with dolls and boys should play with trucks” is not new to us. Gender inequality exists all around us. Gender inequality can be witnessed in an individual’s own home and community. Stereotyping has become an everyday practice and it ultimately leads to discrimination. Gender equality is treating all genders fairly. May it be a man, a woman or others, all deserve equal rights and opportunities. Taking a look back in history, we notice that most of the time, gender discrimination has been in favour of men. May it is at the workplace, or at sports, or in the film industry or even at home, women have always suffered through gender inequality. 

Our country has lost a number of females due to gender-biased sex selection. Today, proudly, the sex ratio in India has risen to 1020 females per 1000 males but the sex ratio at birth remains as low as 929. The number of women getting raped is increasing at an alarming rate. According to a United Nations report, one third out of the 736 million women in the world, are victims of sexual abuse. Not only women but men are also subjected to these heinous crimes. Our country has certain laws for rape. At the same time, we cannot deny the fact that men fall victim to false rape accusations too. Unfortunately, there is no law for the protection of men against it. It’s time to bring an end to this discrimination and prejudice.

Racism in India

The 2020 Black Lives Matter Movement shaped movements around the world. The death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, brought together millions of people across the globe. Apart from the USA, the movement also spread to the UK, New Zealand, France and Colombia. Does racism also exist in India? The answer is ‘yes!’ Racism is a harsh reality in India and is often overlooked. People from the North-Eastern part of India are often addressed as ‘Chinese’ or ‘Chinks.’ There have been a number of racist attacks on these people. Stereotyping South-Indians has also been common. India is a land of great diversity. We have people from all religions here but discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, gender and religion is still prevalent. There is immense potential for improvement for a great country like India. 

 So here’s the million-dollar question: How can we bring the change that we need?

Bringing about the change

Today is the day to celebrate the right of everyone to live a full life and one with dignity. It’s a day when we stand together making a chain of helping hands and assisting our brothers and sisters. Crowdfunding or fundraising is the way we can help our fellow brothers and sisters in need. Crowdfunding is the process of raising funds for a cause that you believe in. To begin the movement of change, start a free fundraiser for your passion cause today and connect with donors and well-wishers everywhere!