<< Discrimination - Stereotypes	<Contents>	Race Relations Act 2000 >>

 
Cultural Diversity - Discrimination and Anti-discriminatory Practice (2)

The Race Relations Act (1976)

Discrimination can be defined as treating a person differently and unfairly from others on the basis of held prejudice about which group the person belongs to i.e. gender, age, ethnicity, and other perceived differences.

Discrimination on the grounds of ‘race’, disability, gender, sexual orientation and any other, is outlawed by the Race Relations Act, 1976 (Hugman, 1991). Although the 1976 Act prohibited direct and indirect discrimination by public bodies, it did not include all the functions of public authorities. Following the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry (Macpherson, 1999), it became clear that revisions to the Act were needed and long overdue. Organisations such as the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE - web-site www.cre.gov.uk) pressed for changes. As a result, amendments to the 1976 Act have been enacted by Parliament.