Lesson Eight:Lesson Eight:Equal Opportunities and SportEqual Opportunities and Sport

Cultural DiversityCultural Diversity

In & Through Sport In & Through Sport

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By the end of the session you should be able to:

• Explain the meaning of Equal Opportunities

• Describe the importance of Equal Opportunities

Learning Outcomes Learning Outcomes

Work in groups and answer the following questions:

• What are human rights?

• What laws are there to protect your human rights?

• Name some of your human rights which are protected by law.

Task: Warm UpTask: Warm Up

Every human being has the right to free speech, freedom of

religion/worship, freedom from torture or inhumane treatment, access

to education and work, access to an adequate standard of living and

housing, access to fair trials and the ability to participate in social,

cultural and political activities:

• These rights are said to be ‘universal’,

• They apply to every human and are ‘fundamental’

• They cannot be revoked or ignored

Definition of Human Definition of Human RightsRights

These rights are enshrined in a variety of international treaties which

form the basis of international human rights law:

•In Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) was

adopted by the Council of Europe in 1950.

•Here in the United Kingdom, the Human Rights Act of 1998 was

adopted to reinforce the UK’s commitment to human rights and is in

force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Human Rights LawsHuman Rights Laws

In the UK, the Human Rights Act (1988):

• Makes it a law in the UK that specific human rights and freedoms of

everyone in the United Kingdom must be respected, at all times.

• This means it offers protection in extraordinary situations, but also

in everyone’s daily lives

Human Rights Act 1998Human Rights Act 1998

EU Protection of Human EU Protection of Human RightsRights

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, an enacted

by the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, prohibits…

“..any discrimination based on any ground, such as sex, race,

colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or

belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority,

property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.”

• Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the

Council of 5 July 2006 contains provisions to implement the

principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and

women in matters of employment and occupation.

Equal Opportunities at Equal Opportunities at WorkWork

Human Rights Laws are:

• Considered to draw upon the notion of human rights

• Based upon a commitment to equal treatment

• Have most often been associated with social/ employment

rights

Equal RightsEqual Rights

In groups discuss and answer the following questions:

• Provide a definition of equal opportunities

• Suggest reasons why equal opportunities important

• Provide examples where equal opportunities were not expressed?

Instances were changes made? What was the outcome? Is this

beneficial and for whom?

Task: Group ActivityTask: Group Activity

Equal Opportunities:

• Refers to an equal distribution, among individuals, of opportunities

for education, training, employment, career development and the

exercise of power without their being disadvantaged on the basis of

their gender, ethnicity, language, religion, economic or family

situation, and so forth.

Definition of Equal Definition of Equal OpportunitiesOpportunities

In groups discuss and answer the following questions:

• What is an Equal Opportunities Policy and what should be included

within it?

• Describe its importance.

Task: Group ActivityTask: Group Activity

• A plan of action drawn up by an institution based on its legal

responsibilities and how these should be implemented

• Should outline actions and practices to be adopted by staff to

eliminate direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of:

– Race, gender, disability, age, sexual preferences, culture,

learning needs, marital status, National origins

Equal Opportunity Equal Opportunity PoliciesPolicies

Equal Opportunity Equal Opportunity PoliciesPolicies

Equal opportunities in the workplace:

• Almost all employers now have a policy referring to discrimination

on the grounds of sex, race, disability

• These are included because discrimination on these grounds is

unlawful.

• Good policies will also cover age, marital status, gender and

sexuality or sexual orientation

The core principles of equality are:

• Valuing multicultural, multilingual, multi-faith and multiethnic

societies

• Valuing individuals regardless of gender, disability, culture, religion and

sexual orientation

• Offering and providing equal chances to everyone in society,

irrespective of variations within the population

• Maintaining and upholding each individual’s human rights

• Having an equitable society, with everyone receiving equal treatment

EqualityEquality

Equity means fairness:

• It is the process of allocating or reallocating resources and

entitlements fairly and without discrimination, and taking steps to

redress any existing inequalities or unfairness in how resources or

entitlements are currently distributed.

EqualityEquality

Equal Opportunity in PracticeEqual Opportunity in Practice

• A surprise outcome from giving someone a chance:

Click here.

• Equity in sport means applying the principles of fairness to ensure

that the diverse needs of individuals in society are respected, so

that all individuals have equal opportunities to participate in sport

and physical recreation and have their rights protected

Equality in SportEquality in Sport

Thought for the DayThought for the Day

• An equal opportunity advert from Belgium:

Click here.