You must not be discriminated against

Discrimination is when someone is treated unequally because of a particular characteristic. This may be related to their background, skin colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, disability or family circumstances, for example.

All children and young people are equal, regardless of their background, characteristics or parents. You must not be discriminated against on any grounds. All children’s rights belong equally to everyone under the age of 18.

Discrimination undermines trust in other people and in society and reduces opportunities to build a life of one’s own. The prohibition of discrimination also applies to you: you must not discriminate against others for any reason. Everyone must be treated fairly and equally.

What does this mean?

Discrimination places a particular mental burden on many children and young people who belong to minorities. A minority group is any group whose members are fewer in number than other groups. A person may differ from the majority due to their language, religion, origin or sexual orientation, for example. Such a characteristic is, of course, never acceptable grounds to discriminate against someone.

Adults must make sure that all children and young people have equal opportunities to take part in leisure activities, celebrations or sports teams, for example. Everyone should have equal opportunities and be treated fairly, and every child’s opinion and thoughts must be heard. For example, teachers must not favour certain pupils over others, and, at home, a parent must not favour one sibling over another.

If you notice discrimination at school or in leisure activities, you can speak to a teacher, instructor, coach or other trusted adult, or, if necessary, make a complaint directly to the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman. Peer support can also be helpful.