Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| ABLEISM |
The cultural, institutional and individual set of practices and beliefs that assign different (lower) value to people who have developmental, emotional, physical, sensory or health-related disabilities, thereby resulting in differential treatment. |
| ABORIGINAL PEOPLES |
The descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. Term used to collectively describe three cultural groups of aboriginal people - “Inuit”, “Métis People” and “First Nations”. The term "Aboriginal" should be used only as an adjective to describe individuals or mixed groups. It has been wrongly used as a |
| ACCESSION |
Acceptance of a TREATY by a state that did not participate in its negotiation or drafting. |
| ACCULTURATION |
The process of interchanging cultural traits [customs, manners, values, etc.] among different ethnic groups, thus contributing to the further growth and enrichment of each one as one group adopts the values and traditions of another racial-ethnic group |
| ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS |
The initial prerequisites that an individual, group or state must fulfill before it is permitted to present its CLAIM to a particular TREATY-MONITORING BODY or other HUMAN RIGHTS fact-finding or judging organization or court. |
| ADOPTION |
Process by which a state agrees to international law; with regard to treaties, adoption usually refers to the initial diplomatic stage at which a treaty is accepted; in order to become effective, after adoption a TREATY usually must be RATIFIED by the legislature. |
| ADVERSE IMPACT |
The numerical impact of employment practices that disproportionately exclude designated groups. This is a signpost to investigate possible discrimination. It is not a measure of discrimination. |
| ADVISORY OPINION |
Opinion of a court or court-like body that provides an interpretation of a law or norm; advisory opinions differ from other forms of opinions in that the advisory opinion need not concern a concrete case (one presenting real parties claimed to be harmed and entitled to a REMEDY). |
| ADVOCACY |
specific, short-term activities to reach a long-term vision; actions designed to draw a community's attention to an issue and to direct policy makers to a solution. |
| AFFIRMATIVE DISCRIMINATION/ AFFIRMATIVE |
A set of explicit actions or programs designed to increase participation at all levels of employment for and by individuals or groups preciously excluded from full participation. Affirmative steps taken by governments, educational institutions, businesses and other bodies to eliminate existing discrimination, provide an immediate remedy for past discrimination and prevent discrimination from taking place in the future; promotes EQUALITY by recognizing that when people are in unequal positions treating them the same perpetuates systemic inequalities; permitted for some conditions under the CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, the CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN and other international and regional documents. |
| ANTI-OPPRESSION |
Strategies, theories and actions that challenge socially and historically built inequalities and injustices ingrained in our systems and institutions by policies and practices that allow certain groups to dominate over other groups |
| ANTI-RACISM |
An active and consistent process of change to eliminate individual, institutional and systemic racism as well as the oppression and injustice racism causes. |
| ANTI-SEMITISM |
Latent or overt hostility or hatred directed towards individual Jews or the Jewish people (not to all Semitic peoples), leading to social, economic, institutional, religious, cultural or political discrimination. |
| Asylum Seeker |
Someone who has made a claim that he or she is a refugee, and is waiting for that claim to be accepted or rejected. The term contains no presumption either way – it simply describes the fact that someone has lodged the claim. Some asylum seekers will be judged to be refugees and others will not. |
| BARRIER |
An overt or covert obstacle; used in employment equity to mean a systemic obstacle to equal employment opportunities or outcomes; an obstacle which must be overcome for equality to be possible. |
| BIAS |
A subjective opinion, preference, prejudice or inclination, formed without reasonable justification, that influences an individual’s or group’s ability to evaluate a particular situation objectively or accurately; a preference for or against. |
| BIGOTRY |
Intolerant prejudice which glorifies one’s own group, but, denigrates members of other groups. Source: National Conference for Community Justice – St. Louis Region – Dismantling Racism Institute program. 1996 |
| BILATERAL TREATY |
Formal, binding agreement between two states. |
| BONA FIDE OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT |
A workplace requirement that is directly related to a person’s ability to perform a specific job. |
| CLAIM |
Allegation by an individual or state that it is entitled to a REMEDY for an injury caused by an offender (usually the state). |
