Zero Discrimination Day

1 March 2017

On 1 March, people around the world join together to celebrate Zero Discrimination
Day.
The UN first celebrated Zero Discrimination Day on March 1, 2014, after UNAIDS, a
UN program on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), launched its Zero Discrimination Campaign on World
AIDS Day in December 2013.
Discrimination remains widespread—gender, nationality, age, ethnic origin, sexual
orientation or religion can all unfortunately be the basis for some form of
discrimination. In only four out of 10 countries worldwide do equal numbers of girls
and boys attend secondary school and 75 countries have laws that criminalize same-sex
sexual relations.
“When the most marginalized and vulnerable face discrimination and abuse, all of us
are diminished,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “The United
Nations is strongly committed to upholding human rights and dignity for all.”
Discrimination in health-care settings also continues to be widely reported. Imagine a
young woman newly diagnosed with HIV being told by her doctor that she must be
sterilized, a sex worker facing violence or abuse from a nurse, a disabled person denied
access to proper advice about their sexual health, a gay man frightened of disclosing his
sexuality to medical staff, a person who injects drugs dying after being refused
treatment or a transgender person attempting suicide after being turned away from a
clinic.
Health-care settings should be considered as safe and caring environments, however,
such cases are happening too frequently throughout the world. Any obstacles that inhibit
access to health-care facilities, including to testing, treatment and care services, must be
removed. Access to health must be open to everyone.

1) What is discrimination?
2) What kind of discrimination exists in your country?
3) Do you ever have thoughts that are discriminatory?
4) Which countries around the world have shocking levels of discrimination?
5) Are there strong laws in your country to prevent discrimination?
6) What kind of sexual discrimination exists in your country?
7) What do you do when you see discrimination?
8) Does ageism exist in your country?
9) Do you think there is religious discrimination in the war on terror?
10) Is there a class or caste system in your country?
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1) Have you ever been discriminated against?
2) Have you ever discriminated against people?
3) What is the worst kind of discrimination?
4) Do you think discrimination in the world will ever disappear?
5) What kind of racial discrimination exists in your country?
6) Is there discrimination in your school / company?
7) How do people who are discriminated against react in your country?
8) Are people in your country discriminated against because of the way they talk?
9) Where does discrimination come from?
10) Are you someone who holds zero discriminatory beliefs and attitudes?