Middlesex lecturer contributes to latest thinking on caste discrimination law in the UK
Middlesex lecturer contributes to latest thinking on caste discrimination law in the UK
04/04/2015
A Middlesex University senior lecturer in law has co-authored a research report which is set to help inform the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination.
A Middlesex University senior lecturer in law has co-authored a research report which is set to help inform the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination.
Dr David Keane, senior lecturer in law at Middlesex University, looked into the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination in the UK, alongside a team of academic experts from a number of UK universities. Their report has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
Caste is widely seen as a hierarchical system of social ranking which can manifest in discriminatory behaviour. All religious and non-religious people of South Asian origin are potentially affected by caste and by discrimination on grounds of caste.
In the report, Dr Keane and the team concluded: “Implementing the statutory requirement that caste be made an aspect of race is a question of great import. It requires reflection as to how the law can respond to the complexity of caste in Britain, and provide sufficient flexibility to address the experience of victims, while ensuring clarity for those who will engage with the legal procedures.”
The research, headed by Dr Meena Dhanda from University of Wolverhampton, was part of the EHRC’s ‘Caste in Britain’ project, undertaken at the request of Government to help inform the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination. This followed a requirement in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 that UK Government amend the Equality Act 2010 by introducing a statutory prohibition of caste discrimination.
Middlesex lecturer contributes to latest thinking on caste discrimination law in the UK
A Middlesex University senior lecturer in law has co-authored a research report which is set to help inform the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination.
Dr David Keane, senior lecturer in law at Middlesex University, looked into the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination in the UK, alongside a team of academic experts from a number of UK universities. Their report has been published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
Caste is widely seen as a hierarchical system of social ranking which can manifest in discriminatory behaviour. All religious and non-religious people of South Asian origin are potentially affected by caste and by discrimination on grounds of caste.
In the report, Dr Keane and the team concluded: “Implementing the statutory requirement that caste be made an aspect of race is a question of great import. It requires reflection as to how the law can respond to the complexity of caste in Britain, and provide sufficient flexibility to address the experience of victims, while ensuring clarity for those who will engage with the legal procedures.”
The research, headed by Dr Meena Dhanda from University of Wolverhampton, was part of the EHRC’s ‘Caste in Britain’ project, undertaken at the request of Government to help inform the introduction of legislation on caste discrimination. This followed a requirement in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 that UK Government amend the Equality Act 2010 by introducing a statutory prohibition of caste discrimination.
The reports are available on the EHRC’s website.