Protecting Minority Rights: a Practical Guide on Developing Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Law

At the heart of the many challenges faced by the world today lies a common problem: inequality. While inequality takes different forms and has different causes, discrimination is undeniably one of its greatest drivers. We cannot hope to tackle inequality without addressing discrimination and we cannot eliminate discrimination without the enactment, enforcement and implementation of anti-discrimination laws.

In the last two years, the Equal Rights Trust and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights worked together to develop the first comprehensive and authoritative Guide on equality laws: “Protecting Minority Rights: A Practical Guide on Developing Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Law” (forthcoming, late 2022). The Guide consolidates and synthesises international legal standards, and provides accessible guidance on the necessary scope and content of these laws if States are to meet their international obligations.

This Forum session introduces the forthcoming Guide and invites the international community to debate how comprehensive anti-discrimination laws can and should foster equal societies, and to explore the areas in which the law continues to evolve. The session addresses, amongst others, the following questions:

1. Why do countries need comprehensive anti-discrimination law?
2. What are the essential elements of such laws?
3. What are the main challenges for enforcement and implementation of equality laws and the most promising good practices?
4. How can anti-discrimination laws move beyond an approach focused on remedying harm towards one which is proactive, pre-emptive and precautionary?
5. What is the role of anti-discrimination laws in combating prejudice, stigma and stereotype?