Being aware of your Human Rights

BY BRITTNEY CHANNER

Hey Everyone!

I hope everyone is having a productive day and enjoying this wonderful weather that we’ve been having as of lately. I am one of those people who will never complain about the heat because in roughly two and a half months, autumn will be here and the weather will begin to change and become cooler; so enjoy the great weather while it is still here.

This week I’d like to discuss in detail about a topic that I briefly covered a couple of months ago and that is one’s awareness of human rights, what it consists of and how they can be violated. Human rights are described as universal rights that a person is inherently entitled to simply because he or she is a human being. These rights describe how we should expect to be treated as persons. Human rights address what we all are entitled to such as the right to a life of equality, dignity, respect and to live free from discrimination and harassment. Countries like Canada have human rights laws to ensure that people and the government are held accountable should your rights as a citizen not be respected or upheld.

One of the ways in which our human rights are upheld is through the Canadian Human Rights Act which is a statute that was passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1977. To some, the implementation of this statute may not seem like too long ago, however there is a reason for this. The reason being was that the Human Rights Act was extended to protect individuals who may be victims of discriminatory practices based on prohibited grounds such as sex, race, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, expression, creed, age, disability, and or political and religious beliefs.

In Canada, there have been a number of cases where people have been in situations where their human rights have been infringed upon. Some of the most common acts in which human rights are infringed upon usually surround, but are not limited to acts of discrimination. Although not every unfair situation can be considered discrimination under the law, the following are examples of discriminatory human rights act violations that can be accepted if one chooses to make a complaint.

1. If you are refused employment, fired from your job or treated unfairly in the workplace
2. If you are a woman and are being paid differently when you are doing work of the same value
3. If the company or organization you work for is following policies or practices that deprive people of employment
4. If you have been the victim of harassment

These examples are all ways in which your human rights can be violated and it is necessary to have a good understanding of what they look like and the proper steps to take afterward.

Should any of these examples above appear to be valid in your current life, it is just as important to make yourself familiar with the Canadian Rights Commission. It is here where you will file a complaint surrounding the violation by including all specific details of the incident such as date, time and location, the negative effects the situation has on you and additionally the person or organization you are complaining about.

It is recommended that complaints should be filed within 12 months of the incident just to avoid further prolonging possible outcomes. Usually the Canadian Rights Commission tries their best to solve all complaints however, should the complaint need further investigation and some sort of agreement cannot be made by the parties involved, the case will then be sent to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal which will determine how to remedy the issue.

Although human rights may not be frequently discussed amongst members of society, it is still beneficial to understand what they entail and in what circumstances they are violated. Having a good grasp of your rights as a citizen can essentially prevent you from being in sticky situations and give you the confidence needed to take proper action.