Posts Tagged ‘Discrimination’

Disability, discrimination, surrogacy: Baby Gammy

Friday, August 15th, 2014

There has been extensive recent discussion of the circumstances of baby Gammy, suffering from Down’s syndrome and heart problems, and apparently left behind with the birth mother in Thailand by the Australian commissioning couple, though they took his well sister home. Australians have responded generously with support for this photogenic little boy so that he Read more

Faith in the workplace

Tuesday, April 15th, 2014

Bosses all over the Western world have been warned. Unless they make allowances for the religious faiths of their ever more diverse workforces, they will suffer lawsuits, official rebukes and protests from staff. Employees increasingly expect to be able, for example, to dress in accordance with their faith while at work, and be given appropriate Read more

Systematic bias against Maori in criminal justice system says UN report

Friday, April 11th, 2014

A visiting United Nations delegation says the New Zealand Government needs to investigate why a systemic bias against Maori is evident in the country’s criminal justice system. The delegation, which reports to the UN Human Rights Council, in a statement released at the conclusion of its visit to New Zealand any bias against Maori leading Read more

Jimmy Carter links Church male-only ordination with abuse of women

Friday, March 28th, 2014

Former United States president Jimmy Carter has said the Catholic Church’s practice of not ordaining women gives tacit permission for discrimination and abuse. Mr Carter said this during an interview with National Public Radio in the United States ahead of publication of his latest book. “ . . . [T]he fact that the Catholic Church, Read more

Diocese accused of discriminating against gay couple in property sale

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

The attorney-general in Massachusetts says a Catholic diocese illegally discriminated against a married gay couple by refusing to sell them a property. The Diocese of Worcester believed the men would use the property to host same-sex weddings. The issue is the subject of a law suit. Continue reading  

Uphill struggle against misogyny in India

Tuesday, March 4th, 2014

My heart grieved after reading the story of the young American woman who was stabbed to death by her Indian husband of five months, who subsequently killed himself. It grieves for all the young girls who are forced to remain subdued because of the threat of rape or sexual violence – abuse explained by some Read more

Hierarchy need to catch up with laity on LGBT issues

Friday, February 28th, 2014

As I was glancing at my Washington Post on Friday morning, I was dumbfounded by this headline: “Gay patient says Catholic chaplain refused him last rites.” The story focuses on Ronald Plishka, who was admitted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center after a heart attack and asked for a priest when — after 24 hours — Read more

Mormon ban on Samoan language prompts PM to write to Elders

Friday, September 20th, 2013

A delegation of Samoan Mormons from Brisbane have had a meeting with Samoan prime minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi to discuss what the Brisbane Samoans say is a ban on Samoan in worship services by their church leaders. Lawyer Leulua’iali’i Olinda Woodroffe who accompanied the delegation to the meeting said the prime minister has promised to Read more

Report says NZ has improved human rights

Friday, August 30th, 2013

A Government report on the status of human rights in New Zealand says improvements have been made in areas of concern highlighted by the United Nations, such as discrimination, inequality and family violence. Justice Minister Judith Collins has released a draft report on changes made in areas singled out by the United Nations Human Rights Read more

Auckland Muslims have few problems with police

Friday, August 2nd, 2013

South Asian Muslims living in Auckland reported feeling safe and secure but some said they had received “prejudicial treatment” in their dealings with New Zealand police because of their ethnicity. In the research for an AUT University study on ethnicity and policing, all but one of the 16 people interviewed by researchers Sameer Nisar and Read more