Adelaide Youth Consultation Report
First Australian Youth Consultation on the World Conference Against Racism: held in Adelaide SA on 10 April 2001
This Consultation was organised, and this report prepared, by Cross Cultural Links, Youth Affairs Council of South Australia.
- The
importance of youth voices
- Young
people and racism
- Young
people and the World Conference Against Racism
- Organisation
of the Forum
- Forum
Structure
- Forum
Recommendations
- Forum Outcomes
The following report provides a brief background to the World Conference, and presents the outcomes of the Youth Consultation. The purpose of this consultation was not only to clearly channel young people's perspectives on racism into the World Conference process but also to familiarise and demystify the United Nations and its various structures.
This was a unique opportunity for the voices and perspectives of young Australians to be heard and to facilitate change on a global level.
The importance of youth voices
The need for a specific youth perspective on racism issues in Australia cannot be undervalued. The importance of young people's opinions and perspectives has been increasingly recognised in recent years. Until recently, however, young people were not recognised as an important sector of the population, "as active social agents in their own rights, with their own lives, needs, and desires," (Matthews, Limb, Taylor, 1999: 135) and for the most part, were given very little opportunity to engage in discussions about their economic, social and environmental futures.
In 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The Convention formally recognises young people's right to participate in society: Article 12 enshrines young people's right to express an opinion and have that opinion taken into account in any matter or procedure affecting them; Article 15 recognises young people's rights to association and assembly, and Article 29 recognises young people's rights to an education, which will encourage responsible citizenship.
Despite this, many countries, including Australia, a signatory to the UN Convention, perceive young people as apathetic, self-interested, and ignorant of political and societal issues (Carson, Fitzgerald, and Roche, 2000: 88). Those young people who do single themselves out as high achievers and young role models are seen as exceptions to the norm.
But this is hardly the case. Young people are incredibly politically active, passionate about contributing to our lived environment and to the controversial debates of the day. (Carson, Fitzgerald, and Roche, 2000: 88) The increasing youth membership of social justice organisations such as Amnesty International, the involvement of large numbers of young people in social movements around issues such as republicanism, Aboriginal reconciliation and a racially non-discriminatory immigration policy, and the increase in the number of youth forums and events around the country, such as the annual Youth Week and youth arts and media festivals such as Noise, celebrated in Newcastle, all testify to the indisputable youth interest in political participation (Beresford and Phillips, 1997).
One of the political issues that young people have an incredibly unique and significant perspective on is racism. Australia, with its history of Indigenous genocide, white migrant settlement, and more recently, increasing non-white immigration, has been a very specific site for racism issues. Statistically, young people make up about 1/5 of Australia's population. Fourteen percent of young people are overseas-born, with sixty-seven percent of those originating from a country where the main language spoken is not English. Three percent of Australia's young people identify as Indigenous.
As highlighted by Jason Li, one of the keynote speakers at the Adelaide Youth Forum on WCAR, young Australians have an exciting, distinctive viewpoint on racism, especially those that have grown up here or lived here for substantial portions of our lives. Many of us take for granted the Indigenous origins of our country, and believe that we must all, individually and collectively, take responsibility for past and continuing discrimination against Indigenous peoples if we are to ever move forward to a future without racism. We also value the diversity of cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds of Australia's population, and understand that this diversity is a strength and asset that must be genuinely appreciated by our government.
Young Australians have also borne the brunt of racism, whether as direct attacks or more subtle discrimination. These experiences have a very profound effect on young people, on our self-esteem, on our understanding and value of our own cultures, and ultimately have societal consequences as well. For example, Indigenous young people in Australia have had to deal with the ramifications of living in 'two worlds': "Today many young Indigenous people are confused about their personal cultural identity. Young people have had to adapt into 'two worlds', one that explores and understands their cultural heritage, and one that exists on a whole within Australian society…Almost all youth that expressed this said that they were never completely themselves within either Indigenous or non-Indigenous communities, that they were somewhere in-between, within a shade of grey." (Goodwin: 1-4).
Young people also have an appreciation of the intersectionality of issues such as race, gender, sexuality, disability, age, and religious beliefs which can result in a very specific type of discrimination: for example, a young Pakistani Muslim girl who wears the hijab (head scarf) to school may experience discrimination not only based on her ethnicity, but also her age, her gender and her religious beliefs, which will be significantly different to the experiences of discrimination an older Indigenous man may face within Australian society. Racism is not just about our skin colour, or our ethnicity, but can be influenced by other factors as well.
But youth perspectives are not limited to the individual and the national, but also pertain to the international. We live in a constantly shrinking world, where advances in technology and globalisation diminish the national and geographical boundaries of the past century. Racism in the globalised world is a reality that must be eradicated if we are to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. We must stop the flourishing of 'neo-colonialism', in the forms of modern slavery (for example, the bonded labour in Asian and African countries that produces goods for the developed world), trafficking in women and children, and the economic enslavement of many developing countries to international financial giants such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Young people thus have crucial global perspectives on how to combat racism that must be considered within the World Conference Against Racism processes.
Young people and the World Conference Against Racism
Youth perspectives are at best marginalised, and at worst, unacknowledged, at international fora such as United Nations World Conferences. Therefore, the significance of this consultation cannot be undervalued, not just in the Australian domestic context but internationally as well. It is incredibly important for young people to be involved in the processes of the WCAR, not only to ensure that youth perspectives are incorporated into the programme of action, but also to enable us to be involved in the implementation of the document.
We have contacted the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and have a commitment that the outcomes from this consultation will be considered and have a place within the global discussions occurring in the lead up to the WCAR. The outcomes will also be forwarded to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia, the Australian government, and to all non-government organisations involved in the preparations for the WCAR. The outcomes will also be forwarded to the International Youth Conference on Racism that will take place concurrently with the World Conference Against Racism in South Africa.
Paragraph 23 of the Draft Durban Declaration and Commitment to Equality and Justice (the draft WCAR document) states:
We recognise that international exchange and dialogue among youth is an important element in building intercultural understanding and respect and will contribute to the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
In this spirit, the Adelaide Youth Consultation focussed on the following topics in developing recommendations to send to the World Conference Preparatory Committee Meeting being held in Geneva, May 21 - June 1, 2001.
Question 1: Based
on your experiences, how do you DEFINE racism? What sort of IMPACT does
racism have on an individual and/or societal level?
Question 2: In your experience, WHERE in society is racism most prevalent?
ie., in institutions like the school system or the Parliament OR in particular
areas such as regions, peer groups?
Question 3: What can be DONE about racism? By Governments? By Non-government
organisations? By individuals?
The Forum was organised by several young people involved with Cross Cultural Links, an action group for young people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and an arm of the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia (YACSA).
In line with the United Nations definition of 'youth', young people aged 30 years and under from a broad cross section of the community, industry, education, government and welfare and rights based organisations were invited to attend, including representatives from organisations in regional areas, such as Port Augusta and the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Invitees were asked to respond with interest within three weeks of receiving the invitation. Background information in the form of a briefing kit for the consultation was then sent out to each participant, including topics for them to think about before arriving on the day. Part of the purpose of the forum was to demystify the United Nations structures and processes; the briefing kit included general information about the United Nations, with relevant website addresses for further information. In addition, a section of the day itself was committed to discussing the objectives of United Nations World Conferences and the preparatory processes leading up to them, with a specific focus on the WCAR.
To ensure access and an opportunity to participate for those who were unable to attend the forum, we linked the topics and a submission form to the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia website; the ability to contribute via the website was advertised both in South Australia and nationally. This also allowed for young people interstate to respond to the topics.
The organisation of the forum itself was done on a voluntary basis; however, sponsorship and donations were sought from non-government organisations, government departments, and businesses to cover the costs of the venue, catering, information packs, subsidisation of flights and accommodation for speakers, and collation and production of the final report.
Donations were received from:
Youth Affairs Council of South Australia
Department of Human Services, South Australia
Department of Education and Youth Affairs, South Australia
Adelaide Central Mission
The Salvation Army
YWCA Adelaide
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Adelaide University Union
Great Holiday Escape, Grenfell Street, Adelaide
Major Sumner, who coordinates Aboriginal Sobriety Group, Inc. in Adelaide, and whose mother was of the Kaurna people, opened the forum with a traditional Indigenous welcome. There were three guest speakers: prominent human rights lawyer and republican, Jason Li, Young Indigenous Person of the Year 2000 in the ACT, Michael Quall, and Director of the Social Justice Unit of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Darren Dick. The morning concluded with an information session, and questions and answers, on the United Nations, the structures of UN World Conferences, and the process leading up to the WCAR.
The afternoon comprised a workshop session focusing on the three questions mentioned above. There were three workshop groups with 10-15 people in each. After the workshops, a representative from each group did a brief presentation of the main issues raised to the larger forum. The day finished with a panel discussion of three young South Australians, Yasmine Ahmed, from the Muslim community, Serafina Maiorano, from Doppio Parallelo, a multimedia theatre company interested in cross-cultural issues, and Neil Pahuja, from Cross-Cultural Links, talking about a future without racism and their own experiences of racism.
The following recommendations have been extrapolated from the workshop outcomes. As far as is possible, we have attempted to encapsulate the spirit of the discussions from the day in the recommendations. It is envisioned that these recommendations will be forwarded to the Australian government, to Australian NGO's, to the WCAR Preparatory Committee Meeting, and to other youth organisations internationally, in order to inform the deliberations and discussions for the preparation of the final WCAR document. The recommendations have already been presented at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission Youth Summit Against Racism held in early May. Members of the organising group for the Youth Consultation are broadening the consultative process to youth from around Australia by soliciting submissions and responses to the Forum questions nationally in the months leading up to the WCAR. For further information, please contact the Australian Youth NGO Working Group for the WCAR at: aust_youth_ngo_wcar@hotmail.com
The outcomes from the workshops are attached below. They include one off-site workshop conducted with Vietnamese peer educators who could not attend the Forum itself.
Definitions
1) The World Conference recognises that racism stems from fear, ignorance, and hatred, and incorporates an intentional bias against, and intolerance of, those who are different, based on their skin colour, ethnicity, cultural or religious values, or physical features. Racism can be based on genuine differences, but is also used by a dominant ethnic or homogenous social group, to assert power over individuals or minority groups, power that is manifested through the unequal distribution of social, economic, and physical resources, such as land.
2) Racism can display itself in many ways: it includes physical violence towards and oppression of minority groups and individuals; it can operate to exclude ideas, beliefs and values which do not reflect the majority view; it can also operate much more insidiously and become well-entrenched within social structures, allowing discrimination to continue without being exposed. Young people often experience racism through bullying, teasing, and name-calling, as well as physical harassment. Racism is also experienced in different ways and can be incorporated into experiences of intersectional discrimination which also includes sexism, homophobia, ageism, and disability discrimination.
3) In countries with Indigenous populations, histories of white settlement, and more recent migrant populations, such as Australia, racism is more difficult to name and define because of the rapidly growing, multi-ethnic demography of its population. In these countries, governments, non-government organisations, and civil society must be made aware of, and combat, the subtle ramifications of racism.
4) The World Conference recognises the cyclical ramifications of racism, which can affect individuals who have suffered racism throughout their lives, and can have societal ramifications by entrenching barriers to education, employment, and social opportunities for minority groups. Racism engenders racism: racism encourages distrust, aggression, anger and fear, and further divides and destroys communities.
5) The World Conference acknowledges that racism results in encouraging conformity and assimilation, in entrenching value-laden differences between groups which distinguishes what is 'normal' and 'acceptable', and what is not. This value system has severe societal consequences, especially for young people: high rates of suicide, crime, depression.
Sites of Racism
6) The World Conference recognises that in many developed countries, such as Australia, with Indigenous populations and increasing migrant populations, policies on multiculturalism and Aboriginal issues have only resulted in a narrow focus on apparent commonalities between different minority groups, rather than a comprehensive understanding of the issues, interests and values of each different group of people. This superficial approach has entrenched existing stereotypes about minority groups, which act as barriers for members of those groups to accessing their full social, economic, educational and civic rights.
7) The World Conference recognises that Government structures and processes can be inherently racist, for example, Governments can perpetuate racism with allocations of funding, and thus dictate society's attitudes to the needs of minority groups through their budgetary priorities. Parliaments, whether state, regional, or federal and local councils, also perpetuate racism through the enactment of legislation and regulations with racially discriminatory outcomes: for example, mandatory sentencing legislation in the Northern Territory and Western Australia which had a disproportionately higher impact upon young Indigenous offenders.
8) Racism can also be perpetuated through the racist attitudes prevalent within the legal system: research documents the discriminatory police and judicial attitudes towards young offenders of minority backgrounds.
9) The World Conference recognises that racism can be perpetuated by the media, both mainstream media, and government propaganda (eg; government sponsored advertising on television and radio), which portray negative stereotypes of minority groups.
10) The World Conference recognises that racism is prevalent in educational institutions, such as schools and universities, where only one way of teaching/learning is accepted, and that curriculum is often very Western-oriented; this allows for one 'world view' which can discriminate against the teachings, histories and values of other cultures and nationalities.
Actions
11) The World Conference urges non-government organisations and services, and government departments, to conduct grass-roots consultations with diverse populations, to document a comprehensive understanding of racism issues in each country. This consultation process must incorporate young people's views and recognise that racism can be a causal, rather than a peripheral, factor in rates of youth suicide, youth depression, and youth unemployment.
12) The World Conference urges Governments to investigate and address Indigenous, immigrant and refugee youths' lack of access to welfare and social services, including the way these services are structured, promoted, and resourced. Further, that Governments prioritise funding culturally sensitive services for young people of diverse backgrounds, and allocate funding for community workers to liaise and work with young people of diverse backgrounds at a grassroots level to ensure that they are accessing all the social services, educational and employment opportunities available.
13) That the World Conference urges the Australian Government and all Australian political parties endorse the recommendations of the HREOC Bringing them Home report, which include an apology and acknowledgment of past atrocities.
14) The World Conference calls upon participating States with Indigenous populations to incorporate Indigenous studies, including Indigenous history, cultures and languages, as a compulsory component of primary, secondary, and tertiary school curricula. Further, that the World Conference encourages States to recognise the value and importance of different styles of teaching and educating, such as the passing down of oral history, and to implement these different approaches as appropriate into educational curricula. The World Conference urges States to work with educational institutions to incorporate anti-racism strategies within curriculum to allow students a more comprehensive understanding of history and cultures. States and educational institutions must also encourage zero tolerance for racism on campuses and within schools; this can be achieved, for example, with the establishment of a merit system which values and rewards anti-racist attitudes and engenders attitudes which are NOT racist.
15) The World Conference encourages Governments to recognise prior educational qualifications of refugee and migrant peoples and to grant them similar qualifications in their adopted country.
16) The World Conference urges all Governments to mandatorily train educational personnel, such as teachers and university professors, and legal personnel, such as police officers, barristers, and judges, in cross-cultural sensitivity and youth issues, and that this training be recognised as necessary professional qualifications.
17) The World Conference urges States to ensure that media professionals are trained in cross-cultural sensitivity issues, and encourages responsible reporting of issues and events about minority groups which do not rely on stereotypes or sensationalism. Further, that States use the media, as a primary social agenda- and perception-setter, to launch educational programmes nation-wide to break down stereotypes and racist assumptions about Indigenous, immigrant and refugee peoples, in a sensitive and responsible manner, as relevant to each country.
18) The World Conference recognises that to eradicate racism, we must involve civic society, and urges States to initiate and broaden awareness-raising, anti-racist campaigns which focus on the grass-roots level and have effective strategies. This cannot only involve a national merit system appreciating anti-racist programs and projects executed by individuals and organisations, but the national recognition of the religious and cultural festivals and special days, such as Hanukkah, Ramadan, Diwali and Easter.
19) The World Conference recommends that United Nations', States' and non-government organisations' structures need to be reviewed to assess the most effective and representative way that Indigenous, immigrant, and refugee young people can participate within those structures and processes. The World Conference asserts that this includes representation of these discriminated groups on boards and committees, as well as support at all levels of the collective voices of Indigenous, immigrant and refugee youth voices.
20) The World Conference urges Governments to implement human rights and anti-racist conventions into domestic legislation and policy. States must also develop an 'inclusive' culture and promote much more inclusive, diverse national identities. The World Conference urges States to enact and strengthen racial vilification laws, and ensure that the penalties for breaching these laws are enforceable. Further, that the penalties for breaching these laws also focus on constructive change, which can include education of the perpetrators of racism, rather than a strict penalty system of fines or imprisonment.
21) The World Conference urges non-government organisations to mobilise support for anti-racist campaigns and issues, through the organisation of public meetings and rallies that will encourage open discussion of racism within society and how to combat it; this will challenge communities and provide opportunities for discussion, debate and consultation on racism issues, especially for young people. Non-government organisations should also undertake to monitor Government implementation of human rights conventions, including the Convention Eliminating Racial Discrimination, and put pressure on States to fight racism in all its forms. Non-government organisations can also educate the community through cultural awareness-raising campaigns, and awareness of racism in all its manifestations, from blatant racist violence to more insidious, subtle racial discrimination.
Question
1:
Based on your experiences, how do you define racism? What sort of impact
does racism have on an individual/societal level?
Racism is a system of beliefs based on ignorance, fear, and prejudice,
that results in the stereotyping of peoples based on skin colour, ethnicity
and appearance
Group 1:
Definition
- Racism is about
'beliefs'
- Racism is about
stereotypes, ignorance, and difference
- Racism is an
abstract concept - subtle
- Racism is about
dominant ideas
- To isolate someone
as less than some undefinable, unarticulated standard
- Racism is exclusion,
oppression, violence towards people, groups, ideas, beliefs
- Racism is the
denial of identity, the continual attack on identity, and the categorisation
according to assumptions based on appearance
- Racism is the rejection of people/ideas/personalities
Impact
- On the media,
the 'fear of the unknown' manifests itself through stereotypes the media
propagates
- Policies on multiculturalism
have only resulted in 'washing over' core issues and resulting in a
focus on surface-level commonalities between minority groups
- Language can also
be racist- the words we use can limit individuals without being blatantly
discriminatory or derogatory
- Racism has long-reaching
consequences on individuals - affects self-esteem and sense of identity
- Individuals can
constantly be identifying who and what they are and are not
- Pressure and
expectations upon an individual to behave and look a particular way
has specific societal ramifications as well, especially for young people:
high rates of suicide, crime, depression
- One impact of
racism is an emphasis on assimilation, pressure for everyone to assimilate
and emulate a certain way of dressing, behaving, etc. For example, institutions
can discriminate on appearance with employment opportunity which can
result in societal barriers for individuals
- Entrenchment of 'anglo' icons in Australia as a result of racism
Group 2:
Definition
- Racism is based
on connotations of difference, and can take the form of physical violence,
to verbal abuse, to more subtle forms of racism
- It is a combination
of power and perspective - individuals/groups with power can determine
the way others are defined and perceived
- Pervasiveness
of racism makes it difficult to get away from
- Racism can be
about people's land, history, culture
- Racism can be
based on genuine differences, but is also used to assert power over
someone or a group of people, power that is manifested through the unequal
distribution of social, economic, and physical resources
- Racism relies
on a system of democracy, where the 'majority' has the final say, hence
those that do not agree with or do not conform to who the majority is
are marginalised
- Racism also relies
on democratic power structures, where the majority has the power, and
will not want to relinquish it. The capitalist system as it exists rewards
those who adhere to its conformist standards, and marginalises those
who do not.
- Those who maintain racist structures are catered to more than those who experience racism - the subtlety of racism means that experiences of racism are very often not taken seriously or believed
Impact
- Racism results
in intolerance to differences of any sort, hence those that are different
are marginalised from community and participation in society
- Racism affects
people's socio-economic status
- Racism results in conformity - value-laden differences between groups and people which distinguishes what is normal and what is not
Group 3:
Definition
- Racism is a state
of mind, a reflection of one's own world view
- Racism incorporates
an intentional bias, prejudice
- Racism is about fear, hatred, ignorance, a response to difference, recognition of difference, emphasis on distinction
Impact
- Racism impacts
upon self-esteem: challenges one sense of self and one's place in society
- Impacts upon
sense of belonging, resulting in isolation
- Racism results
in strengthening of minority communities, partly out of fear, but also
to retain own cultural identity within the dominant Anglo culture
- Racism creates
segregation
- Racism allows for one dominant culture to be forced upon others and expects minority cultures to conform
Group 4 (Vietnamese peer educators):
Definition
- Racism is the
discrimination of someone's background. They are distinguished by particular
features such as skin colour and hair colour.
- Racism derives
from a lack of knowledge.
- Racism to me
is a different culture that stands out against other cultures.
- Racism is teasing, bullying, and harassment.
Impact
- Aggressiveness
and fighting
- People misjudge
you, stereotype according to the norm. You rebel and may turn out to
be racist yourself.
- Racism makes individuals hate their own cultures and themselves.
Question
2:
In your experience, where in society is racism most prevalent, i.e. in
institutions, like the school system, or Parliament, or in particular
areas such as regions (rural areas), peer groups, etc.?
Group 1:
- Racism is prevalent
in schools and universities, where only one way of teaching/learning
is accepted, and the curriculum is very Western-oriented; this also
allows for stereotypes of minority students to be perpetuated, eg. international
students
- in the media,
both mainstream media and government propaganda (eg government sponsored
advertising on television)
- In everyday language,
which can be racially discriminatory
- Within organisations/institutions,
which can racially discriminate with regards to who they decide to hire,
with what projects they decide to fund, etc
- Within families
- Government perpetuates
racism with its allocation of funding and dictates society's attitudes
with its example of budgetary priorities (eg. defunding services for
migrants, etc.)
- Political parties also perpetuate racism in their policy priorities, in their internal structures, eg. must conform to certain behaviour and ideologies to belong, etc.
Group 2:
- Racism prevalent
in the media which perpetuates stereotypes of different minority groups
- eg 'Asian gangs', etc. Indigenous people always named as such and
it reinforces stereotypes
- Priorities in
government spending, eg, spending thousands to rescue a yachtsman as
opposed to Aboriginal deaths in custody or stolen generation compensations
- Priorities in
immigration policies
- State and federal
parliament, and local councils, passing discriminatory legislation &
regulations eg, mandatory sentencing, alcohol ban on Victoria Square
in Adelaide which affects Aboriginal people who spend time in the Square
the most, without trying to address alcoholism or homelessness in a
socially responsible way
- This sort of legislation/regulations discriminate at a grass-roots level, affecting individuals
Group 3:
- Racism prevalent
in schools - acted out and reflected in adult (teachers, parents, administrators)
and community attitudes which teach young people how to behave and what
is acceptable and normal
- Prevalent in established
structures and school processes
- Racism prevalent
in government policies
- Racism prevalent
in the law: police, judiciary, legislation
- Difficult to state where racism is most prevalent as is it is insidious and subtle
Group 4:
- Racism prevalent
mostly in society, out in the streets
- Racism occurs in schools, which are very competitive places, and public places, on the streets.
Question
3:
What can be done about racism, and by whom? (Eg. By governments? By non-government
organisations? By individuals and society?)
Group 1:
- To address racism,
must go down to grass roots level and do consultations to be able to
understand experiences and impact of racism, otherwise can easily get
lost in the 'system'. Stereotypes must be challenged, and this can be
done through changes to school curriculum and what is taught, starting
at a primary school level
- Nationally, must
have more awareness-raising days, such as 'Harmony Day'
- Need media accountability
for racist stereotypes - educate journalists regarding subtlety of racist
language and attitudes
- Use the media
as a tool to raise awareness
- Think about notion
of 'unity' and focus on ways to explore diversity in unity
- Must talk about
differences
- Adopt language of virtues
Group 2:
- To address racism,
fundamental social changes need to occur from the bottom up
- Anti-racist strategies
can include organised resistance, public movement of protests which
can be called upon when Government passes racist legislation, etc.
- At school, allow
students to learn about and deconstruct all the 'isms', must start at
primary school to give young people alternatives and choices of viewing
the world, history and people; incorporate anti-racism within subjects;
government education departments and school principals can do this
- Must engender
attitudes which value NOT being racist - rewards within the school system,
or socially, a merit system, which rewards people who challenge anti-racist
structures: this is something NGO's can organise within their own membership,
similar to achievement awards, etc.
- Racial vilification
laws must have stronger penalties, but these penalties need to result
in constructive change, not just about locking up the perpetrators.
- Government recognising
the 'special days' of other cultures and religions: why only celebrate
Christmas and Easter, what about Chinese New Year and Divali and Hanukkah?
- Government must say 'sorry' and acknowledge the cost of refusing to do this
Group 3:
- To address racism,
firstly everyone, government, NGO's, society, must accept that racism
exists.
- Governments can
implement human rights, anti-racist conventions into legislation and
policy; Government must also develop an 'inclusive' culture and much
more inclusive, diverse national identity
- NGO's can put
pressure on the government to do what they should to fight racism; educate
the community through cultural awareness-raising and awareness of racism
in all its manifestations; challenge communities and provide opportunities
for discussion, debate and consultation on racism issues, especially
for young people
- Individuals and society must practice anti-racism daily, challenge stereotypes, etc. and put pressure on government and NGO's
Group 4:
- We can try to
be aware of all the different cultural backgrounds.
- School student
councils should talk to the racist people
- Nothing, you
can't change people's views and opinions.
- Educate the next
generation. Put it in the schools and media.
- More public awareness
needs to be shown.
- Call the police.
- Educate people to accept those who are different.
Works cited:
Beresford and Phillips, "Spectators in Australian politics? Young voters' interest in politics and political issues", Youth Studies Australia, v.16, n.4, December 1997, pp.11-16
Carson, Fitzgerald, and Roche, "Changing social and legal frameworks for young Australians," paper published by National Youth Affairs Research Scheme, Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, Hobart, Tasmania, 2000.
Centre for Children
and Youth, Nene-University College Northampton, Park Campus, Northampton
NN2 7AL, UK, Geoforum 30 (1999) 135 - 144
www.elsevier.com/locate/geoforum
Goodwin, Tim, "Two Worlds, One Spirit, Our Identity" www.thesource.gov.au, (accessed April 2001)
Matthews, Limb, Taylor "Young people's participation and representation in society"
