DIVERSITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION
Approved: 05 October 2019
At the Afghan Youth Association, we passionately believe in delivering an inclusive and diverse platform for all our members regardless of their ethnicity, gender or background. Fairness, inclusion and equal opportunity are the foundation of our organisation.
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This document is designed to ensure everyone within and outside the organisation, on behalf of the organisation and anyone involved in collaboration with the organisation have equal opportunity in what the organisation has to offer and are not treated differently or discriminated against because of their age, gender reassignment, disability race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
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The organisation proactively aims to tackle disadvantage and discrimination and will ensure that no individual or group is directly or indirectly discriminated against in any shape or form in regard to the opportunities and services they may inquire from the organisation.
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Key Definitions
Diversity: acknowledging and/or tolerating everyone’s differences.
Diversity is a set of conscious practices which are the followings:
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Understand as well as appreciate the interrelationship between humanity, culture and natural environment.
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Practising mutual respect for the experiences and qualities of others which may different to our own.
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Recognising that personal and cultural discrimination may create an unfair and unequal platform which may benefit some but not others.
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Building professional relationships with every to eliminate any sort of discrimination in any shape or form.
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It is vitally important to protect diversity within the organisation because by valuing groups and individuals free from prejudice, we can create a platform with equity and mutual respect.
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Equality: ensuring that everyone within the organisation are given equal opportunity to make the most of their talents within the organisation, no one’s ethnicity, background or religious beliefs should limit their access to the opportunities and services offered by the organisation.
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The organisation should identity and address issues of discrimination where there is evidence of the followings:
Prejudice
Harassment and victimisation
Disadvantaged members within the organisation
Lack of participation from members within the organisation
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Any immediate or delayed actions taken against the above mentioned points to eliminate discrimination must be consulted with the board of directors based on evidence, not assumptions.
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Inclusion: embracing all people with open arms irrespective of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, background and their religious beliefs.
The organisation must eliminate any sort of discrimination and remove barriers in any shape or form if it limits anyone’s participation in regard to the use of opportunities and services.
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Scope
This policy applies to all members of the organisation upon the following conditions:
the individual or group must be an official member of the organisation pay a monthly membership fee of £1.00 to the organisation’s bank account.
If the individual or group is participating in an event on behalf of the organisation, it must be authorised by the board of directors with written authorisation letter or email.
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Where is the organisation is holding an event in collaboration with another organisation, the policy still stands performing upon the following conditions:
The organisation in question must be provided a copy of the organisation’s Diversity Policy.
In the contract between the two organisation’s the organisation in question must agree to approve our diversity policy and obey the principles within.
Any concerns raised by an individual or a group in relation with the organisation in question regarding equality and diversity must be taken seriously with strongest terms as appropriate.
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Policy Statement
The organisation is committed to ensuring:
All existing members of the organisation are treated fairly in an environment free of discrimination in regard to the nine protected characteristics as outlined in the equality Act 2010 which are the followings: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (includes colour, nationality and ethnic origins), religion and or belief, sex, sexual orientation
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In addition, the organisation aims to create a diverse platform on which everyone is treated fairly and with respect, ensuring that all members and those to inquire the organisation’s services have equal access to all the opportunities and services offered by the organisation.
The organisation also aims to provide full assistance required to all those members who wish to become a member of the board of directors.
Taking into consideration that the board of directors’ membership is electoral, the assistance offered must include a transition period to new members to get to know their roles and responsibilities as appropriate depending on the selected role.
It is the responsibility of the board of directors to implement all the policies in translating the organisation’s commitments into action.
The organisation values the importance of monitoring, reviewing and reporting on its diversity policy to measure the progress diversity policy.
The organisation aims to conduct an annual member survey to get the views of all members in regard to the platform offered by the organisation and make appropriate changes. The information collected from the members survey will be used to record the progress of the organisation in meeting its diversity policy aims.
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Training
The organisation is committed to ensure all members of the board of directors and any member or group of members responsible are well trained to operate the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy. This includes for example, training on gender identity, sexual orientation and religion or belief depending on the requirement of the law and good and healthy practice.
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Communication
The Diversity policy is available on the organisation’s website (www.afghanyouthassociation.co.uk). If you require an alternative copy, please contact us via the organisation website as mentioned above, make an inquiry through organisation’s email (afghanyouthassociationuk@gmail.com) or contact the organisation through our social media pages.
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Any changes made to the organisation’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy, all the members will be informed directly, and the website and the organisation’s social platforms will be updated as appropriate based on the means of necessity.
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All the members are and will be informed about the organisation’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy. The Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy of the organisation is an important part of the induction to the new members joining the organisation. The board directors are trained to make sure this is done efficiently with plenty of time so that everyone understands it correctly.
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Discrimination
Direct discrimination: this occurs when an individual or a group is treated less favourably than another individual or group because of their protected characteristics as mentioned in the section (1) of the policy statement.
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Indirect discrimination: this occurs when there is a practice or policy that applies to all members within the organisation but has severe undesirable effects one individual or a group of individuals more than others. Meaning that indirect discrimination puts an individual or a group of individuals at a particular disadvantage.
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Associate discrimination: this occurs when an individual or a group is mistreated merely because they are associated with another individual or group who possesses a protected characteristic. The protected characteristics are mentioned in the section (1) of the policy statement.
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Dual discrimination: This occurs when an individual or a group is treated less favourably because of a combination of two or more protected characteristics. An accurate example of dual discrimination would be if an individual claim to have been discriminated against due to their ethnicity AND their gender or sexual orientation. Protected characteristics are mentioned in the section (1) of the policy statement.
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Discrimination by perception: this occurs when an individual think that another individual or a group possesses a protected characteristic as mentioned in the section (1) of the policy statement.
Victimisation: this occurs when a member of the organisation is mistreated, heavily criticised or even disadvantaged merely because they made or supported a complaint of discrimination. Please note that a member is not protected if the member in question has made or supported an untrue complaint.
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Complaints of discrimination
Any claims of discrimination will be taken very seriously, and appropriate actions will be taken against it with immediate effect. Discrimination occurs when an individual or a group of people are mistreated because of their protected characteristics as mentioned in the policy statement section (1). This includes all the verbal and non-verbal remarks which may cause offense.
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All members of the organisation are encouraged to seek help and report if they experience discrimination in any shape or form. Members affected can report it to the chair (Shokryah Mohammadi) as their primary point of contact.
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Responsibility
All members of the organisation are responsible to guard against any form of discrimination and avoid any conduction of behavior which may go against the health of the organisation’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy. Thus, all members of the organisation are trained to ensure that there is no discrimination in any of the actions they may pursue.
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Therefore, All members must:
Report any acts or practices of discrimination
Not tempt other members to commit an act of discrimination
Not harass or abuse other members
Not victimise any other member if they have made a complaint of discrimination against them.
Cooperate and obey any new policies introduced into the organisation to eliminate discrimination within the organisation.
Celebrate the values of a diverse organisation
Practice and implement the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy of the organisation internally and externally when performing on behalf of the organisation.
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The board of directors must:
Provide supervision and allocate tasks and positions to those candidates chosen based on members vote during the Annual General Meeting to avoid any forms or discrimination or disadvantage to an individual or a group.
Keep the membership to the board of directors open to all members. Meaning all members should have an opportunity to elect themselves for any vacancy available within the board of directors, i.e. the organisation.
Take all reports or suspects of discriminatory acts or practices seriously and deal with them professionally with immediate actions and immediate effects.
Make sure the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy is implemented within the organisation at all times.
Adjust and update Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy regularly to eliminate any limitations to those existing and new members who may possess a protected characteristic.
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