Socio- Economic Discrimination: #Addthe10th Alliance

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ATD Ireland are part of an alliance called #addthe10th.  The purpose of this group is to have socio- economic status recognized as the tenth ground of discrimination in Irish equality legislation, namely the Equal Status Act and the Employment Equality Act.  The add the tenth alliance is made up of

  • All Together in Dignity Ireland (ATD Ireland),

There are currently nine grounds of discrimination set out in equality legislation including gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, membership of the Traveller community and race.  The exclusion of socio- economic status represents a significant gap, and those with an experience of poverty “constantly fall through the cracks” of equality legislation. – Community activist Andrew.

Those experiencing this form of discrimination currently have no way of seeking any form of legal redress and have no protection in the law.  Socio- economic discrimination can occur in many forms and can be experienced both individually and collectively.  It is often felt within public services, such as in healthcare, housing and accommodation, when seeking employment, education, social welfare or with the police.

Those with a lived experience also report everyday incidences of discrimination as a result of their accent, clothing, haircut, address, employment status, etc.  People report not being able to get a taxi to their home, being followed around in stores or being refused service in a restaurant.  The stigma and shame that results from discrimination has huge effects on mental health and wellbeing.  In addition, it can also enormously restrict a person’s life and opportunities

“Current labour market practices, social welfare conditionality and neoliberal work- centric attitudes have gradually engendered barriers for those in, or approaching poverty, to rights and social inclusion”. – Addthe10th alliance.

The addthe10th alliance met with minister Roderic O’ Gorman in June 2021 and submitted a collective response to the government consultation for the review of the equality acts.

Click here to sign the petition to Minister Roderic O’ Gorman

Support the campaign by using #Addthe10th on social media and posing with the ‘missing piece’ of equality legislation!

“Discrimination against people due to them living in poverty is wrong!!”

"Why exclusion?...Why not inclusion?"
"No matter where we come from- we all deserve to be treated equally and with the same love, respect, dignity and empathy on every level".
"One day as I was walking down the street I found a wrinkled up €10 on the ground. It looked like it was walked on and beaten down. I still picked it up and put it in my pocket because no matter how many people that walked on it , no matter how hard life had beaten it , it didn't lose value. That €10 was me, no matter how many people walked on me, I'm still worth something".
"To my mind it's obvious we are one human family, to be unjust to some is to be unjust to all".
"Everyone deserves to feel respected and be afforded the chance to live a full and dignified life regardless of their income or class background ...this legislation will help to ensure this is so".
"This legislation is so important because people experiencing poverty need understanding and support instead of distrust, stigma and discrimination. Enough sufferring already!"
"Poverty and socio- economic discrimination are shameful and need to end now!! The more conversations we have, the more we can challenge the perceptions and build wider understanding about the harsh realities of living in poverty.. Let's act together towards the deep changes our society needs".
"In this day and age, no one should be discriminated against."
"Everyone has human rights and everyone's rights need to be recognised".
"No to #discrimination on socio- economic grounds! Let's change the attitudes and actions that stigmatise and exclude people living in poverty. A law can help".
"This campaign is important because we are all in this together!"
"People dealing with poverty are the most affected daily by socio- economic discrimination. They are calling out for this to be added to the 9 grounds in Irish equality law, but they cannot do it alone. The #Addthe10th campaign needs the support of everyone in society. Join us".
"All human beings are born equal ! We need to fight to preserve everyone's rights !"
"We are all human beings and no one should be discriminated against because of their socio- economic status".
"I first met @ATDIreland when working with a self-help group in Ballymun over twenty years ago. I was impressed by the ATD culture of quietly working to improve the quality of life for those marginalised by society. I am delighted to be able to support their efforts".
"#Addthe10th Discrimination on the grounds of poverty is ever prevalent. It excludes, distances, stigmatises and restricts the ability to fully participate. We must work together to ensure that we leave no one behind #LNOB.We can do this by including those furthest behind first".
"People pay more attention to laws than to suggestions. Let's make it the law."
"It is extremely important to appoint this practice in Ireland as European courts have to protect us in law."
"Just do it ✔!!! End social discrimination in all its forms, if we don't who will?"
"In Ireland, the tribes are often identified by accent, location of residence, dress, etc., with free cautionary advice as to who we should associate with and it can be spotted with various actions as simple as activating a car door lock as one passes through a particular neighbourhood or the mimicking of an accent to demonstrate I am better than you."
"Fight against all forms of discrimination, including socio- economic discrimination."
"Peace is possible; stop discrimination and add the missing piece !!"
"I support adding the 10th alliance because it is important to create more awareness about socio-economic discrimination. It needs to stop now! "
"Legislation should come to support the efforts of the communities to build a world witout socio-economic discrimination"
"I support the campaign to #Addthe10th. End Socio-Economic Discrimination in Ireland".
"Couples shouldn't be judged for who they are or where they come from".
"People should not be judged for who they are or what they do. Don't judge a book by it's cover".
"Discrimination on socio-economic ground are the most invisible and not considered nowadays, #addthe10th and end this now!"
"Adding the 10th Act would be a significant step towards increasing societal awareness, raising consciousness and combatting the pervasive socio- economic discrimination in Ireland. I support the campaign- Add the 10th!" "A systematic issue like poverty requires a sytematic solution. A change to the constitution is merely the first step".
Trinity college second year social work students
Trinity college second year social work students
"The reality that people in poverty need to campaign to have the legal right not to be discriminated against is a sad reflection on our society".
" It is time to collectively work towards ending poverty and inequality, while working towards eliminating all forms of discrimination on both economic and social grounds".
"The Irish #AddThe10th #ZeroDiscrimination campaign supports a European momentum for the recognition of the #SocioEconomic ground of #Discrimination in an extended EU Charter of #FundamentalRights!"
"If we are serious about addressing inequality and poverty, we must eliminate discrimination on economic and social grounds"
Mary Lou McDonald supports the campaign to recognise socio- economic status as the tenth ground of discrimination in the equality legislation
"I support the campaign to #Addthe10th"
"If the norm becomes that discrimination is not to be tolerated, the stigma and stereotypes that underpin this socio-economic discrimination, in turn gets undermined and culture shifts"
"At SAOL Project we stand up and support the essential #Addthe10th campaign!!"
"Life is already so hard for many due to poverty - why is it OK to discriminate us on top of that ?"
"At SAOL Project we stand up and support the essential #Addthe10th campaign!!"
"Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states ‘Everyone has the right to a decent standard of living’ No one should be denied this as part of their human rights".
""In the UK we are working on a similar campaign #doyourdutyforequality with a group called Poverty to Solutions led by people with experience of poverty and socio-economic discrimination. We support the work you are doing in Ireland and #Addthe10th campaign "
"Socio Economic Discrimination is a violation of our basic civic & human rights, all discrimination must be eliminated and become a thing of the past. We all deserve a better future!"
"Not naming the reality and occurrence of discrimination based on the socio-economic background in the Equal Status Act can be seen as a way to say to some of the most deprived and vulnerable citizens in the country; Equality is not for you!''
"Socio Economic Discrimination needs to be challenged to achieve #EqualityforAll says @PaveePoint Co Director Martin Collins #Addthe10th"
"Nobody should be disadvantaged because of where they live or grew up. I support the #Addthe10th".
"To be excluded and discriminated due to poverty is a violation of human rights #addthe10th"
''The value of adding socio-economic status ground would, give people who experience discrimination on this ground the practical means to challenge their experience.’’
"We at CAN support the #Addthe10th campaign and are part of the #Addthe10th Alliance - a group if organisations working together to promote the importance of adding this new ground in #Irish #Equality #legislation"
"Glad to support the ⁦@ATDIreland ⁩ campaign to end socio-economic discrimination in Ireland. We need to make socio-economic status a 10th recognised ground of discrimination in the #EqualityActs #Equality #Addthe10th "
"It is a shame of whole humanity that the socio-economic discrimination happens so often till nowadays times and in so many places over the world. Let´s end with it together, here and now!"
End socio- economic discrimination now!
“The lack of recognition of socio-economic status as a ground of discrimination is a huge gap in Irish equality legislation”
It is essential for society to rely on the knowledge, intelligence, and energy of the poorest people
“Adding the 10th ground is a step in the right direction to put an end to socio-economic discrimination”
“Everyone deserves an equally change of life, no matter what their background”
“Government must address this gap in our equality legislation now, put in place good policies and practice so that it makes a positive difference to people’s lives!”
It is essential to recognize & address the #intersectionality across the grounds of #discrimination, people who face other forms of discrimination are exacerbated if less well off, have less resources & also experience socio-economic exclusion.
Ballymun Youth Reach - great group working with young people in Ballymun stand together in support of the #Addthe10th campaign
“I think that it is important to recognise socio-economic discrimination as the 10th ground of discrimination because it would allow those who are being discriminated against to seek legal compensation for being treated unfairly”
Socio-economic discrimination must be eliminated to achieve equality for all!
Discrimination of any kind is disrespectful to human dignity. Every person deserves to be values and to be well-integrated in the society. Make it happen! I support #Addthe10th
Will Irish society realise the suffering cause and what it is loosing out by discriminating against people who live in poverty?
I support the #Addthe10th campaign. Stop discrimination.
The body of case-law at ECtHR and European Committee of Social Rights have been progressive in protecting civil and political rights and social and economic rights in a complementary way. I support the recognition of socio-economic discrimination.
It’s against the law to discriminate against a person because of their race or religion, so why should we be able to discriminate against someone because of their socio-economic status? As a teacher, I’ve always fought and supported any opportunities for social mobility #addthe10th
“I support the campaign to #Addthe10th. End socio-economic discrimination in Ireland”
“Poverty has been an invisible burden on individuals, families, and communities for too long. Support the campaign so that poverty can be seen, tackled, and overcome.”
We support the #Addthe10th alliance and ATD Ireland in calling for an end to discrimination based on socio-economic status. Time to add the missing piece to our equality legislation
No one should be discriminated on grounds of poverty. Poverty is man made and blaming people for the economic condition they have been pushed into is immoral. Let’s make it unlawful too!
Discrimination is wrong and needs to stop!
The INOU are part of the ATD Ireland led #addthe10th campaign to see socio-economic status added to the current possible grounds of discrimination inequality legislation. No one should be denied an exit from poverty because they have experience poverty.
The reality that people in poverty need to campaign to have the legal right not to be discriminated against is a sad reflection on our society.
“All societies discriminate, shame, and stigmatise because of socio-economic background. It is so pervasive and normalised that we won’t think about considering it a ground for discrimination. Yet, if the law doesn’t, who will?”
The INOU are part of the ATD Ireland led #addthe10th campaign to see socio-economic status added to the current possible grounds of discrimination in equality legislation. No one should be denied an exit from poverty because they have experienced poverty.
I join with ATD Ireland and the #Addthe10th alliance who are calling for socio-economic status to be added to equality legislation
This is a great injustice hiding in plain sight!
Rich people become more rich and poor people become more poor. Poor people have no dignity and they must have human rights!
We stand in support of the #Addthe10th campaign: seeking recognition of socio-economic discrimination as a ground in Irish equality law
Happy to be supporting the campaign by ATD Ireland to end socio-economic status discrimination. Socio-economic status is something every person has no matter what. It is derived from occupation and can lead to the discrimination of people due to their position in society
Let’s act now! Not separately, but together. I support the #Addthe10th campaign!
One-parent families experience among the highest rates of poverty in Ireland. It’s time to make it illegal to discriminate based on someone’s socio-economic background.
The world will be a better place for everyone, if socio-economic discrimination is no longer accepted by state and citizens. Let’s get this done together!
“Adding this 10th ground is a step in the right direction to put an end to socio-economic discrimination”
The reality that people in poverty need to campaign to have the legal right not to be discriminated against is a sad reflection on our society
Socio-economic discrimination is important to me, growing up in Dublin inner city, I’ve seen over the years how we’re treated because of where we are from or how we speak, we are looked down upon. I don’t want my children to grow up in a world with discrimination!
Please #addthe10th now we want a better world for us when we grow up where we can achieve everything that we set our minds to, our mammy and daddy has put this mindset that anything that we set our head and ours hearts to that anything is possible!
I get discriminated against because I come from Ballymun and I come from poverty!
Discrimination undermines people’s sense of worth, and their efforts to overcome it. Allow it - no! Outlaw it together – yes!
Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone ahs the right to a decent standard of living.” No one should be denied this as part of their human rights.
Discrimination is discrimination! Q.E.D #Addthe10th