discrimination

Discrimination is an intentional or unintentional act which makes a distinction between two or more things.

Discrimination is usually experienced in a negative form e.g. a person not being chosen for a job/promotion ultimately because of an invalid reason e.g. a person's religion compared to their ability to do a job. This is direct discrimination.

Indirect discrimination occurs when provisions, criteria or practices, whilst appearing to apply to everyone, in practice put a particular group of people at a disadvantage e.g. advertising for a "husband and wife team" excludes unmarried and same-sex partners.

Positive discrimination occurs consciously e.g. when a political party wishes to increase the number of women MPs by having women-only candidate shortlists or when an organisation wishes to increase the proportion of black and ethnic minority or disabled workers.