For a while now we've been hearing about the Equal Opportunities bill which seems to have gone dormant. Today the Belize Network of NGO' held a press conference to resuscitate the conversation.
They launched a campaign named "Belize Wi Redi". Here's more.
Leveling the playing field in areas like employment, housing, services, health and education were all buzzwords at today's inaugural launch of the Belize Wi Ready Campaign. It's in support of the Equal Opportunities Bill and that was the sentiment shared by a panel of representatives from various organizations:
Janelle Chanona- Senator for NGO's
"First and foremost the bill in its name describes what it is trying to do and its creating equal opportunities for all and I think as we just heard even as specific as the bill is trying to be, 22 characteristics we are just hearing that specific to the violence aspect maybe it is that we are looking at gender based violence as a part of specific categories of who the bill is looking at and I think that why I like the name Equal opportunities for all because it doesn't matter then how we different it is that the bill is working to address and be inclusive and protect an enshrine the right that as we 've just heard some of panelist we were lead to believe we were born with but now we know we need to legislate so that we feel that we have these rights."
Dr. Elma Kay- Chairperson for Belize Network for NGO's
"We are here today to launch the Belize Wi Readi campaign. This is a campaign really to advocate for equal opportunity legislation which is in essence anti discrimination legislation for all Belizeans. We do have some laws in our country that provide certain protections but we do not have comprehensive legislation on this so please read we're any campaign is both aimed at creating public awareness and knowledge. What is the status of equal opportunities? What is the bill that has been there since 2019 and hasn't passed, there were some changes made. So we're launching a website, a public service announcement, all of that where the public can go and learn more about this equal opportunities bill."
The bill is essential for the NGO Community - which sees it as foundational to their work:
Dr. Elma Kay
"We as the Belize Network of NGOs, we advocate for good governance for sustainable human development. So it is our mandate to look at laws like this that help us advance our human rights agenda and that help us reach our potential. You know, in terms of human development, we can't have true human development if we still have discrimination rampant in our society."
The protections prescribed within the legislation are vast and varied:
Dr. Elma Kay
"There's about 22 characteristics, different protected characteristics that the bill looks like. For example, when it comes to like women, for example, just the act of being a woman right? Sometimes you're discriminated against because of sex or gender. We also have things like breastfeeding in public that is also something that is protected."
"You know, a person's suffering from HIV. All those things you know, associated with confidentiality and being able to get treatment, youth and access to educational opportunities. No one for example, should be discriminated against in terms of getting an education or housing all of those things because of who they are or because of where they live because of who they love. You know, all of these things should not be the basis of discrimination."
There is currently no legislation that protects Belizeans from discrimination based on race, age sex or disability.
