Victoria’s rich cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Regardless of where you’re from, what you look like, what you believe or what language you speak, no one should have to endure racism in the place they call home.
We have created this hub as a one-stop shop to help people understand and combat racism. The hub also hosts a range of digital resources for communities who experience racial or religious discrimination and vilification to access information about their rights and reporting options.
Our laws protect you from discrimination and vilification because of your race or your religion. No one should be treated unfairly because of where they come from, how they look or the language they speak.
Racism can range from microaggressions and casual racism, bullying and harassment, or unfair treatment – all the way through to verbal abuse and violence.
This is all racism.
The Commission has a significant role to play in protecting the rights of all Victorians.
Under the Equal Opportunity Act, the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act and the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act, the Commission works to protect people against racism. From our consultations and ongoing community engagement, we know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and members from certain multicultural communities are disproportionately affected by racism in Victoria.
One the Commission’s Strategic priorities outlined in our Strategic Plan 2017–23 is to Reduce Racism. It constitutes a core part of our Aboriginal Community Engagement Strategy 2020-22, under which we have committed to improving how we engage and deliver services, and the Multicultural and Multifaith Engagement Action Plan 2018–22, under which we increase understanding within the broader Victorian community of the harm caused by racism and the need to stand up to racism.
To make it easier for First Nations people and multicultural and multifaith communities to report racism and exercise their rights, this Reducing Racism Hub hosts our racism related resources to help you connect your community members with information and support.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as our First Peoples and uphold your culture, history, diversity and deep connection to the land.
We recognise the harm caused by race discrimination and vilification. It is against the law to treat you unfairly or bully you because you are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
In Victoria our First Nations peoples also have special cultural rights under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities.
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