Disability Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Disability Law - Essay Example Discrimination against these people is not justifiable since anybody is a potential candidate of this condition. The role that Equality Act 2010 has played cannot be underestimated. The equality Bill received royal assent in April 2010 and became an Act. It was a replacement of all the existing acts on discrimination. Actually it did consolidate all these legislations. Some of the acts that were consolidated to come up with the equality Act include Disability Discrimination Act 2005, The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and Equal Pay Act 19702. This act reforms, streamlines and harmonizes these previous legislations with the sole aim of achieving equality among people regardless of their physical or mental state. Thesis Statement The Equality Act 2010 has been very effective in eliminating disability discrimination in all walks of life starting from the physically to mentally disabled. Components of the Act The Equality Act 2010 covers up nine guarded features which make it a brea ch of law to discriminate any individual on the grounds of age, disability including those who have or previously have had a disability. It also makes it unlawful to discriminate against anybody on grounds of gender relocation, marriage and civil companionship, pregnancy and motherhood, race, religion or belief comprising lack of belief, gender and sexual orientation. The act covers fields such as those of employment, goods and services, facilities admissions and treatment of students. There are a number of significant changes in the Equality Act 2010 that have had a lot of positive impacts in the sector of education which is fundamental to the development of the country. The definition of direct discrimination has since changed to include the protection from discrimination based on both the perception and association for all the nine characteristics protected by the Act. Discrimination is no longer a direct and evident but sort of perceptual and associative. As such, the Act has be en very crucial in shaping the society by eliminating discrimination. The Act has also explicitly extended discrimination protection to disability. Again, this is with the view that those who are disabled either physically or mentally did not choose to be in the condition and, therefore, there is absolutely no reason to discriminate against them3. If anything, they are very important components that can steer the society forward if given the opportunity to do so and should, therefore, be made to feel equal to the rest of the society. The disability-related discrimination has also been replaced by a newer kind of discrimination: discrimination against disability. It is unlawful to discriminate anyone because of disability in any sector whether in education or in any other sector. The breastfeeding mothers can now be explicitly protected ensuring that a woman is neither looked down upon nor treated in a less favourable manner just because she is breastfeeding. With this in mind, a bre astfeeding mother feels free and as an important component of the society. She lives a stress free life since she is considered an equally important part of the society. The Act also protects pregnant students from discrimination. For a long time, students have been discriminated against on grounds of pregnancy. They are not treated fairly and equally giving rise to a sense of disorientation and isolation. This does not provide breathing space for academic excellence in schools. The Extent