This year’s theme for International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is ‘60th Anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Racial of Discrimination’. This day marks the milestones made to eliminate all forms of discrimination against race and the challenges that various races face. Racism refers to unfair treatment of people based on their place of origin and skin colour. This ultimately birthed slavery, ghettoisation and denial of equal rights and opportunities for all.
Discrimination is also portrayed during legislative meetings where laws are made against certain races. For instance, Donald Trump, the leader of the free world, has a well documented history of racial rhetoric. Over the years, Trump has repeatedly made discriminatory remarks, particularly targeting immigrants from Muslim communities and Mexicans, whom he has accused of being rapists, drug dealers and criminals. He also fuelled baseless accusations against his predecessor Barack Obama by questioning both his academic history and eligibility to serve as president. Former vice president Kamala Harris was not spared either as she faced similar scrutiny due to her parent’s immigrant background.
Immigrants, especially from Africa, occasionally face it rough in European countries where white privilege remains rampant. For instance, in this day and age racial disparities is deeply entrenched in the corporate world where white employees secure higher-paying positions while people of other races struggle to get promotions and fair wages. The imbalance is so blunt that when a black person achieves financial freedom, it sparks suspicion. An unequal number of non-white individuals are employed in blue-collar jobs such as cleaning, janitorial work, fruit picking; while white–collar jobs are largely dominated by white people. Racial profiling is also evident in supermarkets and grocery stores where black customers, especially black Americans, are closely watched under the notion that they are more likely to steal. Additionally, Muslims especially Somali immigrants face risky stereotypes being labelled as terrorists or linked to extremist groups. Discrimination to a large extent is seen in the public transport sector where some white passengers would rather stand than sit next to a black person. A significant portion of this discrimination is perpetuated by individuals commonly referred to as Karens which is a term for women who display racial prejudice and entitlement to belittle and harass people.
Locally, racial discrimination is evident in the hospitality industry where white privilege is highly esteemed. Service providers often prioritise white clients by offering them better services compared to Kenyan citizens. It is similar to how Kenyan mothers used to keep special utensils only for visitors. It is also amusing how some Kenyans change their accents and mannerisms to impress white people in spite of facing discrimination head-on.
Discrimination in Kenya also includes colourism where lighter skinned individuals are considered more attractive while darker-skinned labelled as ‘black beauty’. Pretty privilege has become common with light-skinned individuals often receive faster services, gain more attention and special treatment. Even in the make-up industry, some artists use lighter foundation shades on dark-skinned women making them look unnatural as lighter ones are often associated with beauty.
Let us commit to fostering a culture of equality and fairness for all.
Ms Tanui is a communication Specialist
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