On 18 March from 9:30 to 11:30, the Ministry of Welfare invites employers, employees of the public sector and educational institutions, as well as other interested participants to an online webinar “That’s just how things are done – or is it?”. The webinar will explore how commonly accepted social norms influence people’s equal opportunities to participate in society, education and the labour market, as well as access various services.
Relatively recent studies show that almost half (41%) of people in Latvia have experienced discriminatory attitudes in their daily lives due to certain visible or invisible characteristics, such as disability, age, gender or family situation. However, many people face discrimination for several reasons at the same time – in other words, they experience intersectional discrimination.
Discrimination often begins subtly in our everyday assumptions about what is “normal”, “acceptable” or “within someone’s abilities”, particularly when several discrimination factors overlap. These assumptions, behaviours and the way we talk about and with others create invisible barriers or “thresholds” that limit people’s equal opportunities. They can manifest in different ways – from prejudice during a job interview or negative attitudes on public transport to seemingly harmless comments that may make someone feel less included. At times we all encounter such thresholds, and sometimes we also create them unintentionally. The higher the threshold, the more difficult it becomes for a person to fully participate in work, education, society or even family life.
Unequal treatment often stems from behavioural patterns that have gradually become normalised and accepted as part of everyday life in society. Therefore, in the first part of the webinar, Agnese Cimdiņa, PhD, Head of Diversity and Inclusion Practice at PwC Latvia, will give a presentation on how perceptions of what is considered “normal” are formed in society and how social norms, culture and upbringing influence our attitudes and decisions. Using concrete examples, the presentation will analyse how perceptions of “normality” are shaped by factors such as gender, age and disability.
In the second part of the webinar, invited experts will participate in a discussion on how images of the “ideal candidate”, the “good student” or the “typical client” are formed, how visible and invisible characteristics influence these perceptions, and how they may affect people’s opportunities in the labour market, education and access to public services. The discussion will also address the role of stereotypes in everyday interactions and opportunities to create a more inclusive environment in organisations and society as a whole.
The panel discussion will feature:
Agnese Cimdiņa, PhD, Head of Diversity and Inclusion Practice, PwC Latvia
Ivars Balodis, Head of the association Apeirons (Association of Disabled People and Their Friends)
Aleksandrs Lange, MOT trainer and Principal of Babīte Secondary School
The webinar and discussion will be moderated by Arnis Krauze.
Participants can register for the webinar until 17 March at 16:00 by filling in the registration form.
By providing your email address, you will be registered to participate in the Ministry of Welfare webinar. A link to join the webinar online will be sent to this email address one day before the event.
Registration:
https://nolaidslieksni.lv/vebinars-ta-vienkarsi-ir-pienemts-vai-tiesam
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