Equality and Diversity Policy

Aims

• Malayalee Association of the UK (hereafter “MAUK”) recognises that in our society, power is not held equally and that groups and individuals have been and continue to be discriminated against on many grounds including, for example, race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, class, religion, marital status and where they live.
• MAUK also recognises that where direct or indirect discrimination occurs within the organisation and/or towards members, it is both morally and legally unacceptable.
• The purpose of the Equality and Diversity Policy is to set out clearly and fully the positive action MAUK intends to take to combat direct and indirect discrimination in the organisation, in the services it provides and in its relationships with other bodies.
• In adopting this Equality and Diversity Policy, MAUK is also making an unequivocal commitment to implementing it, so as to ensure that equal opportunity becomes a reality.

Code of Practice

• MAUK provides activities for men and women over 60 years old. The group will take action to ensure that group activities and events are open and welcoming to everybody entitled to become a member.
• We aim to make our meetings and events accessible to people with disabilities – e.g. provide transport, meet inaccessible premises, provide sign language interpreters when necessary and produce information in large print.
• We provide interpreters in Malayalam at all our activities and meetings so everyone can participate.
• We aim to use local training opportunities to help our committee and members better understand how discrimination occurs and how to prevent it.
• MAUK’s Women’s Forum organises regular women-only meetings and activities, to support women to play a full and equal role in the group.
• All members of MAUK will have the Equality and Diversity Policy explained to them, and will undertake to comply with and implement this policy.
• Members who have experienced discrimination can make complaints to the co-ordinator, who is present at all weekly meetings. If the coordinator is unable to resolve the complaint, it will be referred to the Senior Management

Code of Conduct

• People will be treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and/or age.
• At all times people’s feelings will be valued and respected. Language or humour that people find offensive will not be used, e.g. sexist or racist jokes or terminology which is derogatory to someone with a disability.
• No one will be harassed, abused or intimidated on the ground of his or her race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability or age. Incidents of harassment will be taken seriously.

Dealing with Complaints

• The Senior Management will take complaints of discrimination and harassment very seriously.
• They will investigate them thoroughly, and provide opportunities for the person making the complaint to speak in a safe environment about their experience.
• If the complaint is against a particular individual, the committee will hear their point of view.
• The Senior Management will decide the action to take based on the principle of ensuring the continued inclusion and safety of any member who has experienced discrimination or harassment.
• Any decision to terminate someone’s membership will be made in line with the rules set out in the constitution.

Review

This policy will be reviewed every 2 years

Signed:                Sreejith Sreedharan

Chairperson

Date:                    18 November 2019