Let’s talk about equality and equity

- [Narrator] Article one,

universal declaration of human rights.

All human beings are born free

and equal in dignity and rights.

Hmm, sounds pretty good to me.

But if we are all equal,

then why aren't we all treated equally?

And is treating every person exactly the same

always the best thing to do?

What I'm actually talking about here is

the difference between equality and equity.

They sound almost the same,

but these words mean slightly different things.

First up, what is equality?

Equality is recognising that as human beings,

we all have the same value.

This means we all have the same rights.

We should all receive the same level of respect

and have the same access to opportunities.

This isn't just a nice idea.

There are actual laws supporting this.

So it's kind of a big deal.

If we know equality is about treating everyone

in the same way,

then we can think of equity

as everyone achieving equal outcomes.

Okay, it's like this.

We all have the same value and deserve a good life.

But we all start from a different place,

and we are all wonderfully different

and experience the world in our own unique way.

It's because of these differences

that we sometimes need to be treated differently

for us all to live safely,

healthily, happily, and equally.

This means that we need to look at what individual people

and communities need in order to achieve equity.

So while treating everyone the same

may seem like a lovely ideal,

it may not always result in achieving equity

because we're not all the same.

In fact, sometimes treating everyone the same way

can be a disadvantage.

Like expecting everyone

to read the same book written in French,

even though some people may not understand French.

That could be pretty confusing.

Think of it like this.

Equality is giving everyone the same ladder

to pick these juicy mangoes.

And equity is recognising

that not everyone can pick the mango using the same ladder.

Ah, that's better.

The mangoes are our opportunities and stuff.

Sometimes we need to make choices

and take actions that help protect our community,

like washing your hands and wearing a mask

when you visit someone really sick.

Even though we might not be the ones in danger

of getting sick, by doing something small,

we can help look after everyone.

So it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from,

what you look like, what you believe, think, or do.

Every human has the same value

and is deserving of the same mangoes, I mean, opportunities.

Creating a world that is fair for everyone

is up to all of us.

We can help by looking out for each other,

showing one another respect,

and thinking about

the different ways others may experience the world.

[gentle music]