► Citizens Liberation

01/02 Policy

Valid AULUC 2007

 

CITIZENS LIBERATION

Proposed by the Sabbatical Team

THIS UNION BELIEVES

 

1.      That a civilised society depends on recognition of universal citizens’ rights
that are both natural and equal.

2.       That these rights are inalienable and are recognised as such in
international law’s and agreements.

3.       That discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexuality or disability is a denial of natural human rights.

4.       The traditional student liberation campaigns have embraced the principle of autonomy and self-organisation to promote such rights.

5.       That such organisation can act as a barrier to integrated involvement between groups and wider participation from so-called “non self-defining”
stakeholders in society.

6.       That such organisation has promoted exclusive messages at the risk of
alienating majority groups and expense of building inclusive coalitions capable of promoting a wider equality and diversity agenda.

 

THIS UNION FURTHER BELIEVES

 

1.       That ULU has a general duty to promote equality and diversity and should not prioritise any one of the traditionally student [autonomous] liberation campaigns.

2.       That single-issue liberation politics plays an important part in securing rights and freedoms; but that ULU’s liberation campaign should embrace inclusivity by building awareness of welfare problems common to both minority and majority groups in society.

3.       That tackling racism, sexism, homophobia and disability discrimination at source, through tackling the problem of bullying in schools, is an example of a practical way to highlight a common problem between diverse groups.

4.       That ULU’s campaign should aim to communicate strategically integrated anti-discrimination messages that help promote inclusivity and the general universality of rights, as well as take real action to solve the problem of racism, sexism and homophobia in society.

 

THIS UNION RESOLVES

 

1.          To mandate the Executive to launch publicity campaigns designed both to
build integrated awareness of gender, race, sexuality, and disability
discrimination; and in 2002-2003 to the linked problem of sexist, racist,
homophobic and disability bullying in schools.

2.          To mandate the ULU Women’s, Anti-Racism, LGB and Disabilities Officers to

co-ordinate integrated anti-discrimination programmes.

3.          To mandate the Executive to make provision for an appropriate training
programme for students who wish to volunteer to raise awareness of such
problems.

4.          To mandate the Executive within 2002-2003 to build links with schools and
co-ordinate activities between schools and volunteers.

5.          To mandate the Executive to raise awareness of the campaign in local and
national media outlets.

6.          To mandate the Executive to apply for funds through the Citizenship 21 Fund to contribute to the cost of the campaign.

7.          To mandate the Executive to annually review its programme by renewing its
identification of common problems between diverse groups and to develop
strategies that seek to raise integrated awareness of these problems.

 

PASSED: 21^st January 2002