Affirmative Action also known as employment equality in Canada and positive discrimination in United Kingdom is a policy that considers various factors that aim at benefiting underrepresented groups in society. The global Affirmative Action policy considers factors such as gender, nation of origin, religion, colour, and race in ensuring that the interests of all groups are adequately represented in various sectors including the education sector, business sector, and employment opportunities. The concept gained relevancy in 1960s as a mean of addressing gender and racial discrimination in hiring and training processes. In 1967, the concept Affirmative Action expanded focusing on historical gender discrimination in the society. Although the nature of Affirmative Action varies from one region to another depending on the social and economic need in a society, the core aim of this policy is to ensure equality in the distribution of resources and other social amenities. For instance, in countries such as India, Affirmative Action uses quota system where a certain percentage is set aside for female genders and members of identified race (Reza 17).
The core aim of Affirmative Action is to boost and promote opportunities for minority and segregated group in the society. This is with an aim of granting equal access similar to that of majority and privileged members of the society. The program is in most cases applicable in government institutions in order to make sure that designated minority groups are adequately involved in almost all social and economic programs. The proponents of the Affirmative Action assert that the policy is useful in compensating the past exploitation, discrimination and exploitation by ruling social class. Affirmative Action proponents also claims that the policy has proved to be relevant in bringing positive discrimination and in addressing the past and existing gender and racial discrimination.
Studies examining the impacts of Affirmative Action have confirmed that the initiative has been relatively productive in various parts of the world. For instance, in United States of America, the Affirmative Action has helped in advancing Hispanic blacks and white women into professional management and technical occupation in various economic and social sectors. Although the program has proved effective in boosting the living condition of the segregated section of the population, the plan is by large condemned by various economic experts and human right activists. Some America human right activists has criticised the program for increasing discrimination in the society. Instead of focusing on individual professional and academic performance, the program is criticised for discriminating people and especially men from well-up social class in job employment and promotion (Golland 27).
Concerning its implementation and application, Affirmative Action is implemented differently depending n the society needs and cultural beliefs and practices. Some communities use the plan to address women discrimination in the society while others use the plan to deal with historical racial discrimination. The plan is also largely applicable in government agencies and other public institutions. Although private organisation are advised to apply Affirmative Action in the recruitment and promotion activities, a good number private businesses are reluctant in using this program for fear that the initiative will compromise their professional interests. For example, in an effort to ensure that Affirmative Action is felt among European Union members, the organisation passed a regulation that seek to ensure that by 2020, over 40% of the non-executive board directorship in large business entities will be occupied by women. The plan also aims at improving and boosting women living condition and economic influence in the society (Norma 123).
Although some people have criticized the idea of Affirmative Action, the proponents of the policy have linked it to various social and economic achievements. As stated by individuals and organisations that support the policy, Affirmative Action has so far played a noticeable role in dealing with racial and genders discrimination that were experiences in the early 1900. Currently, a good number of women and vulnerable people in the society have an opportunity of attaining high positions in the society thus giving them an opportunity of not only improving their living condition, but also of generating an avenue to exploit their talent and ability. The Affirmative Action has also been successful in dealing with and in combating racial inequality and structural racism. The plan is also supported by a huge number of global professionals and social thinkers for maximising diversity in all social and economic levels.
As argued by proponents of the initiative, if implemented effectively, the plan is likely to elevate the status of perpetual underclass and will be vital in restoring equal access to society natural and artificial resources. Although the initiative has been criticised by a good number of modern men for alleviating discrimination, the Affirmative Action has received endless support from women especially from segregated population. Some men beliefs that, the initiative goes beyond its intended objective of ensuring equal access to resources to advancing the realm of preferential treatment. Promoters of the program recommend the initiative for supporting and promoting societal equality through the preferential treatment of socially and economically disadvantaged section of the population. The program has also proved useful in dealing with historical social injustices in the society. Furthermore, global support for the initiative has also been useful in helping it achieve a variety of its intended objectives. These include bridging gender equality gap in enumeration and recruitment, enriching states, increase access to education opportunity, bringing equality in organisation management and leadership, redressing past injustices and wrongs, and in addressing apparent social imbalance in the society (Oliver 113).
Despite gaining a considerable level of support, Affirmative Action has received endless criticism from some quarters for various purposes. The initiative is condemned for punishing modern society for the sins and wrongs that were committed by past generation. Through the adoption of the program, modern young men are denied equal access to employment opportunities due to the wrongs that were committed by their ancestors. In addition, some scholars claim that Affirmative Action devalues individual’s efforts and recognise policies that redressed traditional injustices and discrimination (Anderson 89). Recruiting and promoting individuals in reference to their genders without considering other valuable factors such as professionals and academic background have rendered the affirmative action counterproductive. Despite failing to achieve its intended goals and objective, Affirmative Action has also resulted to undesired side effects on social and economic progress in modern society.
Opponents of this initiative also discredit it for supporting and advocating for reverse discrimination and segregation. The opponents of the Affirmative Action also blames the initiative for hindering reconciliation replacing the old wrongs with new wrongs, undermining the effort and contribution of the minority groups, and in encouraging individuals to proclaim themselves as vulnerable groups even if they do not fit that class. The initiative has also faced criticism for increasing racial tension and in denying the advantaged people in the society the opportunity of benefiting from the available natural and social resources. The Affirmative Action also encourages the non-preferred section of the population to be described as the most effective people in the society. Therefore, instead of working hard to compete with other advantaged people in the society, the vulnerable section of the population uses the Affirmative Action to gain higher leadership position compromising the significant of individual merit (Alon 1505)
Based on the present outcome of the Affirmative Action, it is clear that the program has been fruitful in bringing equality in the society. Through the policy, the vulnerable section of the population has an opportunity of benefiting from the existing social and natural resources. There is also effective and attractive representation of groups from all walks of lives in modern public institutions and privates organisations. Vulnerable section of the population also has the opportunity of benefiting from the available employment opportunities. The Affirmative Action has also useful in supporting the exploitation of talents from the vulnerable section of the population.
However, for the initiative to be fully productive there is the need for continuous evaluation of the manner in which the initiative is implemented at all levels. Continuous assessment of the initiative will be useful in understanding some of the challenges in implementing the programs and generating sustainable intervention measures to deal with the identified problems. Teamwork and intensive consultation between all actors will also be useful in implementing the programs. The policy should also include a timeframe in which it is supposed to be effective. Poor planning has not only increased the critics of the program but has also resulted to intensive misuse of the policy.
Work Cited
Alon, Sigal.The Diversity Dividends of a Need-blind and Color-blind Affirmative Action Policy. Social Science Research, 40, 1, (2011), 1494-1505.
Anderson, Terry. The Pursuit of Fairness: A History of Affirmative Action. London: Oxford University Press 2011.Print.
Golland, David Hamilton. Constructing Affirmative Action: Federal Contract Compliance and the Building Construction Trades. New York, NY: City University of New York, 2008. Print.
Norma, Riccucci. Managing Diversity in Public Sector Workforces. New York, NY: Westview Press 2009. Print.
Oliver, Pollak. Antisemitism, the Harvard Plan, and the Roots of Reverse Discrimination. Jewish Social Studies 41, no. 2 (2013): 113–22
Reza Hasmath, Managing Ethnic Diversity: Meanings and Practices from an International Perspective. London: Ashgate. 2012. Print.
