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"Today we celebrate International Human Rights Day by remembering
the millions of people who fight discrimination and hatred and
strive to maintain the dignity and freedom of every human being
across the globe," Blagojevich said in observing the occasion. "By
signing and implementing new laws that strengthen the Illinois Human
Rights Act, the state is making sure individuals are protected
against discrimination." On Dec. 10, 1948, the General Assembly of
the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights. This declaration represents a common statement of
goals regarding human rights and other fundamental freedoms. It
recognizes, among other things: the fundamental rights of all people
to life, liberty and the security of person; the right to an
adequate standard of living; the right to own property; the right to
freedom of opinion and expression; the right to education, freedom
of thought, conscience and religion; and the right to freedom from
torture and degrading treatment.
"Human Rights Day is our chance to commemorate the work of human
rights workers -- whether they protect the rights of employees or of
those seeking decent housing or of those who are challenged by
life-and-death issues around the world," said Rocco Claps, director
of the Illinois Department of Human Rights. "Under the governor's
leadership, IDHR and the Commission on Hate Crimes and
Discrimination will continue to aggressively protect Illinoisans
from discrimination."
The department enforces the
Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on a
variety of bases, including race, sex, age, color, national origin,
disability and against sexual harassment -- in employment, housing,
public accommodations and financial credit. The agency provides
individuals with an avenue to address unlawful discrimination, and
through education and outreach it increases awareness among
individuals and helps them recognize forms of unlawful
discrimination. The department constantly monitors its operations to
ensure that staff members are trained to rapidly and effectively
respond to issues of discrimination and to seek appropriate remedies
for affected parties.
In 2004 alone, the department received over 4,000 charges of
discrimination and responded to more than 17,000 inquiries. During
the last three years, the department trained over 6,000 people on
how to avoid discrimination in the workplace and in housing and has
audited public contractors and other state agencies to ensure that
they follow Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action
guidelines.
Blagojevich has taken additional measures to protect individuals
and families against discrimination in Illinois, including:
- Signing into law
House Bill 917, which makes it a civil violation to coerce,
intimidate, threaten or interfere with an individual's right to
fair housing, including discriminatory actions such as racial
slurs and hate crimes. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2006.
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- Signing into law
Senate Bill 287, which makes it a hate crime to harass or
threaten an individual through telephones, faxes or e-mails,
including intentionally interrupting an individual's telephone
service. The law went into effect upon signing.
- Signing into law
Senate Bill 3186, which extends protections under the
Illinois Human Rights Act to protect people from discrimination
based on their sexual orientation. The state of Illinois holds
the distinction of being one of 15 states to protect an
individual from discrimination because of his or her sexual
orientation. Illinois is only one of five states to offer
protection for gender identity. The law goes into effect on Jan.
1, 2006.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights has expanded its programs
to meet the challenges of growth in an ever-more-complex world.
Through www.state.il.us/dhr,
the public has access to the Human Rights Act, rules and
regulations, forms for filing a charge, model policies, and
applications to qualify for bidding on state contracts. The
department continues to educate the public about the causes and
effects of discrimination and the right to live and work in an
environment free from unequal treatment.
This year, the department hosted the International Association of
Official Human Rights Agencies, which brought national prominence to
Illinois and a focus on the work of department. The current
membership for the association is 187 human and civil rights
agencies in the United States, Bermuda, Canada and Ghana.
Along with the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the Department
of Human Rights also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Illinois
Human Rights Act, which was created to protect Illinoisans from
discrimination and to establish and promote equal opportunity for
all. The governor's Human Rights Award was presented to several
human rights activists and organizations that worked toward building
tolerance and protecting the civil liberties of minority
communities. ["Gov.
Blagojevich commemorates 25th anniversary of the Illinois Human
Rights Act"]
The Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes was established
to combat hate and discrimination in Illinois, with its primary
emphasis on education as a tool to change pervasive attitudes of
intolerance and bigotry. Commissioners were recently appointed to
actively work with law enforcement, the courts, religious leaders,
schools, community organizations and social service agencies to
educate and foster acceptance and tolerance. The commission will
suggest statutory changes that will further uproot sources of
discrimination and bias.
Any individual wishing to file a discrimination complaint can do
so in writing, by phone or in person with any office of the
Department of Human Rights, generally within 180 days of the date of
the alleged discrimination. More information and complaint forms are
available through
http://www.state.il.us/dhr.
[Illinois
Department of Human Rights news release] |
