Zero Discrimination Day is observed on March 1 every year to promote diversity and recognizes that everyone counts. Organizations like the United Nations (UN) actively promote the day with various activities to celebrate everyone’s right to live a full life with dignity regardless of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, skin color, height, weight, profession, education, and beliefs.  This year’s theme is Stand Out and encourages everyone to stand for fair and just societies.

Discrimination remains widespread—gender, nationality, age, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or religion can all unfortunately be the basis for some form of discrimination. In only four out of 10 countries worldwide do equal numbers of girls and boys attend secondary school.

Many countries have laws against discrimination but it’s still a problem in all layers of society in every country in the world. Many countries have and still use discrimination as a way of governing.

The symbol for Zero Discrimination Day is the butterfly.

This symbol is widely used by people to share their stories and photos as a way to end discrimination and work towards positive transformation.

Zero Discrimination Day was launched by UNAIDS, a United Nations program on HIV and AIDS, in December 2013. It was adopted by the UN the following March and is now observed annually. Zero Discrimination Day calls for transformative action.

Reference WHO