the unjust and/or prejudicial treatment of people based on a particular trait; for example, race, age, sex/gender identity, disability, sexual identity.

This can take many forms, such as exclusion or being treated less favourably. Discrimination may be indirect: that is, that there is a policy or rule that applies to everyone, but it has the effect of disadvantaging some people more due to a characteristic they share.

Increasingly, laws have been passed to prevent discrimination in areas of public life, such as employment, education and services – although exemptions apply – typically, but not exclusively, for religious organisations.