Racism is an artificially constructed social concept manifested through discrimination, prejudice, oppression, and biased attitudes toward groups of people based on their race. Such an attitude is validated by stereotypical thinking that asserts that a particular population of the same race shares the same qualities in terms of their characteristics or behavior. One of the instances of racism around the world is the manifestations of violence against indigenous women, which threatens the safety of this vulnerable group and should be mitigated.
Racism strongly shapes people’s attitudes toward others due to their difference. The implications of stereotypical thinking and consecutive racism were the antecedents of the imperial past when wars and conflict justified the opposition between population groups based on their distinction (“Violence against indigenous women,” 2022). In particular, the high rates of violence committed against indigenous women are rooted in the inequality and implied superiority of non-indigenous individuals over the representatives of a minority race. Regardless of the proven statistics and omnipresence of such racism manifestations, the impunity of such wrongdoings is alarming (“Violence against indigenous women,” 2022). Moreover, the overlapping of gender-based and race-based discrimination through violence demonstrates the depth of the problem. Among the efforts that have been made to combat this problem, research and policy proposals for international human rights law improvement are the most influential. In addition, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations promotes preventative and protection-based measures for indigenous women at risk of discriminatory violence. However, more effective systematic approaches are needed to eliminate racism within legal and social domains.
In conclusion, with the repeated instances of racism occurring worldwide, its persistence is most applicable to underrepresented indigenous people. In particular, female individuals representing indigenous groups are significantly vulnerable in light of racism and discrimination. It is essential to initiate practices to bridge the racial representation gap, eliminate the stereotypical perception of minorities, and promote non-discriminatory attitudes toward all people regardless of race.
References
Violence against indigenous women, ‘legacy of colonialism’ rooted in racism. (2022). Global Issues. Web.