Compared the Equalities Act to the laws on Affirmative Action in South Africa

In South Africa they considered that people who were black were very disadvantaged by the oppression and subjugation of their race. When it comes to employment and education this means they never got the opportunities to be equally compared to white people.

Here's a little snip from the Equalities Act 2010 web page.
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010.aspx
"
On 2 December 2010 the Government announced that it will bring into force section 159 of the Equality Act 2010 in April 2011.  This will help employers achieve a more diverse workforce by giving them the option, when faced with candidates of equal merit, to choose a candidate from an under-represented group.
"
That takes a wide definition. But let's imagine the case of a person with a mental disability. For example my case. I went to a top university but suffered mental ill health. I battled through and had some help and managed to complete my degree and I know others didn't. Somehow I managed to get a job at a top 5 Best Place to Work for in the UK firm.

I say somehow. They used objective testing. irrespective of my mental condition (which must have been a in a well state at the time) I passed IQ, psychometric and other tests to get recruited as one of the lucky few. In the end I got a 3rd for my degree though I got a 2:1 for my disseration. Exam stress may unconsciously have always been a problem for me. The rest of the graduate recruits didn't suffer from mental ill health as far as I was aware though the company were very good at employing people with disabilities and differences in general. I wouldn't get the same shot now because my poor degree qualification would exclude me from the graduate program. I signed the contract before I got my exam results.

Equal merit probably means equivalent experience and education but that's ridiculous. People with disabilities have been historically offered fewer chances and are disadvantaged in subtle and obvious ways.

In South Africa the guilt of the past meant they did something radical. They applied percentages - a quota based system - rather than has wishy washy law like the Equalities Act. The grabbed the horns of the disadvantage bull and did something that would really make a difference to the disadvantaged.

The Fawcett society have used the Equalities Act to challenge the cuts to the welfare system. Good on them. But what about those with physical and mental disabilities, groups which may not have the significant lobbying power of the women's movement?

I'll tell you what. They get bent over and shafted.

Further more what about the poor as a whole? Cuts to the welfare system were only going to harm the poor most of all.

If we're truly trying to create an equal society we need to have big balls (or ovaries). Otherwise we're indirectly responsible for their early deaths, illness and the continued disadvantage fostered by modern civilisation.

The Equalities Act simply doesn't do enough.