How does article 14 combat discrimination?

Asked by: Norris Morissette  |  Last update: April 16, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (67 votes)

Article 14 combats discrimination by mandating equal protection under the law, meaning states can't deny anyone the same legal treatment, prohibiting unfair distinctions based on race, sex, religion, origin, etc., and requiring similar situations to be treated similarly, even addressing subtle disadvantages or policies that seem neutral but harm certain groups (indirect discrimination). It prevents arbitrary treatment and ensures fundamental rights are applied fairly to all individuals within a jurisdiction.

How does the 14th Amendment protect against discrimination?

The 14th Amendment provides, in part, that no state can "deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Title IX specifically prohibits sex discrimination.

What is Article 14 protection from discrimination?

Article 14 requires that all of the rights and freedoms set out in the Human Rights Act must be protected and applied without discrimination. Discrimination occurs when you are treated less favourably than another person in a similar situation and this treatment cannot be objectively and reasonably justified.

How does the 14th Amendment protect people?

Passed by the Senate on June 8, 1866, and ratified two years later, on July 9, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment granted citizenship to all persons "born or naturalized in the United States," including formerly enslaved people, and provided all citizens with “equal protection under the laws,” extending the provisions of ...

What are examples of Article 14 in action?

While the article only advocated for tort actions to protect one's privacy, the Supreme Court later elevated privacy to a fundamental right, protecting contraceptive sales in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), consensual sex in Lawrence v. Texas (2003), and same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges under substantive due ...

Article 14 Fundamental Right Indian Constitution | With Case Laws | 14(1) & 14(2)

43 related questions found

What laws protect people from discrimination?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

What are 5 examples of discrimination?

Five examples of discrimination include racial discrimination (not hiring someone due to race), gender discrimination (paying a woman less for the same job as a man), disability discrimination (denying service because someone uses a wheelchair), age discrimination (forcing older employees out), and religious discrimination (ridiculing someone for wearing a headscarf). These examples show unfair treatment in hiring, pay, services, or general environment based on protected characteristics like race, sex, age, disability, or religion.
 

What are the three major rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment?

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

How does the 14th Amendment protect privacy?

The Supreme Court, however, beginning as early as 1923 and continuing through its recent decisions, has broadly read the "liberty" guarantee of the Fourteenth Amendment to guarantee a fairly broad right of privacy that has come to encompass decisions about child rearing, procreation, marriage, and termination of ...

What happens if someone violates the Constitution?

This will typically be in the form of a lawsuit against the party that violated your constitutional rights. Generally, that would include the police officer who arrested you, though there are other players in your situation who could be liable.

What does article 14 explain?

Article 14 of the Constitution of India provides for equality before the law or equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. It states: "The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India."

What is Section 14 of the Anti discrimination Act?

14 Exception--genuine occupational qualification

(d) providing persons of a particular race with services for the purpose of promoting their welfare where those services can most effectively be provided by a person of the same race.

What does Article 14 of the human rights mean?

Article 14

Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

What are the four reasons why people discriminate against others?

Prejudice, ignorance, fear, and social influence are four reasons why people discriminate against others.

Does the clause protect against discrimination?

The Supreme Court has also used the Equal Protection Clause to prohibit discrimination on other bases besides race. Most laws are assessed under so-called “rational basis scrutiny.” Here, any plausible and legitimate reason for the discrimination is sufficient to render it constitutional.

How did the 14th Amendment affect women's rights?

As ratified, the Fourteenth Amendment did not specifically address women's suffrage, but Section 2 generally penalized states that restricted the voting rights of male inhabitants who were citizens at least twenty-one years of age by reducing the states' congressional representation. See U.S. Const.

Can you sue for violation of due process?

Section 1983 claims can involve various constitutional violations, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, due process, equal protection, and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. The law allows individuals to seek damages, injunctive relief, and attorney's fees for violations of their rights.

What cases involve the 14th Amendment right to privacy?

Eisenstadt v Baird (1971), and Lawrence v. Texas (2003) are two of the most prolific cases in which the Court extended the right to privacy. In each of these cases, the Court relied upon the Fourteenth Amendment, not penumbras.

Who is protected by right to privacy?

Article 12 states that “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

What is not protected by the 14th Amendment?

For many years, the Supreme Court ruled that the amendment did not extend the Bill of Rights to the states. Not only did the 14th Amendment fail to extend the Bill of Rights to the states; it also failed to protect the rights of Black citizens.

Why is the 14th Amendment controversial today?

The 14th Amendment is controversial today mainly due to debates over its core clauses—Citizenship, Due Process, and Equal Protection—especially concerning birthright citizenship for children of immigrants, affirmative action, LGBTQ+ rights, and the scope of federal power versus state power, with modern interpretations extending rights beyond original intent, sparking debates on judicial activism versus originalism, and challenges to precedents like Roe v. Wade and marriage equality. 

Who does the 14th Amendment protect?

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

How to prove you are being discriminated against?

The 4 Legal Criteria Needed to Prove Discrimination at Work

  1. You Belong to a Protected Class. ...
  2. Your Employer Made an Adverse Employment Decision. ...
  3. You Met Reasonable Expectations for Job Performance, Job Qualifications, or Availability to Work. ...
  4. Your Employer's Adverse Actions Suggest Discrimination.

What are the 14 types of discrimination?

The 14 prohibited grounds for discrimination or harassment

  • Race. ...
  • It's the color of your skin.
  • It is for example the fact of being a woman or a man. ...
  • Gender identity or gender expression. ...
  • It's the fact of being pregnant and having a baby. ...
  • It is the emotional or sexual attraction to someone. ...
  • It's your family status.

What is legally considered discrimination?

The laws enforced by EEOC protect you from employment discrimination when it involves: Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age (age 40 or older), or genetic information.