commission for racial equality: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low
UK/kəˌmɪʃn̩ fə ˌreɪʃl̩ iːˈkwɒləti/US/kəˌmɪʃn̩ fɚ ˌreɪʃl̩ iːˈkwɑːləti/

Formal, Official, Legal, Historical (UK)

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Quick answer

What does “commission for racial equality” mean?

The former (1976-2007) statutory body in the United Kingdom responsible for enforcing laws against racial discrimination and promoting racial harmony.

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Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The former (1976-2007) statutory body in the United Kingdom responsible for enforcing laws against racial discrimination and promoting racial harmony.

A formal, typically government-established, committee or authority with a mandate to address and eliminate racial prejudice, ensure equal treatment under the law, and promote positive relations between different racial or ethnic groups. Can also refer conceptually to similar bodies in other jurisdictions.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

In the UK, it is a specific historical institution. In the US, the term is not used for any specific federal body; similar functions are associated with the 'Civil Rights Division' of the Department of Justice or the 'Equal Employment Opportunity Commission' (EEOC).

Connotations

UK: Historical, specific legal/regulatory context. US: Would likely be interpreted as a general descriptive term for a hypothetical or local body.

Frequency

High frequency in UK historical/political/legal texts from 1976-2007. Very low frequency in American English, except in comparative studies.

Grammar

How to Use “commission for racial equality” in a Sentence

The [Commission for Racial Equality] + verb (investigated, published, recommended)A [commission for racial equality] + modal verb + be established

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
establishabolishchairinvestigateenforcestatutory
medium
report by theguidance from thefunded by thecomplaint to the
weak
formernationalindependentgovernment

Examples

Examples of “commission for racial equality” in a Sentence

verb

British English

  • The government was urged to commission a new review.

American English

  • The city council commissioned a study on bias.

adverb

British English

  • [N/A for this noun phrase]

American English

  • [N/A for this noun phrase]

adjective

British English

  • The report had a commissioned research section.

American English

  • She is a commissioned artist for the project.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Referenced in historical context of UK employment law compliance and diversity policies.

Academic

Studied in sociology, law, and political science as a case study in institutional anti-racism and public policy.

Everyday

Rarely used in casual conversation; might be mentioned by older generations or in discussions of UK political history.

Technical

Used in legal and human rights discourse to describe a model of a single-strand equality commission.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “commission for racial equality”

Strong

race relations board (historical predecessor)Equality Commission (generic)

Neutral

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)anti-discrimination bodyequal rights commission

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “commission for racial equality”

discriminatory institutionsegregationist body

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “commission for racial equality”

  • Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'commission for Racial equality').
  • Using the present tense for its active role (it was disbanded in 2007).
  • Confusing it with the current EHRC.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It operated from 1976 until 2007, when it was merged into the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

There is no direct equivalent. Similar functions are spread across agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

No. Complaints about racial discrimination in the UK should now be directed to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

It was part of a UK government reform to create a single equality body (the EHRC) covering all protected characteristics (race, gender, disability, etc.), aiming for a more integrated approach.

The former (1976-2007) statutory body in the United Kingdom responsible for enforcing laws against racial discrimination and promoting racial harmony.

Commission for racial equality is usually formal, official, legal, historical (uk) in register.

Commission for racial equality: in British English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪʃn̩ fə ˌreɪʃl̩ iːˈkwɒləti/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˌmɪʃn̩ fɚ ˌreɪʃl̩ iːˈkwɑːləti/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • [No specific idioms for this proper noun]

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

C.R.E. = Championing Racial Equality. Think of a 'CREw' working together for fairness.

Conceptual Metaphor

GUARDIAN OF FAIRNESS (The commission is conceptualized as a protector or watchdog overseeing racial justice).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
In 2007, the UK's Commission for Racial Equality was merged into the new and Human Rights Commission.
Multiple Choice

What was the primary legal function of the Commission for Racial Equality?

Practise

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