The Tennessee Human Rights Commission released The Status of Human Rights in Tennessee Report on Friday at the commission board meeting.
The Status of Human Rights Report is a compilation of testimony from the Spring 2014 hearings conducted in Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Memphis. The testimony presents current issues, trends best practices,programs, possible solutions, and recommendations for actions human and civil rights issues.
The topics are employment, housing, access to programs and services, justice and law enforcement, immigration and new Americans, LGBT, voting rights, homelessness, disability rights, education, violence against women and other crimes and other human and civil rights concerns.
The report includes statistical data, trends, and information about discrimination complaints in Tennessee.
Executive Director Beverly Watts said, “This report highlights some critical human rights issues facing our state. Over the next several months, the Commission will hold presentations across the state to educate the public about the issues in the report, identify possible concerns where we should expand current law and get feedback from the public on the critical concerns in their communities."
The report has been published at www.tn.gov/humanrights. Black and white hard copy can be obtained by phone at 800 251-3589 or via the “Contact Us” link on the THRC website.
The Commission’s role, by means of enforcement and education, is to safeguard the citizens of Tennessee from discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations in regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, disability, age, national origin, and familial status.
For more information on the THRC, including its role, policies, or the laws that govern the agency, call 800 251-3589 or visit the agency’s website atwww.tn.gov/humanrights. Inquiries can be made by calling Erica Kesse at 800 251-3589 or by email atErica.Kesse@tn.gov.