Dispute Resolution Team The Dispute Resolution (DR) team provides a free and confidential dispute resolution service for people complaining about unlawful discrimination under the Act. Dispute resolution is a powerful tool that provides the parties with an opportunity to resolve the complaint with the help of a mediator.6 Dispute resolution also educates and enables outcomes that address systemic causes of discrimination.7 in 2022-23, the Commission facilitated the highest number of mediations to date. The increase in mediations reflects our increased use of online mediations. Discrimination complaints received by type Unlawful discrimination is where a person or group is treated differently or unfavourably compared with someone else in the same situation: The dispute resolution process is flexible and influenced by the nature of the complaint and the needs of the people involved. As a first step, the mediator may attempt the early resolution of a complaint. This can involve the mediator providing information to help parties resolve the situation themselves, without a formal process. Where early resolution is not suitable or is unsuccessful in resolving a complaint, a mediator may offer a more formal mediation meeting that supports parties to safely work through the issues and discuss ways to resolve the complaint. Parties may involve support people such as whānau, advocates or lawyers. • because of one or more of the prohibited grounds (also known as personal characteristics) • in an area of public life under the Human Rights Act. The Act also covers other forms of discrimination, such as sexual or racial harassment.8 Disability continues to be the most prevalent ground for complaints, followed by ‘race-related’ complaints (the grounds of race, colour, or ethnic or national origin). During 2022-23, DR received 887 complaints alleging unlawful discrimination. Although the number of complaints referred to DR decreased Table 2 shows the top four complaint grounds received where people alleged unlawful discrimination.9 6 7 8 9 Year Disability Race-related Sex Age 2022/23 360 260 71 58 Mediators are dispute resolution practitioners who are impartial and fair. Mediators do not take the sides of any party to a complaint or decide the outcomes for the parties. Systemic outcomes are outcomes beyond the individual circumstances of a complaint and the parties involved, therefore having a positive wider impact. Other types of discrimination include sexual and racial harassment, racial disharmony, victimisation, where an employer treats an employee adversely because the employee experienced family violence, conversion practices, and complaints about advertisements. Complaints may cite more than one ground. Therefore, the total number of grounds does not reflect the total amount of complaints. 33