Equal Treatment and Equality in Estonia

Liisa Ly Pakosta, the Estonian Commissioner for Equal Treatment and Equality explained the work of the Equal Treatment and Gender Equality Office in Estonia. 

It is an independent state body, funded by tax payers.  The primary focus is to help people who think they have been discriminated against, and also to take action to promote equality and make proposals to the government.

The biggest proportion of complaints is to do with work-life balance, the second is disability, and the third is age.

Liisa explained that there is an Equal Treatment Law and a Gender Equality Law.  The Equal Treatment law is quite limited and doesn’t extend any further than the Equal Treatment directive.

Disability is protected in work life and as a ground in education but is not protected in services.  It means that if someone is refused a taxi if they are going to work or school or a lecture, they get free legal advice from the state.  The protection does not apply if the person is trying to take a taxi to visit their grandmother, or if they are going to a restaurant.

In Estonia taxis have the right to refuse a dog, any dog, unless it is a journey to work or any kind of education.  Disability is not protected for housing, or for services.

The commissioner explained that she wants the disability law extended to more areas of life, as it is with gender, and skin colour.  She was impressed to learn that in many countries an assistance dog access refusal is classed as direct unlawful discrimination.

She stressed the benefits of a person standing up for their rights.  They will also be helping other people who are not confident enough to do so.

She dealt with a case where training was being provided for disabled people only, but the training was not accessible.  Adjustments were able to be made, just hours before the training itself.  The training body looked more widely at other situations where adjustments were needed.