Gender Equality and Equal Treatment Commissioner

Overview

The Equality Commissioner is an independent and impartial official, an expert who monitors compliance with the requirements of the Gender Equality Act and the Equal Treatment Act. The Commissioner carries out surveillance in both the public and private sectors.
Any persons who suspect that they have been discriminated against – due to their sex, nationality (ethnic origin), race or skin colour, religion, views, age, disability or sexual orientation – can consult the Equality Commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner can also assist if persons have been treated less favourably due to their being a parent or having family obligations, or because they belong to a trade union.

Brief history

The Commissioner’s institution was created with the Gender Equality Act that came into force May 01, 2004. Until September 01, 2009, the Commissioner’s institution was responsible only for gender equality. The mandate of the Commissioner was broadened with the coming into force of the Equal Treatment Act (01 September 2009). Since then the Commissioner deals with all discrimination grounds listed in the two Acts.

Governing laws and regulations

Mandate

Sectors covered

Private, Public

Functions

• Making legally binding decisions on claims of discrimination
• Organising training, advising and capacity-building activities for particular stakeholders on meeting their obligations
• Organising awareness raising and communication activities
• Advising government on the development, adoption and amendment of law and policy
• Monitoring national law and policy from an equality perspective
• Carrying out specialist research on equality and non-discrimination
• Reporting to national and international bodies on discrimination issues
• Networking with relevant entities in the country and internationally

Fields and grounds

Other grounds

Estonia's Equal Treatment Act does not preclude the requirements of equal treatment in labour relations on grounds of any characteristic not specified in this Act, in particular due to family-related duties, social status, representation of the interests of employees or membership in an organisation of employees, level of language proficiency or duty to serve in defence forces. As for the ground of gender, this includes family obligations, gender identity, expression and other.

Other mandates of the institution

Multi-mandate equality body

National human rights institution

Institution

Management and Appointments

Management

Single headed equality body (led by director or ombudsman/commissioner)

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Procedure for nomination and appointment of management and board

The Commissioner is appointed for 5 years by the Minister of Social Affair

Regional or Local offices

This institution does not have regional officies.

Accountability

National Parliament, National Audit Institution