ALERT: Українці, увага! Тут ви можете знайти важливі посилання з інформацією про ваше перебування в Чеській Республіці.

Published on July 21, 2014 News

Discrimination on grounds of sex – the main theme in raising public awareness and research activities in 2014 in the area of equal treatment

The Defender has decided to share her experience gained from inquiries into complaints regarding gender discrimination with inspection bodies, non-government organisations and legal counsels specialising in equal treatment. By means of round-table discussions, she will endeavour to share the findings available to ensure that all the mentioned entities are able to provide qualified help to victims of gender discrimination. One such discussion with the participation of inspection bodies was held in February. A meeting with the representatives of the non-government sector took place in April and a meeting with legal counsels is scheduled for September.

The Defender will also finish a research activity started by her predecessor JUDr. Pavel Varvařovský regarding the employment of women as paramedics. In the past, the former Defender had encountered complaints of women who had been constantly rejected for the mentioned position by potential employers with reference to Government Regulation No. 361/2007 Coll., which contains so-called weight limits for lifting (different for men and women). The results will be available in the second half of 2014.

Throughout the year, the Defender will carefully monitor the fulfilment of three recommendations made in the past. The first, repeatedly addressed to the Ministry of Health, concerned changes in secondary legislation regulating abortion (Decree No. 75/1986 Coll., as amended by Decree No. 467/1992 Coll.), which gives rise to unequal treatment of women on grounds of age. The second recommendation, addressed to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, was to draw attention of the department management to the necessity of increasing staff and more intensive methodological guidance (including continuous training) of employees of labour inspectorates in the area of (not only gender) discrimination. In April, employees of regional inspectorates attended the first seminar on that topic, held at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights. The third recommendation relates to the conditions for post-doctoral grant projects within Czech Science Foundation. Previous Defender had recommended that Czech Science Foundation change its rigid conditions with respect to the balance of work and private life of male and female scientists. Considering the latest media reports, the Defender is of the opinion that the discussion on this topic is not over.   

Activities aimed at raising public awareness in the area of discrimination on grounds of sex will be concluded with a two-day international conference called “Work-Life Balance” held at the Office of the Public Defender of Rights on 23 – 24 October 2014. The aim of the meeting is to "hold the mirror up" to the Czech Republic and look for examples of good governance abroad that could be incorporated in Czech legislation.

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