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All EU countries are required, according to the EU's Racial Equality Directive of 2000, to designate "National Equality Bodies" for the promotion of equal treatment.
EU law
EU law requires EU countries to designate a body for the promotion, analysis, monitoring and support of equal treatment of all persons on grounds of sex:
- At work (Directive 2006/54/EC
) - Outside employment (Directive 2004/113/EC )
Network of gender equality bodies
An EU network of equality bodies was set up in 2006. The purpose of the network is to promote a uniform implementation of EU law in the field of equal treatment of women and men, and to encourage the exchange of best practices between national equality bodies and the European Commission.
National gender equality bodies are responsible for:
- providing independent assistance to victims of discrimination in pursuing their complaints about discrimination;
- conducting independent surveys concerning discrimination;
- publishing independent reports and making recommendations on any issue relating to such discrimination.
The network meets twice per year. Issues discussed by the network have included:
- discrimination related to pregnancy, maternity leave, parental leave and paternity leave (2007);
- the gender pay gap (legal background, definitions and initiatives concerning Equal Pay in EU law, practices linked to Equal Pay at national level, best practices and case law (2008);
- access to goods and services , and the implementation of Directive 2004/113/EC (2009);
- equality of self-employed women and men , Directive 2010/41/EU (2010).
National gender equality bodies
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Austria |
Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft
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Belgium |
Institut pour l'Egalité des Femmes et des Hommes
Instituut voor de Gelijkheid van Vrouwen en Mannen
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Bulgaria |
Комисия за защита от дискриминация
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Cyprus |
Γραφείο Επιτρόπου Διοικήσεως (Ομπουτσμαν) - Αρχική Σελίδα
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Czech Republic |
Rada vlády ČR pro rovné příležitosti žen a mužů
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Denmark |
Ligebehandlingsnævnet
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Estonia |
Soolise võrdõiguslikkuse volinik
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Finland |
Tasa -arvo naisten ja miesten välillä
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France |
Haute Autorité de Lutte contre les Discrimination et pour l'Egalité- HALDE
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Germany |
Antidiskriminierungsstelle
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Greece |
Συνήγορος του Πολίτη
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Hungary |
Equal Treatment Authority (Egyenlő Bánásmód Hatóság)
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Ireland |
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Italy |
Ministero del Lavoro, della Salute e delle Politiche Sociali - Comitato Nazionale di Parità
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Latvia |
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Lithuania |
Seimas
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Luxembourg |
Ministère de l'égalité des chances
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Malta |
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The Netherlands |
Commissie Gelijke Behandeling
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Poland |
Ministerstwo Pracy i Polityki Społecznej
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Portugal |
CITE Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e no Emprego
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Romania |
Agenţia Naţională pentru Egalitatea de Şanse
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Slovakia |
Ministerstvo práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny
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Slovenia |
Urad za enake možnosti
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Spain |
Instituto de la Mujer
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Sweden |
Diskriminerings ombudsmannen
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United Kingdom |