Human rights defender Leanid Svetsik achieved success in struggle against labor discrimination

Human rights defender Leanid Svetsik initiated amendment of the labor laws for stopping discrimination of citizens. The Constitutional Court considered his address and adopted a recommendation for the amendment of the Labor Code and the law On the employment of the population of the Republic of Belarus.

‘At present people need to specify their sex and age in the employment applications. As a result the men and women who are just beginning to work or are of near pension age, are subject to adverse discrimination during employment. It means that a part of the Belarusian citizens cannot realize their right to work. This situation allows for statement about violation of Articles 23, 32 and 41 of the Constitution,’ said Leanid Svetsik. The human rights defender also presented his arguments in his address to the Constitutional Court of Belarus.

On 27 July the first deputy head of the court secretariat A.Yuraha informed Mr. Svetsik that on 17 July the Constitutional Court had adopted ruling #R-360/2009 On ensuring the equal rights of citizens in the sphere of work. This document was published in the official media – Zviazda and Narodnaya Hazeta newspapers and was included in the National Register of legal acts of the Republic of Belarus.

In this ruling the Constitutional Court recognized the demands to the age and place of residence of citizens in the employment proposals as discriminatory conditions and recommended the government to amend the Labor Code and the law On employment of the population of the Republic of Belarus.