Situations of discrimination

Discrimination may occur in different situations, most commonly, at the workplace, in education institutions or when buying goods and services. State authorities and private entities or individuals are all bound by the prohibition of discrimination and may not treat anyone differently due to their characteristics.

Any differential treatment that is based on your characteristics, such as age, race, nationality etc. is generally prohibited. However, discrimination is more likely to be encountered in some areas rather than in others. Therefore, there are special rules to protect against discrimination in the area of employment, education, access to publicly available goods and services, healthcare and others.

important It is possible to experience discrimination and to protect your rights in other fields too, especially if you are discriminated against by public authorities, such as the police and other law enforcement or administrative bodies.

Discrimination & Human Rights

According to the Constitution of Estonia (Põhiseadus), no one may be discriminated. It is an autonomous right, that is, a right that you can rely on separately without reference to other rights, which may apply to any area regulated by the State. 

In some fields the prohibition of discrimination is more detailed, such as in employment, for example. There are generally fields where discrimination is more widespread, and where the European Union is also active in drafting legislation. In other fields, the protection is more general.

About this section

This section of the Guide will explain how the prohibition of discrimination applies in most common situations.

Human Rights Guide

A European platform for human rights education