Overall assessment

• Author: Davulis, Tomas
• Pages: 54-54

54

12 Overall assessment

The following transposition problems were mentioned in this report:

1. Reluctance of victims to use available legal remedies for protection of infringed

individual rights;

2. Lack of readiness of trade unions, NGOs and equality body to p rovide special legal

aid to individual victims;

3. No deterrent sanctions for employers and perpetrators;

4. Social benefit and employment guarantees system which discourages women to

return sooner to the active labour market;

5. Low impact of the equality body in setting up a political agenda and gender

mainstreaming;

6. Lack of interest of the social partners in p ursuing an active agenda of non-

discrimination.

The principle of equal treatment is enshrined in the national legislation but has not

dramatically changed the landscape of employment. Although the tools for individual

protection are in place, potential victims are still reluctant to use these to engage in direct

confrontation with an employer. The number of litigations is ridiculously low, as employees

are reluctant to protect their rights through legal chan nels. Because of hi gh demand on

the labour market in Lithuania, employees simply refuse to continue their employment

relationships with employ ers and easily migrate to new employment. The social partners

and NGOs play no sig nificant role in promoting the principle of equality in the workplac e.

The impact of the activities of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson is rather fragmental

and limited.