State parliament discusses SSW proposal: anti-discrimination law
The SSW wants to enshrine protection against discrimination in law in Schleswig-Holstein. "Protecting people from discrimination is an absolute core task of our constitutional state," said Christian Dirschauer, Parliamentary Secretary of the SSW. The law would extend protection against discrimination to include national minorities, social status and chronic illnesses. However, it is not about placing the public administration under general suspicion.
Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré (Greens) emphasized that the country had something to show in terms of protection against discrimination. For example, the prohibition of discrimination has already been included in the administrative law. The ministry intends to reform the Equality Act next year. Anti-discrimination is everyday practice.
The MPs want to discuss the draft law in committee. "We agree: discrimination is unacceptable," said CDU social politician Werner Kalinka. However, it is questionable whether there is actually a need for action. Because: "We are not aware of any significant deficits in our country."
The draft of the parliamentary group of the Party of Danish and Frisian Minorities is based on the Berlin law. The draft states: "No person may be discriminated against on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, a racist and anti-Semitic attribution, religion and ideology, disability, chronic illness, age, language, membership of a national minority or ethnic group, sexual and gender identity or social status within the framework of public law."
The SSW justified its initiative by stating that no law currently effectively protects pupils from bullying and discrimination, for example. At the presentation of the draft at the end of October, Dirschauer emphasized that when Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) called on schools to take consistent action against anti-Semitic hostility in schools, there was actually no legal basis for this.
The Parliament is currently deliberating on the SSW's proposal to strengthen anti-discrimination laws in Schleswig-Holstein, particularly extending protection to national minorities, social status, and chronic illnesses. Despite this, Social Affairs Minister Aminata Touré highlighted that the country already has anti-discrimination measures in place, such as the prohibition of discrimination in administrative law.
Source: www.dpa.com
