Any distinction, exclusion or restriction based on a disability. This means treating a person or a group of people less favourably than another because of their disability (direct discrimination). This includes all forms of discrimination, including refusal to take reasonable measures. It’s possible to compare how a person with a disability and a person without a disability are treated in the same situation (when informing of project activities, during participation in activities, etc.). Discrimination usually comes from low awareness, negative prejudices and stereotypical attitudes towards a person or group of persons with disabilities. For example, there is a common misconception that people with reduced mobility also have a mental disability.
Discrimination also occurs when a seemingly neutral provision, criterion or practice puts people at a disadvantage compared to others because of their disability (indirect discrimination). Indirect discrimination can be identified through statistical evidence. For example, it’s possible to analyse the proportion of people with disabilities at different levels of education, and different gender, ethnicity and age groups of people with disabilities should also be considered separately.
If you feel that you’ve been treated unequally, please contact the Equality Commissioner by e-mail at avaldus@volinik.ee or telephone +372 626 9059. The anonymity of the person is guaranteed when contacting the Commissioner.
