Non-discrimination

1. Definitions

• Prohibition of discrimination (negative approximation) requirement of equal treatment

• Encouragement of equal opportunity „positive discrimination”

2. Principled sources

• Theological: equality before God• Secular: fundamental principle of just society – norm of Kant of equal human dignity being due to everybody

Classical liberal democracy: equality before law = arbitrary non-discrimination + principle of negative freedom (Mill) prevention of injury of other people

Rawls: The theory of justness – existent social differencesfair equal opportunity – not unconditionallyUnjust 2 fundamental elements of justness:

* certain people less for prosperity of other people = unjustness* greater preference of certain people, improvement of conditions of poor people = not unjust

3. Non-discrimination as special right

• Independent right• Measure of enforcement of other rights procedural requirementForbidden classification: race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion,

political opinion, social ground, origins, color, sexual orientation, age + „any other grounds” (which individual cannot influence classical case of discrimination)

Deviation from the prohibition need to be verified – tests:• Reasonable differentation standing on objective basic: if there isn’t any

fundamental rights (earlier pension of miners) rationality test• Medium-strict examination: discrimination betwen genders, positive

discrimination important state interest• The strictest test: forcing state interest „suspicious reasons”: race,

ethinicity

4. Its appearance4.1. Mode of manifestation• Direct• Indirect (parttime)• Victimization – causing agonies

4.2. Legal documents• National: French Declaration, US Constitution (Lincoln: 13.

prohibition of slavery, 14. due process, 14. general suffrage)• International: UN Charter, Universal Declaration,

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ECHR Article 14 (accessorial right) + Additional Protocol 12, EU directives (2000/43, 78)

4.3. The Hungarian ConstitutionArticle 70/A para. (1) general egalitarian formula: race, color, gender,

language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origins, financial situation, birth or on any other grounds not only citizens, but legal entity too, not only fundamental rights Decision 61/1992 AB for the whole legal system

Article 70/A para. (2) The law shall provide for strict punishment Criminal Code, Civil Code, Labour Code, act on administrative procedure, act on consumer protection + Act CXXV of 2003 on equal treatment and encouragement of equal opportunity Decision 45/2000 AB

Article 70/A para. (3) measures for equal opportunity – positive discrimination is not unconstitutional (Decision 9/1990 AB)

Other provisions: Articles 9 (property), 54 (dignity), 56 (legal capacity), 57 (court), 66 (man-woman), 70/B (labour), 70/I (general and proportionate sharing of taxation), 71 (suffrage)

Test of MKAB: • Discrimination concerning fundamental right necessity-

proportionality test (stricter)• Concerning non-fundamental right rationality test (Criminal Code

Article 199)

5. Special fields

5.1. Discrimination on the basis of raceInternational:• UN- 1965: All types of racial discrimination• Council of Europe - ECRI• EU - 2000/43

National• US SC - Dred Scott (1856): Plessy v. Fergusson (1896):

„separate but equal”; Brown (1954): debarring of black citizenship; if separate, inherently unequal; Bakke (1978)

• Hungary: Case of Góman/Tiszavasvári/Patvarc

5.2. Discrimination on the basis of genderInternational

• UN Convenants + prohibition of discrimination against women

• Council of Europe: Article 14 + Additional Protocol 7 + Social Charter

• EU – labour of equal value ; ECJ: Kalanke: qouta system not, Marschall: individual quality yes; Charter of Fundamental Rights Article 23

National

• US v. Virginia (1996) – military school: the strictest measure

• Hungary: Decision 10/1990 AB – widow’s pension, Decision 46/1994 - women’s conscription, against men, too: Decision 7/1998 AB pension advantage to weaver; Municipial Court of Monor - Case of Profi

5.3. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation

International• Council of Europe the last several decades: Article 8 –

privacy age limit of consent, army, placement of children, but adoption not

• EU - directive 2000/78/EC expressly

National• US - Bowers v. Hardwick (1986) • Hungary: Decision 14/1995 AB, Decision 21/1996 AB,

Decision 20/1999 AB, Decision 37/2002AB rationality test + Sziget v. Tarlós

5.4. Positive discriminationInternational• UN: women and men• Council of Europe: nothing• EU: encouragement (see Case of Marschall)

National• US: affirmative action: „inverse discrimination” on the basis of racism

vs. „color-blind fundamentalism”• Hungary: unequality before the law (Heller, Gombár)

Decision 9/1990 AB, but in case of fundamental rights not!Plan of Ministry of Education about entrance examinationAct on non-discrimination – Drittwirkung

* direct discrimination from point a) to t); indirect; persecution; illegal separation; reprisal* giving preference* authority: from 01. 02. 2005

Thank you for your attention!