Statement on the draft Government proposal to extend the gender equality planning obligation to early childhood education and care (TAS 192/2022, issued on 25 May 2022)
The Ombudsman for Equality submitted to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health a statement on the draft Government proposal that would extend the gender equality planning obligation to include early childhood education and care.
Inconsistent provisions create unnecessary confusion
The Ombudsman for Equality took a critical view of the draft proposal drawn up at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in 2020 (statement TAS 58/2020). Despite the clear improvements made in the newly completed draft, the Ombudsman for Equality presents their concern that, in the Equality Act and the Non-Discrimination Act, the proposal would still enact provisions with different content on the obligation to promote non-discrimination on the one hand and gender equality on the other in early childhood education and care.
The Ombudsman for Equality hopes that the Government would find a common will to avoid a situation in which the entries in the Equality Act and the Non-Discrimination Act on promoting non-discrimination and gender equality in early childhood education and care would differ from each other. This is the current situation regarding provisions on educational institutions. The current differing provisions cause difficulties and unnecessary confusion for schools and educational institutions applying the current provisions. It is not in anyone's interest to expand the current inconsistent practice to early childhood education and care. The Ombudsman for Equality stressed the same issue in the statement they submitted to the Ministry of Justice on the partial reform of the Non-Discrimination Act (TAS 159/2022, 19 May 2022).
However, despite certain concerns, the Ombudsman for Equality supports the goals of the proposal. The Ombudsman for Equality considers it important that gender equality is promoted in early childhood education and care as well, and that the early childhood education and care provided to children is gender- and equality-aware. To be successful, this requires commitment and competence.
Equality work requires commitment and competence
Staff competencies play a key role in the promotion of gender equality in early childhood education and care. There is currently a great deal of variation in the equality expertise of those working in the field of early childhood education and care, due to factors such as the heterogeneous educational backgrounds of the personnel. That is why the gender- and equality-aware treatment of children should be taken into account both in the basic and in the continuing training of early childhood education and care personnel.
The Ombudsman for Equality reminds the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of the fact that the gender equality planning obligation alone will not guarantee any results. When well prepared, a gender equality plan can be a useful instrument in the systematic and goal-oriented equality work to which early childhood education and care must also commit itself. First and foremost, the gender equality plan should be seen as an opportunity to evaluate and develop the respective operations of establishments providing early childhood education and care from the perspective of gender equality.
Legislation or the obligation to prepare an equality plan provides only limited opportunities to affect the promotion of gender equality. To be successful, equality work requires – in addition to provisions – the commitment and systematic and continuous training of personnel working in early childhood education and care.
31.05.2022
