Legal basis for equality work
The Central Equal Opportunities Officer works on the basis of the State Equal Opportunities Act and the Higher Education Act. Her tasks, rights and duties are defined in these laws.
NRW State Equal Opportunities Act
The Law on Equality between Women and Men for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (State Equality Act - LGG [short forms in German]) came into force in 1999. It serves to realize the fundamental right of equal rights for women and men and is therefore based on a binary gender order. Among other things, it stipulates that every office in NRW with at least 20 employees must appoint an equal opportunities officer. The duties and rights of an equal opportunities officer are set out in §§ 17 and 18 in particular.
- § Section 17 LGG: Tasks of the equal opportunities officer (in German)
- § Section 18 LGG: Rights of the equal opportunities officer (in German)
- Full text of the LGG (in German)
Higher Education Act of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
The Higher Education Act of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (or HG NRW as short forms in German) obliges universities to promote the actual implementation of equal rights for women and men at the university and to work towards the elimination of disadvantages for women. The HG NRW is also based on a binary gender order. The universities must consider the gender-specific effects of all proposals and decisions (gender mainstreaming).
- Full text HG NRW (in German)
General Equal Treatment Act
Another law with an important connection to the work of the Equal Opportunities Officer is the General Equal Treatment Act (or AGG as short forms in German). It is a federal law that aims to prevent or eliminate discrimination on the basis of racial ascription, ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity.
- General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) (in German)
- Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (in German)
- Guide to protection against discrimination at universities (in German)
Basic Law
The NRW State Equal Opportunities Act, the NRW Higher Education Act and the General Equal Treatment Act of the Federal Government serve to implement the fundamental rights to equal rights and freedom from discrimination enshrined in the Basic Law (or GG as short forms in German).
- Fundamental rights in general and Article 3 of the G (in German)
- Full version of the GG (in German)