syrjintälain

Syrjintälaki, or the Non-discrimination Act, is a Finnish law that prohibits discrimination on various grounds. The primary purpose of the law is to promote equality and prevent unfair treatment of individuals. It applies to many areas of life, including employment, education, provision of goods and services, and housing.

The law identifies several protected grounds for discrimination, which include age, origin, nationality, language, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, and other personal characteristics. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favorably than another person in a comparable situation on any of these grounds. Indirect discrimination occurs when an apparently neutral provision, criterion, or practice would put persons having a particular characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared to other persons, unless that provision, criterion, or practice is objectively justified by a legitimate aim and the means of achieving that aim are appropriate and necessary.

The Syrjintälaki also includes provisions on harassment, which is defined as unwanted conduct related to a protected ground that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. Victims of discrimination or harassment have legal avenues to seek redress, which may include compensation. Enforcement of the act is overseen by various authorities, including the Ombudsman for Minorities and the non-discrimination board. The law aims to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and fairness, regardless of their personal characteristics.