Non-discrimination

1
Non-discrimination
2
1. Definitions

• Prohibition of discrimination (negative
  approximation) ? requirement of equal treatment
• Encouragement of equal opportunity ? positive
  discrimination

3
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
  differences
• fair equal opportunity not unconditionally
• Unjust ? 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

4
3. Non-discrimination as special right

• Independent right
• Measure of enforcement of other rights ?
  procedural requirement
• Forbidden 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 isnt 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

5
4. Its appearance

• 4.1. 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)

6

• 4.3. The Hungarian Constitution
• Article 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)

7
5. Special fields

• 5.1. Discrimination on the basis of race
• International
• 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

8

• 5.2. Discrimination on the basis of gender
• International
• 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 widows pension,
  Decision 46/1994 - womens conscription, against
  men, too Decision 7/1998 AB pension advantage to
  weaver Municipial Court of Monor - Case of Profi

9

• 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

10

• 5.4. Positive discrimination
• International
• 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
  examination
• Act on non-discrimination Drittwirkung
• direct discrimination from point a) to t)
  indirect persecution illegal separation
  reprisal
• giving preference
• authority from 01. 02. 2005

11
Thank you for your attention!