Research

Discrimination Against Older People: Representative Opinion Survey of Lithuanian Residents (2023)

This representative survey was conducted by the public opinion and market research center “Vilmorus” on behalf of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. Over a thousand respondents from 25 cities and more than 40 villages took part in the research.

Survey period – 14-23 September, 2023

The Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson as a National Equality Body: Legal Regulation and Activities (2017)

Gediminas Andriukaitis, Birutė Sabatauskaitė (Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights)

The study was conducted while implementing European Commission financed project “Moving Towards Social Change: Building Knowledge Base and Effective Legislation on Equality and Non-Discrimination” funded by Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme. Project coordinator – The Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. Project partner – Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights.

Situation of Roma in Lithuania (2015)

VšĮ “Diversity Development Group”, survey team leader dr. Vita Petrušauskaitė

The aim of the survey was to collect representative data about the situation of Roma according to indicators specified in the Action Plan for Integration of Roma into Lithuanian Society 2015-2020, and to compare the data against the national average based on the annual Income and Living Conditions Survey by the Statistics Lithuania. Thus, the survey filled the gaps in the information about Roma housing conditions, financial situation, level of education, economic activity, living conditions and health status. The survey is commissioned by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson in the framework of the EU funded project “C.O.D.E.: Coming out for Equality and Diversity” (PROGRESS programme).

Research into the Situation of Women with Disabilities (2014)

Dr. Eglė Šumskienė, Rita Augutienė, dr. Jurga Jonutytė, dr. Gintaras Šumskas

The object of the qualitative social research — working age women with sensory, physical or psychosocial disabilities, intellectual disorders or complex disabilities. The research aim — with a special focus on the interplay between two grounds of discrimination — gender and disability — to analyse the quality of life of women with disabilities.
Research objectives:
1. To carry out the analysis of the legal and institutional environment for the protection of rights of the disabled and fight against discrimination with a special focus on women with disabilities.
2. To assess how women with disabilities view their quality of life in different areas: 2.1 Accessibility and mobility; 2.2 Safety and privacy; 2.3 Familial relationships; 2.4 Education; 2.5 Participation in the labour market; 2.6 Health; 2.7 Earnings and social guarantees; 2.8 Participation.
3. To disclose problems of self-identification particular to women with disabilities, their perception of femininity and identification with the disabled, and the joint impact of both attributes on the quality of their life.

Gender Equality in Lithuanian System of Education and Science (2013)

Prof. dr. Inga Žalėnienė, hab. dr. Ona Gražina Rakauskienė (Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania) and Danguolė Grigolovičienė (Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson’s Office, International School of Law and Business, Lithuania)

The survey of the Lithuanian academic community, carried on in 2013, demonstrated not satisfying picture in terms of gender discrimination. Firstly, men occupy top managerial positions at Lithuanian universities, when women concentrate on the lowest level administrative support staff positions. Secondly, among academic and research staff women mostly occupy lowest positions. Thirdly, women and men share equally lowest level management positions. Presented results of survey demonstrate essential differences of status between women and men in the Lithuanian academic community which have to be taken into account when shaping the national education and science policy. Considering existing situation, the effectiveness of valid legal regulation and strategically planning must be denied. It raises the need of improvements in this field and necessity of taking strict measures in order to ensure full equality in practice. One of the possibilities, which is highly recommended to discuss in society as well as at decision making level, are special interim measures, established by the laws that are applied with the aim to speed up factual implementation of equality between men and women. Similarly, it should be marked that the balance between the importance to realize the principle of academic ethics and fair competition, declared by the Law on higher education of Republic of Lithuania, and the principles of equality and non-discrimination should be found.