What is discrimination?

Discrimination is the unequal treatment of individuals in similar situations, without any objective justification or reasonable explanation.

It can manifest in various forms, such as based on gender, race, skin color, language, religion, political views, national minority status, and more.

Legal protections in Armenia

In the Republic of Armenia, various laws include provisions that prohibit discrimination. When addressing discrimination, it is essential to first identify the legislative framework you can use to seek protection.

For instance, in 2013, the RA Law on Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for Women and Men was enacted. This law defines forms of direct gender discrimination, which include:

• Discrimination based on marital status, pregnancy, or family responsibilities.

• Unequal pay for the same or equivalent work, or any change (increase or decrease) in pay or working conditions based on gender.

• Sexual harassment, which occurs when an individual is subjected to unfavorable treatment based on sex in similar circumstances.

• Failure to address an employee’s claim of sexual harassment at work.

If you believe you have been subject to discriminatory treatment, you must first identify the individuals with whom you were in a similar situation and demonstrate that the same or similar treatment should have been applied to you. If you can show that others in similar circumstances were treated more favorably, this may constitute discrimination.

However, differential treatment is not considered discriminatory if certain characteristics are deemed professional requirements necessary for the proper performance of the job or activity in question, based on the nature of the work or the specific demands of the profession.