Federal Minister of Justice Heiko Maas © Bernd von Jutrczenka
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) has called for better acceptance of non-Christian religions in Germany. This also applies to his ministry.
"A Muslim woman wearing a headscarf, a young man wearing a kippah or a minaret are just as much a part of Germany as the ringing of church bells," said Federal Justice Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) in Berlin on Tuesday. At the same time, he stressed that the answer to growing diversity cannot be to secure privileges for some and continue discrimination against others. The minister made his remarks at a ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of the General Equal Treatment Act (AAG).
The Bundestag passed the law in June 2006 after controversial political debate. It is intended to protect against discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, ethnic origin, racism, religion or ideology, and sexual identity, both at work and in everyday life. This includes the establishment of an independent federal anti-discrimination agency based at the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs.
More "Mehmets" and "Aishas" in the ministry
Maas emphasized that the AAG is working and that the horror vision that some had had has not become reality. Thus, the number of lawsuits before the labor courts is manageable. Discrimination has become less, but it has not disappeared. In order to further reduce these barriers, not only laws are necessary, but also changes in the minds of many people. One study, for example, found that applicants with a Turkish-sounding name received a rejection significantly more often than those with a German-sounding name for the same qualifications. There must be more "Mehmets" and "Aishas" in his ministry, too, he admitted.
For ten years, discrimination on the basis of gender, religion or disability has been prohibited in Germany. The General Equal Treatment Act has brought improvements, especially in professional life. Protection against discrimination is, in the words of Federal Justice Minister Maas, "more topical than we would like". Only equal treatment of all citizens secures domestic peace.
Still need for improvement
The law had contributed a great deal and had anchored the principle of equal treatment in labor and civil law. The head of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, Christine Luders, called the law a "milestone" in the fight against discrimination. It had initiated a cultural change in many areas. At the same time, she called for the legislature to address the ie again after ten years. For example, the time limits for reporting discrimination in the workplace would have to be extended from two to six months. In addition, he said, there must be the possibility of a representative action. The hurdle to file a complaint against an employer, for example, is too high for many people.
Maas replied that there was room for improvement in the AGG, and made it clear that the SPD supported the demands politically. But he did not hold out the prospect of an amendment. On the other hand, Maas wants to present a bill in October for the rehabilitation of men convicted in the Federal Republic and the GDR on the basis of the old homosexuality paragraph.
Germany is a role model
The EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourova, attested to the Federal Republic's pioneering role in anti-discrimination policy. Germany has gone beyond the minimum requirements of the European Union. The EU commissioner said that other countries could take a cue from this. At the EU level, a directive has yet to be adopted that would enshrine anti-discrimination law in civil law as well as in labor law.
Anti-discrimination law has led to improvements in German labor law, said Anja Schlewing, chairwoman of the Eighth Senate of the Federal Labor Court. Equal treatment has become part of labor law. The law not only helps to bring cases of discrimination to court, but also to prevent discrimination in the labor market. However, it has not disappeared.
Almost every third person is a victim of discrimination
According to a study by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, almost every third person has experienced discrimination in the past two years. In individual groups, the figures are reportedly higher. About 40 percent of the disabled said they had been discriminated against; among migrants, one in two said they had been discriminated against. Since the body was set up ten years ago, 16.000 citizens contacted the advisory team.
The Equal Treatment Act came into force in August 2006. It aims to eliminate discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religion or belief, and disability or age. It has an effect above all in working life, but also, for example, in tenancy law or in leisure time. Earlier this year, headlines were made when refugees and foreign-looking Germans were denied entry to discos in several cities.