The following articles are particularly relevant:
(1) Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.
(1) All persons shall be equal before the law.
(2) Men and women shall have equal rights. The state shall promote the actual implementation of equal rights for women and men and take steps to eliminate disadvantages that now exist.
(3) No person shall be favoured or disfavoured because of sex, parentage, race, language, homeland and origin, faith, or religious or political opinions. No person shall be disfavoured because of disability.
Through the German General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG), in force since August 2006, the four European directives mentioned above have been in implemented in national law.
“The purpose of the Act is to prevent or eliminate discrimination on the basis of race, ethnic origin, gender, religion or ideology, disability, age, or sexual identity” (Section 1 AGG).
Click here to reach the Complaints Office (pursuant to the AGG).
- The German Framework Act on Higher Education (link in German only)
The German Higher Education Framework Act (Hochschulrahmengesetz, HRG), e.g., Section 3 Equality of women and men: “Higher education institutions promote the actual establishment of equality of women and men and work towards eliminating existing discrimination. State law shall establish and govern the responsibilities and rights of participation with respect to women and equal opportunity representatives at higher education institutions.”