DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT C: CITIZENS' RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS WOMEN'S RIGHTS & GENDER EQUALITY The Policy on Gender Equality in Latvia IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS Abstract Upon request by the FEMM Committee, this in-depth analysis provides an overview of the existing gender equality legislation, policies and practices in Latvia. The note discusses gender equality in decision making, employment, reconciliation of work and family life, eradication of violence against women, and regarding health and reproductive rights. Gender equality being a relatively new policy area in Latvia, substantial progress has been made in the last decade through the implementation of EU legislation and the work of non-governmental organizations. However, more work needs to be done in order to reach gender equality. PE 510.008 EN Document requested by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality AUTHOR Olga Rastrigina Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Erika Schulze Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs European Parliament B-1047 Bruxelles E-mail:
[email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN Translation: LV ABOUT THE EDITOR Policy Departments provide in-house and external expertise to support EP committees and other parliamentary bodies in shaping legislation and exercising democratic scrutiny. To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to:
[email protected] European Parliament, manuscript completed in January 2015. © European Union, Brussels 2015. This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.