Equality

Equality refers to the equal treatment, both in law and in practice, of all people, regardless of individual characteristics such as gender, origin, religion, age or disability. The aim is to eliminate existing disadvantages and to ensure that all people have equal rights, opportunities and the chance to participate in society. This also means that people with disabilities must not be discriminated against and must have the same opportunities for education, work, political participation and social inclusion as people without disabilities. Equality goes beyond mere formal equality of rights and also encompasses active measures (e.g. removing barriers, introducing disadvantage compensation) to achieve genuine equality.

Legally, equality is enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law (Article 3(3) of the Basic Law), which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability. At the international level, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) emphasises equality as a fundamental human right.