Wide-ranging definitions and concepts of ethnic, racial, religious, and nationality discrimination are applied in the fields of employment, vocational training, and employment, but not in social protection, social advantages, and access to housing and health. Enforcement mechanisms are the second weakest in the 28 MIPEX countries, after LV. For instance, only in gender discrimination cases can migrants rely on the shift in the burden of proof or protection against victimisation (and then only in employment). NGOs (specifically, legal entities with a legitimate interest in defending equality) cannot support victims by taking a case to court. And in the end, the possible sanctions for perpetrators are limited to fines, which go to the State budget and not to the victim. Lithuanian equality policies would reach best practice if the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman could go to court on behalf of the victim; and if the state had to inform the public about their rights and lead public dialogue about discrimination.
