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The Office of Equal Opportunities Ombudsman (functions since 1999), which is an independent state institution answerable to the Parliament, is one of the key institutions within the equal opportunities and gender equality machinery. It takes overall responsibility for the supervision and implementation of the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1998) and Law of Equal Treatment (2005) in Lithuania. The Ombudsman investigates individual complaints on the grounds of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, religion nad beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, language, social status; submits recommendations and proposals to the Parliament, governmental institutions on the priorities of gender equality policy, including recommendations on amendments to relevant legislation. In cooperation with other office officials the Ombudsman supervises mass media so that it does not place discriminatory advertisements and does not treat one social exlusion group as in any way superior or better in regard to the other. The Office is actively working to raise public awareness on antidiscriminatory and gender equality issues. The Office also very active in working with public and non-govermental sectors in Lithuania and abroad; participates in national and international projects.
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