Estonia: Diversity. Bad Laer, December 2015 Ruta Pels Leonid Smulskiy

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1 Estonia: Diversity Bad Laer, December 2015 Ruta Pels Leonid Smulskiy

2 Population According to the initial estimates of Statistics Estonia, the population number of Estonia as at 1 January 2015 was 1,312,300, which is 3,600 persons less than at the same time a year ago. Due to external migration, the population declined by 733. There were over 500 more deaths of Estonians than births of Estonians. According to Statistics Estonia, 4,637 persons emigrated from Estonia and 3,904 persons immigrated to Estonia in The volume of emigration was 30% smaller than in the previous three years.

3 Ethnic diversity, cultural diversity The largest ethnic groups as of are (as% of the total population): Estonians 68.8% Russians 25.5% Ukrainians 2.1% Belarussians 1.2% Finns 0.8% Tatars 0.2% Latvians 0.16% Poles 0.15% Lithuanians 0.15% Jews 0.14% Germans 0.14% Others 0.68%

4 Citizenship 84.2% of Estonian residents are Estonian citizens, 8.6% are citizens of other countries and 7.2% citizens with undetermined citizenship. The number of Estonian citizens who have become citizens through naturalization process (more then persons) exceeds the number of residents of undetermined citizenship ( persons).

5 Different nationalities have always lived together in Estonia. Tolerance and democracy are illustrated by the Law on the Cultural Autonomy for National Minorities, passed already in 1925, which was not only the first in Europe at the time but also very progressive. Before World War II, Estonia was a relatively homogeneous society national minorities constituted about 12% of the population. The largest minority groups in 1934 were Russians, Germans, Swedes, Latvians, Jews, Poles, Finns, and Ingrians. World War II along with Soviet and Nazi occupations interrupted the natural development of inter-ethnic relations, deforming the inner features of Estonian society. By 1989, minorities constituted more than one third of the population, the number of non-estonians had grown almost 5 times, while the percentage of ethnic Estonians in the total population decreased by 27 per cent. During Stalin s time up to Estonians were killed or deported. The migrant population has been brought predominantly from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and from other regions of the USSR such as Tatarstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia etc.

6 Cultural Autonomy All minorities living in Estonia are guaranteed opportunities for the preservation of their language and cultural distinctiveness, above all through the organisationof education and social activities in their mother tongue. The constitution and the Cultural Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities Act define the legal status and rights of national minorities living in Estonia. IngrianFinns were the first national minority to establish cultural autonomy in Estonia. The election of the IngrianFinnish cultural council was held in In 2007 Estonian Swedes established their cultural autonomy. More than 20 of ethnic cultural societies and organisationshave been registered to date. They all have an opportunity to get budgetary support, for which purpose 314 thousand euro were allocated annually.

7 Cultural Societies of National Minorities The public acknowledgement of ethnic minorities in Estonia began in 1988, when non- Estonians started to form their own cultural societies and associations. While in 1989 there were 22 ethnic cultural societies registered in Estonia, today there are over 200. The largest of them are: The Estonian Union of National Minorities founded in It currently unites 24 ethnic cultural societies International Association of National Cultural Societies of Estonia "Lyra", founded in It includes 32 different ethnic cultural societies Roundtable of National Cultural Societies of Ida-Virumaa, founded in 1995, uniting 22 ethnic and cultural societies: The Union of Slavic Educational and Charity Organisations-first organisedin 1988 as the Society of Slavic Cultures. A legal successor of the organisationfounded in 1923: The Congress of Ukrainians in Estonia, founded in 1989: NGO Russian national cultural associations in Estonia "Sadko":

8 Integration The development plan Integrating Estonia 2020 comprises the strategic objectives of the Estonian integration policy and the means for achieving them for the period, continuing and further developing the strategic trends and activities initiated by the Estonian Integration Strategy and the national programme Integration in Estonian society A national integration strategy is necessary for ensuring the sustainability of the Republic of Estonia and is one of the prerequisites for the realisation of many other national strategies. The"Integration in Estonian Society "national programmeincluded a separate sub-programme that is dedicated to the education and culture of ethnic minorities. The Integration and Migration Foundation Our Peoplesupports activities described in the national programmethrough its competitions: the project competition for national culture societies. The Ministry of Education and Research support learning of the mother tongue and culture in the Sunday schools of national minorities

9 Integrating Estonia 2020 Three broader challenges can be distinguished in the field of integration: 1) increasing the openness of society, including Estonian-speaking permanent residents and making their attitudes towards integration more supportive; 2) the continuing support for permanent residents with cultures and native languages different from Estonian in the society; 3) supporting the adaptation and integration of new arrivals as a growing target group. Population groups with a native language different from Estonian need a different approach and support measures in the integration process.

10 Education Estonia is one of the few European Union countries where there is a multilingual publicly financed school system as part of the public educational system. Russian-language education is provided in public and also in private schools at all levels: in preschool, primary and in vocational schools, also in private upper-secondary schools. Bilingual programs (Estonian-Russian) are provided in upper- secondary municipal schools. About 19% of all Estonian schoolchildren are attending Russian-language primary and secondary schools. There is also a public Jewish upper secondary school. In addition, it is possible for those children whose mother tongue differs from the language of study to apply to study their mother tongue and culture in state or municipal schools if a sufficient number of students are interested. For that purpose the corresponding regulation has been adopted by the state and language teachers of different nationalities have been trained.

11 LGBT rights in Estonia Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)persons inestoniamay face legal challenges not experienced by non-lgbtresidents. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal inestonia. On 26 November 2015, Parliament approved the first implementing acts on a vote of with several abstentions.the next reading of the acts is scheduled for the end of January votes are required in the third and final reading to successfully implement the law. From January 1, 2016 same-sex couples will have recognition called acohabitation agreementthat gives the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples (with the exemption of surrogacy, marriage and full adoption rights). It is considered to be, by most, the most liberal former-soviet country when it comes to gay rights.

12 The Estonian Diversity Charter The Estonian Charter was launched in November 2012 by Tallinn Law School during the international Conference "Diversity in Business". Companies participating in the conference were the firsts to sign the Estonian Diversity Charter which is a voluntary initiative where companies agree to take steps in implementing the equal treatment principles within their enterprise.