Draft law (583 SE) for the second reading on accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and approval of amendment to Article 20(1) of the Convention.
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
Date: 2025-04-23 17:21
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 26
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 33m
AI Summaries: 26/26 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The focus of this agenda item was the second reading procedure of bill 583, concerning Estonia’s accession to the optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the approval of an amendment to Article 20(1) of the Convention. The Riigikogu heard a presentation from the chair of the Social Affairs Committee, Signe Riisalo, through whose presentation the substantive content of the protocol, the nature of this international mechanism, and the most important discussion points were highlighted: whether the protocol covers all people or only women, and how equal rights and legitimate access operate in practice. The discussion was initiated with questions regarding data collection and scope, and the debate revolved around the idea that the international optional protocol would give women the right to file complaints with the UN if domestic channels lack effective protection. The second reading was carried out unanimously, designating Signe Riisalo as the rapporteur and instructing her to bring the bill to the full agenda of the Riigikogu and finally carry out the final vote.
Decisions Made 1
Bill 583 passed its final vote: 75 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions. It was also decided to adopt the procedural documents for the second reading and approve them, designate the Social Affairs Committee Chair, Signe Riisalo, as the rapporteur, add the bill to the plenary session agenda, and finally, approve the final vote.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Signe Riisalo (pid emSc80KD_vw), chair of the social affairs committee. She presented the second reading of the draft law initiated by the government and acted as a leading representative in the committee; political position: right (right-wing).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu debates in the second reading the Government's draft bill, which concerns accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and amendments to Article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention; the rapporteur is Signe Riisalo.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the government wants to join the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Social Committee reached consensus to adopt the second-reading procedure, the final vote, and to approve the agenda and procedural documents, while emphasizing that the protocol addresses the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and that the discussion also touched on the issue of men's rights and related data.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
In the speech, the audience is thanked, and it is said that Peeter Ernits has a question for you.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He asks whether the aim of their optional protocols is to enable women to file complaints across the border and to initiate investigations from that side.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that we have several UN human rights conventions, including the conventions on the rights of women, children, and persons with disabilities, for which the exact timing of creating additional protocols is not known, and although at present there are no discussions of new protocols, we have recently joined a similar optional protocol concerning children's rights and it gives a particular target group the right to file international complaints after Estonia's courts have gone through all three levels, if the rights are still infringed.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal asks in which sectors it is not possible to file a complaint concerning violations of women's rights, assuming that this concerns the Employment Contracts Act and other areas, and criticizes the Optional Protocol, which creates the impression that the Supreme Court is not the highest body, and asks how this is possible, given the three-tiered constitutional court system and the Supreme Court's final decision.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech is simply a plea to invite Kalle Grünthal onto the stage.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the topic was not discussed in the committee and therefore she has nothing to report, because these questions could have been put to the experts of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications or to the minister.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asks Peeter Ernits to pose the second question.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits asked how many Estonia-like countries have joined the Optional Protocol, how many of those countries have actually received complaints, and whether that protocol even makes sense.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo said that there is a desire for substantive discussion and information, but the committee did not discuss these questions before the second reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, asked Kalle Grünthal to pose a second question.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kalle Grünthal raises the point that although the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure give the right to submit a complaint to the UN, he asks what will happen to poor men and whether the Social Committee will discuss the protection of men's rights and the guarantee of the right to lodge a complaint.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo said that the proposal can be submitted by all members of the Social Committee, and the decision to put it on the agenda can be made jointly, but the topic has already been discussed in the committee, and both an oral and a written response have been provided, and it has also been considered in preparing for the second reading.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He thanks the audience, announces that the questions are over, opens negotiations, and asks Stig Rästa to perform.
Stig Rästa
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Stig Rästa emphasized that Estonia must ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, so that women who have experienced violence and discrimination can, if necessary, turn to the UN for assistance, and this would be a step toward greater equality and protection of human rights, which also requires a change in men's behavior.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the audience, asks for extra time, invites Reili Randi, and notes that there are eight minutes left.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasizes that Estonia must ratify the CEDAW Optional Protocol, which is not bureaucracy but an additional protection of women's rights and a means of increasing the state's accountability in situations where domestic legal remedies have been exhausted, and this is a critical step in reducing gender inequality, domestic violence, and the gender pay gap, as well as for Estonia's economy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The vice-chairman thanked everyone and invited Peeter Ernits to come.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits said that, despite the people's concerns and the government's substitute actions, he will vote for this convention (the optional protocol) and emphasizes the need to improve the lives of the people of Estonia and to provide protection for everyone, including men.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is a short expression of thanks and a request to give the floor to Kalle Grünthal.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal said that the bill by which Estonia joins the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women gives women the right to file a complaint with the United Nations even if Estonian courts have dismissed their complaint, and thereby opens doors to protecting their rights – the same opportunity also extends to children.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The deputy chairman, Toomas Kivimägi, thanks and gives the floor to Õnne Pillak.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak emphasized that in a democratic society no one may be discriminated against, highlighted the role and vulnerability of women, and urged colleagues to safeguard and value women and to approve the bill.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi closed the negotiations, no amendments were submitted, and the steering committee's proposal is to hold the final vote on Bill 583, which concerns accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the approval of the amendment to Article 20(1) of the Convention.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
75 members of the Estonian Parliament voted for the bill, no one voted against, and there were no independents; Bill 583 was enacted into law.