Section 29 of the Portuguese Labor Law ensures equal opportunity in labor and and prevents gender discrimination. The Code also guarantees maternity and paternity leave, bans harassment, establishes universal preschool for children until the age of five, and requires children to attend school.
The Equal Pay Law, effective since February 2019, establishes policies and obligations aiming at the effective reduction of income inequality between men and women. To that end, the law mandates employers to develop transparent remuneration policies and creates a presumption of discrimination in case the employer does not show that an alleged pay gap was based on objective criteria.
The President approved the National Policy for Gender Equality and Equity in December 2013. The policy and strategic plan on gender equality between men and women promotes equal opportunities, rights, and responsibilities in all domains of their economic, political, and social lives. It further establishes state liability in the adoption and execution of policies and promotes sustainable development, along with other basic human rights principles, such as non-discrimination, gender equality, and respect of individuals.
Proposta do Programa Quinquenal do Governo 2015-2019 is a four year plan that highlights the need for specific attention towards issues of gender inequality, protection and empowerment of women, and education for women and children so that they can develop a more active role in civil society. The plan sets out to promote measures that strengthen gender equality and the rights of vulnerable peoples, as well as to spread knowledge on the rights of women and children.
The decree approved the Legal Regime of Domestic Work and Social Protection in August 2017. This instrument is aimed at protecting and formalizing domestic work in Angola, the majority of which is performed by women. It defines domestic work and sets out, among other legal protections, 1) the rights and obligations for both employers and employees, 2) the form of work contract, including for termination and suspension, and 3) dispositions on remuneration.
