Legal Protection of Vulnerable Groups in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland

Dr. Agnė Limantė is a chief researcher at the Law Institute of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences. She has received an MA in EU law from King’s College London and a PhD degree from Vilnius University, Lithuania. Her particular research interests include human rights, family law and private international family law. Overall, after defending her PhD thesis, dr. Limantė has published over 30 scientific papers in national and international journals or as chapters of books.Dr. Dovilė Pūraitė-Andrikienė is a researcher and the Head of Legal System Research Department of the Law Institute of the Centre for Social Sciences of Lithuania. She has received a PhD degree from Vilnius University, Lithuania. Dr Pūraitė-Andrikienė is an expert of Lithuanian and comparative constitutional law, constitutional justice procedure, human rights. She also teaches at the Faculty of Law of Vilnius University and is a postdoctoral fellow of this faculty.

• Introduction.- Part I. Vulnerable groups: defining the ever-changing concept.- Definition of vulnerable groups.- Vulnerable groups in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights.- The role of constitutional justice institutions in the protection of vulnerable groups.- Part II. Legal protection of groups with inherent vulnerability.- Protection of children rights in North-Eastern Europe in family cases.- Protection of women’s rights: in search of balance between work and family life.- Protection of elderly employees in the ageing society: experience of Lithuania and Estonia.- Improving the financial situation of the elderly? Towards better pension regulation in the Baltic States.- Protecting persons with disabilities: empowering by law.- Provision of services in long-term mental health and social care institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic: meeting and overcoming the challenges.- Part III. Circumstantial vulnerability.- Developing a child-friendly juvenile justice system inLithuania.- The dignity of punishment: vulnerable prisoners’ rights in Lithuania.- Domestic violence against women in Lithuania and Poland – Seeking adequate protection of victims.- Implementation of the Victims’ Rights Directive in the Baltic States: challenges and achievements.- Chasing the high: drug users as a vulnerable group.- Minorities in North-Eastern Europe.- Legal protection of national minorities in North-Eastern Europe: current issues. Religious minorities and their rights in Latvia.- Between injustice and legal change: the situation of LGBTQ+ people in Latvia and Lithuania