In Belarus, a unique situation has arisen where the mandatory requirement to present a military ID when seeking employment has become a source of discrimination and an obstacle to the protection of human rights. This requirement threatens not only gender equality but also the rights of men who, for various reasons, do not possess or deliberately refuse to obtain a military ID.

This review is prepared within the framework of the Belarusian campaign “No Means No“, whose aim is to prevent any involvement of the Belarusian army in the war in Ukraine. This campaign is part of the broader global initiative “ObjectWarCampaign” conducted by a coalition of pacifist and peacebuilding organizations worldwide.

This review was prepared with the support of Bertha-von-Suttner-Stiftung der DFG-VK.

This review is prepared by the International Center for Civil Initiatives “Our House”, a Belarusian human rights and peacebuilding organization operating in Belarus since December 2005. The organization is registered in Lithuania since January 2014 and is currently based in exile in Lithuania.

Website: news.house

Gender Discrimination

The requirement to present a military ID exclusively affects men. According to the regulations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, only men who are subject to conscription or are in reserve are required to have military registration documents.
Women, however, are not required to present a military ID or an equivalent document when seeking employment, creating a clear inequality. This situation can be viewed as gender discrimination, as men face additional bureaucratic hurdles unrelated to their professional skills.
Moreover, international human rights standards, such as ILO Convention No. 111, prohibit discrimination in employment based on gender. Belarusian practice concerning military IDs does not comply with these standards, creating systemic inequality between men and women.

Conscientious Objectors’ Issues

The requirement for a military ID particularly impacts men who refuse military service for ethical, religious, or political reasons. Despite the repressive atmosphere in Belarus, the number of such individuals is growing. However, for them, the process of finding employment becomes an insurmountable obstacle.

1. Threat from Military Commissariats
   If a person who has refused military service receives a military ID, their employment becomes a signal for the authorities. Employers, in accordance with the law, submit information about new employees to the military commissariat. Once the military commissariats receive this data, they check the man’s status and may initiate conscription, summons, or even criminal prosecution for evading service.
2. Denial of Employment Rights for Conscientious Objectors
   Men who consciously choose not to obtain a military ID are completely excluded from the legal labor market. Belarusian law does not offer alternative options for such citizens. In practice, they are forced to work illegally or emigrate to avoid persecution and sustain themselves.

Limitation of Employment Opportunities

In Belarus, the requirement for a military ID is often unrelated to professional duties. It is applied as a universal measure, regardless of the nature of the job or its potential benefit to society.

Mismatch with Professional Requirements

The military ID contains information about military specialties, which could be relevant for certain positions, such as those in security or technical fields. However, in the vast majority of cases, having a military ID is irrelevant to professional skills. This means that qualified professionals can be excluded simply due to the absence of a document that does not affect their competence.

Barriers for Young People

Young men who have not yet served or who have refused service find themselves in an especially vulnerable position. Without a military ID, their chances of finding employment are minimal, making it difficult to start a career and leading to social isolation.

Violation of International Norms

The mandatory military ID requirement for employment contradicts several international norms ratified by Belarus:

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Despite its title, this document requires equal opportunities for both men and women.
• ILO Convention No. 111 on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation: It directly prohibits any form of discrimination, including on the basis of gender.
  These violations undermine Belarus’s reputation as a state fulfilling its international obligations and create additional barriers to its integration into global economic and legal systems.

Social Consequences

1. Creation of a Climate of Fear
   The military ID requirement enhances fear of state repression. Young men are afraid to officially seek employment as it could lead to problems with the military commissariat.
2. Increase in Informal Employment
   Men without a military ID are forced to work in the shadow economy, resulting in lost tax revenues for the state and increased vulnerability to exploitation by employers.
3. Emigration
   Many young people see emigration as the only way to escape state pressure and secure decent working conditions. This exacerbates the demographic problem in the country, which is already facing significant labor shortages.

A Human Values Perspective

Using the military ID as a tool of discrimination fundamentally contradicts modern concepts of equality and freedom. It is not just a legal issue but an ethical one that concerns fundamental human rights.

Alternative Solutions

• Abolish the Military ID Requirement: This would eliminate discrimination and remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers.
• Create a System for Alternative Civil Service: Such a system would allow people who refuse military service on the grounds of conscience to obtain the appropriate status and avoid employment issues.
• Amend Labor Legislation: There is a need to review the list of required documents for employment, retaining only those that are genuinely related to professional activity.

Conclusion

In Belarus, the military ID has become a tool of discrimination and control, which harms society and undermines men’s rights. The problem requires a systemic approach, including the revision of national legislation and adherence to international standards.
Only through reform and recognition of the inadmissibility of discrimination can Belarus create conditions that promote equality, economic development, and the protection of human rights.