Eveliis Padar to start work as equality officer

From 24 April, Eveliis Padar will start work at the university as an equality officer to support university members in cases of unequal treatment and to help handle them in a fair and professional manner.

According to Head of the Human Resources Office Kristi Kuningas, the equality officer will be involved in resolving specific cases and in prevention. “The equality officer’s duties include giving advice, contributing to resolving conflict situations, and developing the system for handling the cases. She also helps raise awareness of unequal treatment and supports university members in related matters,” Kuningas explained.

Eveliis Padar considers equal treatment to be the foundation of a high-quality academic environment. “My aim is to support the development of an environment in which people feel safe and can seek advice when needed. As this is a new role, its impact will become visible over time. My first steps will focus primarily on listening to university members and establishing collaborative working relationships,” she added.

The position of an equality officer was created as part of a broader objective to achieve an organisational culture in which both students and staff feel safe and valued. Also, one of the objectives in the University of Tartu’s strategic plan for 2026–2035 is to be a university with the best learning and working environment, in which fostering equal treatment plays an important role. The equality officer will support the achievement of the targets set out in the strategic plan and ensure that cases of unequal treatment are addressed at the university in a fair and professional manner.

Eveliis Padar is a sociologist, analyst and civic activist. In 2012, she defended her master’s thesis in Sociology at the University of Tartu, graduating cum laude. Her thesis studied the need for legislation regulating the cohabitation of same-sex couples in Estonia from the perspective of women belonging to the target group. Her academic background has included work on gender equality, equal opportunities and LGBT+ issues, among other topics. Her recent research topics include masculinity studies, the formation of gender roles and their impact on societal processes.

From 2013 to 2018, Padar worked at the Recruitment Office of the Estonian Defence Resources Agency. Since 2022, she has been an analyst at Praxis Think Tank, focusing mainly on equality and social issues. Eveliis Padar is a co-founder of the civic initiative NGO Päevad ja Ööd, where she advocates for free access to menstrual products in schools. She has been an active member of the Estonian Defence League for over ten years, contributing voluntarily to national defence. Since 2025, Padar has also been a member of the Tartu City Council.

Equality Officer Eveliis Padar will be part of the Human Resources Office.