In the framework of the project MINDSET – Moving Ideas of Non-Discrimination: Supporting an Equality Transformation, our partner Euractiv published a survey conducted by the Migration Policy Group on the Needs of Equality Bodies and Civil Society Organisations in Italy, Sweden and Romania and how their work on discrimination based on ethnic discrimination can be supported.
CSOs as well as Equality Bodies who took part in the study were asked to complete Questionnaires with a focus on (1) Implementation, (2) Assistance to victims and (3) Capacity building. The aim of these Questionnaires is to help identify the needs of Equality Bodies and CSOs in these 3 countries and what tools they require to sufficiently provide both preventive and redress mechanisms to ethnic discrimination.
As main findings, the study shows that the work of Equality Bodies and CSOs has to go hand in hand to successfully tackle discrimination. The participants in all three countries agreed that CSOs need to be provided with a better legal standing to bring legal claims before the courts to represent their communities. Another topic that should be addressed is a specific training for judges and civil servants in how to deal with racial discrimination to raise awareness within the existing institutions.
Regarding the improvement of measures to reach out more successfully to victims of discrimination based on ethnic discrimination, most of the participating CSOs highlighted the importance of ensuring a local presence throughout the country and of holding regular consultations with minority NGOs.
When being asked for their needs in the field of capacity building, the need for training of officials working in the law area needs to be improved – CSOs stressed that online trainings only would not serve the purpose enough. Another important factor to take into account is to sensitize the general public for intersectional discrimination.
Read the report here!
MINDSET-Survey-Analysis-MPG
Find more information on Mindset here
And our report on discrimination based on ethnic discrimination here
This survey is co-funded by DG JUST through the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020).
