ECRI 2023 annual seminar with Equality Bodies

 

Enhancing Independence and Effectiveness

 

Friday, 27 October 2023 

Strasbourg – Council of Europe, Agora Building (room G.03)

 

PROGRAMME

 

08:30 - 09:00      Registration 

 

I. 09:00 - 09:40 INTRODUCTION  

  • Maria Marouda, Chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)
  • John Howell, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)  
  • Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Council of Europe

 

09:40 - 10.00 Coffee break

 

II. 10:00 - 11:00 KEYNOTE SPEECHES  

  • Co-operation between Equality Bodies and Parliaments 
    George Tugushi, former Georgian Ombudsman and former Member of the Georgian Parliament
  • Challenges faced by Equality Bodies
     Adam Bodnar, former Polish Ombudsman  

 

III. 11:00 - 12:00 TESTIMONIES BY VICTIMS OF DISCRIMINATION ON THEIR EXPERIENCE 
                                 OF EQUALITY BODIES EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THEM                                   

  • Why Equality Bodies matter: Leïla Taghla
  • Limits to the impact of Equality Bodies: Ervis Çota, accompanied by Gentian Sejrani

 

12:00 - 13.30 Lunch break

 

IV. 13:30 - 14:30 THE RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS

  • Presentation of the proposed European Union legislation on Equality Bodies and related adoption processes
    Annelisa Cotone, Member of the Cabinet of European Union Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli 
  • Interaction between Equality Bodies and Parliaments: Policy and legal recommendations by Equality Bodies
    Tamás Kádár, Co-Director - Operations, Policy & Legal and Daris Lewis Recio, Legal and Policy Officer, European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET)
  • Presentation of results from ECRI’s survey among Equality Bodies concerning their relations with Parliaments, other relevant State institutions and civil society
    Robert Rustem, Outreach officer, European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)

 

V. 14:30 - 16:00 WORKSHOPS

  • Workshop I. (Room G.03)  
    Co-operation with Parliaments  - Moderator and Rapporteur 
    Ögmundur Jónasson, Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) 
    Contribution by Mariia Mezentseva, Chair of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and Member of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine  
  • Workshop II. (Room G.02) 
    Main challenges and limitations faced by Equality Bodies: Moderator and Rapporteur
    Tena Šimonovic Einwalter, Member of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI)
    Contribution by Mykhaylo Spasov, Representative of the Commissioner for Equal Rights and Freedoms, the Rights of National Minorities, Political and Religious Views

 

16:00-16.30 Coffee break

 

16:30 - 17:00 Moderators/rapporteurs report on workshop results to Plenary 

 

VI. 17:00 - 17:45 CONCLUSIONS  

  • Conclusions of ECRI’s 2023 Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies
    Michael Whine, Chair of ECRI’s Working Group on relations with Civil Society and Equality Bodies