This set of regional actions offer assistance in improving the record of fighting discrimination, racism, hate speech and hate crime in the Western Balkans. They build on the work done and results achieved under the previous phase of the Horizontal Facility programme and the actions on Promotion of diversity and equality in the Western Balkans, in line with the latest trends in the field of racism and intolerance in Europe as outlined in the Annual Reports of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI).

The technical support is provided as part of the beneficiaries’ EU accession process, in line with European standards – notably those from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance – as well as with the EU Anti-racism Action Plan  2020-2025.

The actions (consisting of 6 beneficiary specific and a regional one) are implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” running from 2023 until 2026.

More on the beneficiary specific actions:
Albania – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Kosovo* - Montenegro – North Macedonia – Serbia

Back First round of training for civil servants of Bosnia and Herzegovina to recognise and tackle hate speech

First round of training for civil servants of Bosnia and Herzegovina to recognise and tackle hate speech

The Civil Service Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe, organised on the mountain Jahorina the first training for 26 civil servants on recognising and responding to cases of hate speech. This training, that took place on 8 and 9 July 2024, is a follow-up of the already developed online course, successful completion of which was a pre-requisite for the attendance of the in-person training.

The training emphasised distinguishing between hate speech and freedom of speech, as well as identifying when hate speech should be addressed under criminal law, civil law, or as an offensive or harmful expression. A key point highlighted was the proactive use of the Code of Conduct as a preventive measure to combat hate speech among civil servants.

Zdravko Kujundžija, Head of the training section of the Civil Service Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina thanked the Council of Europe and the European Union for the help in organising the two-day training, as well as the creation of the online course. He stated that „...hate speech represents a serious challenge and that it is our duty as civil servants to ensure a safe and inclusive work environment for all citizens and employees. This workshop provided the tools and knowledge needed to recognise and effectively suppress hate speech, and promote the values ​​of tolerance, respect and equality.“

This initiative is in line with a foreseen set of activities institutions are to implement within the document Mapping responses to hate speech in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A situational analysis and mapping report’, in order to challenge paradigms on impunity for hate speech and bias used for hate speech. This document was adopted by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 27 November 2023, at the proposal of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This training was organised with the support of the action "Towards an equal, inclusive and tolerant Bosnia and Herzegovina", which is implemented within the framework of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye".

Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 - 9 JULY 2024
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What are the objectives of the regional action?

The ultimate goal of the regional action on “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance 
in the Western Balkans” is to increase the awareness of the institutions and of the population in the Western Balkans about hatred, racism and intolerance, and develop a harmonised institutional approach to tackle these issues. 

Who benefits from the action?

The action ultimate beneficiary is the population in the Western Balkans. By providing technical assistance and raising awareness of public institutions and related actors in the field, the action will contribute towards improving the anti-discrimination policies, its redress mechanisms and advancing in the overall protection of human rights for the vulnerable communities. 

How will the action work?

The action will work with Government representatives in charge of combating racism; with equality bodies; with police administrations; with civil society organizations and youth activists. 
The action provides capacity building initiatives, adapting existing tools and methodologies of the Council of Europe. It also provides occasions for peer exchanges and multi-stakeholder dialogue activities to foster co-operation among partners in the region and the dialogue between state and non-state stakeholders.
Awareness raising on combatting discrimination and promoting diversity towards Youth and the general population constitutes an important component of the action. 

What do we expect to achieve?

Notably, the action will ensure that:

  • Policy makers better address racism and intolerance;

  • Equality bodies and police administrations enhance their capacities to respond to racism and intolerance, by operating in diverse societies;

  • The youth and ultimately the general public are more aware of the dangers of hatred, racism and intolerance to societies and can take actions against these phenomena.

What is the budget of the actions?

The total budget of the actions is 3,5 Million Euros, out of which 700,000 Euros for its regional component.

The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe)

The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ opinion on Kosovo Declaration of Independence


 

HFIII AT A GLANCE

Duration: January 2023 - December 2026
Funding: European Union and Council of Europe
Budget: 41 Million Euros (85% funded by the EU, 15% by the CoE)
Overall budget for the actions on combating discrimination in the Western Balkans: 3,5 Million Euros
Out of which - budget for the regional action on Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans: 700,000 Euros
Implemented by: Council of Europe
 

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