Purpose:
To offer support to victims of discrimination, to monitor and intervene in cases of assault or discrimination, to raise awareness and build capacity on topics related to discrimination.
Stimulus/Rationale:
In 2000 Sabadell signed the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City, committing itself to incorporate its principles and norms into its local legislation. This charter recognises the guarantee of rights to all persons residing in the city without discrimination on the basis of colour, age, sex, sexual choice, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin or income level. Municipal regulations have been revised to ensure that they comply with successive legislative changes, e.g. the law on places of worship, the law to guarantee LGTBi rights, etc. All the new ordinances are elaborated taking into account the perspective of diversity and in particular it is being contemplated as a priority in the legislation on coexistence that is currently being elaborated. Additionally, the Civil Rights and Gender Department is working on the review of all municipal legislation to incorporate the articles of the European Charter for the Safeguarding of Human Rights in the City.
Process:
The Civil Rights Office
The municipality provides information and protection to victims of ethnic and racial discrimination through the Civil Rights Office. Besides the attention to victims and management of discrimination cases, the Office also trains and raises awareness of the rights and duties recognised in the city.
Sabadell has also a specific LGTBI Attention and Accompaniment service, as a result of an agreement between the Directorate General for Equality of the Government of Catalonia and the City Council. It offers information, advice and accompaniment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, as well as people from their immediate environment, professionals from different fields and entities. Within this framework, it will facilitate the knowledge of the resources available in the territory to respond to LGTBI people, promote respect for diversity and provide specific support in cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation, identity or gender expression.
“Living Together” Commission
The Commission is a citizen's instrument for monitoring and direct intervention in cases of assault or discrimination based on xenophobia, racism or homophobia. Made up of representatives of the City Council, municipal groups, security bodies, the Sabadell Bar Association, the Ombudsmen, civic and social organisations and trade unions, the body works for the comprehensive care of victims and provides legal assistance as a private accusation, in some cases the City Council itself appearing as a popular accusation. Since its creation in 2004, the Commission has handled some 60 complaints to defend diversity and combat hate crimes.
Anti-discrimination campaigns
Sabadell regularly runs anti-discrimination campaigns and initiatives. To cite some examples: The Humans Rights programme, ‘Mescla’t’ initiative, the Roma day, Open Day at Worship Centres, the campaign ‘To ventilate wardrobes’.
The commemoration in Sabadell of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia and the International Day of LGTBI Pride wants to highlight especially the challenges of families and the importance of their work of accompaniment in the construction of increasingly freer identities and genders. Under the heading "Ventilate cabinets. Sabadell with the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans and intersex”, the programme includes different activities: Conferences, a documentary film series, storytelling sessions for family audiences, training and awareness-raising days or an open day at the LGTBI Information, Care and Accompaniment Service. The programme is prepared jointly by the Council and the organisations from the Gender, Feminisms and LGTBi Table.
Other initiatives
The municipality also supports different organisations that promote anti-discrimination work and practices through direct grants and calls for proposals around anti-discrimination. It is the case of the Roma Secretariat, the Citizens' Platform for Support to Refugees and Migrants, the Citizen Service for the Reception of Immigrants (SCAI), the Human Rights Institute of Catalonia IDHC, the Sabadell Bar Association.
The municipality is working at national and international level with organisations and projects devoted to fight discrimination. Besides the ICC programe and RECI, the city is involved in Ciudades Refugio (Shelter Cities) to coordinate municipal work in the reception of refugees and the working group of the Barcelona Provincial Council on civil rights and non-discrimination. It also participates in the Network of municipalities LGTBIQ of Catalonia.
Lastly, Sabadell runs an Antirumour Strategy since 2015, when the city participated in the C4i project. Currently, the Antirumours Networks has 150 members.
