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Access to rights : the experience of HALDE. 28th April 2009 Stéphanie Seydoux Director for Equality Promotion - HALDE. A few specific features…. 4 years in existence (created 30 Dec 2004, functional since March 2005)
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Access to rights : the experience of HALDE 28th April 2009 Stéphanie Seydoux Director for Equality Promotion - HALDE
A few specific features… • 4 years in existence (created 30 Dec 2004, functional since March 2005) • 18 grounds of discrimination prohibited by law : age, gender, origin, family status, sexual orientation, lifestyle, genetic traits, actual or assumed membership in an ethnic group, nationality, race, physical appearance, disability, health condition, surname, political opinion, religious beliefs, union activity or pregnancy. • Comprehensive approach : claims handling + promotion of equality
Resources : stable / activity : rising sharply • 11.5 M€ budget (45% personnel costs) • 11 Governing Board + 18 Advisory Committee + 82 employees + 60 local volunteers • About 20.000 claims received since 2005 (x 7 in 4 years)
Over 2000 decisions processed by Board arising from claims (2006-2008)
Other than claims • Hotline : over 30,000 calls/yr • Claims rejected before submission to Board :
1. A global approach 2. Certain specific actions 3. Identifying the challenges ahead
2 strategic priorities 1/ Deliver results quickly in handling of claims • Productivity : claims received + decisions • Set up network of local volunteers to filter claims 2/ Establish awareness of discrimination and visibility of HALDE as a player in the fight against it • a prerequisite in access to rights • Effective deterrence as a persuasion tool • Added protection for the institution’s independence
How was this achieved ? • Implicating key stakeholders • Education and training • Providing tools • Communications campain
Campaining • 2goals : • Build up HALDE’s name recognition • Raise awareness of discrimination • wide target : general publicincluding • (potential) victims • (potential) perpetrators
The means to the end : media campaining • Communication : 14% of total budget • 1st awareness campaign (all media): December 2006 –January 2007 -> 8.2 M potential viewers
The means to the end : media campaining • 2nd campaign Dec 2008 (Paris metro) 5 million potential viewers
« Telling the stories » • Focus on discrimination which is HALDE’s disctinctive feature (rather than Equality Promotion, also handled by others) • Value of case studies : • self explanatory • « could happen to you » • end well • + easy to « sell » • press release for each significant decision of Board • weekly radio programme for 3 yrs • even better if : • a claimant agrees to be interviewed by media • court makes a striking decision
Constraints • Usual timelag in getting cases through court • Difficult to obtain the right decisions from the courts • Persuasion and training (long-term) • Equal treatment in selection of claims (no « cherry picking ») • balancing the agenda
Situation testing • Goal : Deterrence + visibility • « naming and shaming » + prosecution • Hiring practises ;housing agents • Highly visible, at cost of negative fallout and counter-attacks
As a result (1) : visibiliy now established Evolution of visibility (assisted) Source : CSA polls 44% Dec 2008 40% 36% 35% 31% 30% 30% 25% 20% 2nd campaign 17% 15% 16% 10% 5% 0% 1st campaign juin-06 juin-07 juin-08 déc-05 déc-06 déc-07 sept-06 sept-07 mars-06 mars-07 mars-08 Steady upward progress of visibility
As a result (2) First positive trends • A few good decisions from courts (baker, cancellation of civil service examination,pregnancy cases settled for amounts around 200 K€) • useful to fight off attacks on our efficiency Less positive • Number of claims not concerning discrimination not going down • Intuitive feeling that we’re not getting the claims we’d expect from underprivileged groups
Providing information to a specific group : French Roma • Outreach to employers • Tools for the general public • Specific issues : LGBT, handicap
Providing information to a specific group : French Roma • 16 minute film with information tailored for French Roma • Used in awareness-raising actions organised by their community
Practical tools for stakeholders : private firms • Guides • Codes of conduct • Good practices • E learning module Information for employers
E-learning tools for the general public • E-learning : interactive tool designed for the general public. • E-learning for teachers and students (school) Guidelines : what to do in case of discrimination -> downloaded 1000 times (launched April 2009) http://www.halde.fr/-E-learning-.html
E-learning tools (2) : impact These 3 tools generate more than 10,000 downloads a year and are producing around 10% of the HALDE website traffic. - They offer about 500 screen-pages and 100Mb offree download, based on interactive pedagogy , question & answers games and legal knowledge: • providing a knowledge base to promote equality and combat discrimination in the workplace, in the educational establishments and in service provision. • a unique opportunity to enhance public awareness, develop public understanding on the equality legislation, and practical access to rights, More information can be found at :http://www.halde.fr/-E-learning-.html
Specific issues : LGBT, handicap • A constructive partnership with both groups • Why are we stalled ? • Finding a solution collectively • Recommendations put forward collectively: • Ministry of education : prevention of homophobia • Access to ordinary schools for handicapped children
Better outreach to vulnerable groups • Not enough claims from socially underprivileged groups • 5% claims only on gender issues • Who are our claimants ?
Where are we now ? Need to move on to 2nd generation actions :with more precise targets • Assessment • Look into the claims • Message must be kept as relevant and simple as possible • Dissemination : crucial to build-up partnerships • Time has come for a real stragegyon educationand training (priority targets, resources, impact evaluation)