Centre for Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Partnerships

1. http://www.diversite.be Centrum voor gelijkheid van kansen en voor racismebestrijding Centre pour l’égalité des chances et la lutte contre le racisme Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism Zentrum für Chancengleichheit und Rassismusbekämpfung

2. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism • An autonomous federal public service • Established by an Act of Parliament on February 15, 1993 with the mandate: • to promote equal opportunities • to fight each form of distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference.

3. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism • Initially: support to victims of racial discrimination • Consecutive Acts of Parliament: mandate expanded: • Migration • Human trafficking • Poverty • Non-racial discrimination

4. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism • Competent for 16 grounds of discrimination • Works on 3 levels: • Assistance to victims of discrimination • Prevention • Development of expertise

5. The Belgian situation • Different political levels: federal, regional, communitarian • Competencies concerning AD: dispersed over these levels • To comply with European Directives: each level needs to develop AD-legislation

6. The Belgian situation • CEOOR: • Federal institution • Competent for federal AD- legislation • Not competent for regional and communitarian AD- legislation • Need for partnerships with competent bodies at the other political levels

7. Building partnerships • In order to carry out its legal mandate, the CEOOR co-operates with strategic partners • Three types of partnerships: • Geographical • Thematical • Per ground of discrimination

8. Building partnerships 1. Geographical

9. Building partnerships:Geographical • Regional and Community Governments have AD-legislation in place • Looking at ways to ensure that citizens have access to their rights • CEOOR: extensive expertise but only competent for federal AD-legislation • Partnerships between CEOOR and Regional and Community Governments

10. Building partnerships:Geographical • Walloon Region and French Community: • Negotiations at early stage • Contacts and dialogue • Exploring possibilities of collaboration

11. Building partnerships:Geographical • Flemish level: • Flandres is setting up 14 “equal treatment bureaus” • In different cities • Each has its own geographical working area

12. Building partnerships:Geographical • Tasks of the equal treatment bureaus: • Assist victims of discrimination • Develop preventive action • Stimulate local governments and actors to adopt AD-policies • Report to the Flemish government about discrimination

13. Building partnerships:Geographical • How do equal treatment bureaus reach citizens? • Directly: • Press conference at opening: national and local press • Publication of AD-related topics in local press

14. Building partnerships:Geographical • How do equal treatment bureaus reach citizens? • Indirectly: • Distribution of flyers and posters to all local social partners • Information sessions for all local social partners • Ensure that local social partners will refer to the equal treatment bureau when necessary

15. Building partnerships:Geographical • CEOOR – Flanders: partnership concerning equal treatment bureaus • CEOOR offers experience and expertise • Legal aspect

16. Building partnerships:Geographical • Protocol of collaboration • Use of electronic registration system • Training • Support

17. Building partnerships:Geographical • Use of electronic registration system • System designed especially for handling cases of discrimination • Used by CEOOR and equal treatment bureaus • Allows for uniformity in terminology, procedure, etc. • Allows for detailed reporting on the situation regarding discrimination in Belgium

18. Building partnerships:Geographical • Training • Intake of cases of discrimination • Networking with local actors • Use of the electronic registration system

19. Building partnerships:Geographical • Support • Six-day internship at CEOOR • Helpdesk • Legal expertise

20. Building partnerships:Geographical • Initially: mostly one-way (CEOOR-equal treatment bureau) • Future: two-way process • Equal treatment bureau asks CEOOR for support/information • Equal treatment bureau transfers case to CEOOR • CEOOR transfers case to equal treatment bureau • Feedback!

21. Building partnerships:Geographical • Good example of local anti-discrimination policy

22. Building partnerships 2. Thematic

23. Building partnerships:Thematic • Stakeholders in different societal sectors: work, education, media, police • Exchange of information and expertise • Individual cases of discrimination • Ex.: trade unions

24. Building partnerships 3. Per ground of discrimination

25. Building partnerships:Per ground of discrimination • Associations whose activities focus on a certain minority • Exchange of information and expertise • Individual cases of discrimination • Ex.: LGB organization Holebifederatie

26. Good example of local AD-policy: city of Leuven • “Local nightlife”: denial of access to goods and services on racial grounds • Individual cases • Need for a more structural approach

27. Good example of local AD-policy: city of Leuven • Collaboration between • City • Local police force • Security firms • Bar and nightclub owners

28. Good example of local AD-policy: city of Leuven • Security firms: • Logbook for registration of incidents • There are also legitimate reasons for denying access • Police: • Active follow-up of reported cases of discrimination • Specific contact person

29. Good example of local AD-policy: city of Leuven • 2 monthly gathering of City, police, equal treatment bureau, bar and nightclub owners • discuss problems • formulate recommendations for better handling of cases and awareness-raising initiatives • discuss a procedure for the handling of complaints

30. Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism Thank you for your attention!