Equinet Recommendation
Ahead of European Parliament elections in 2019, as well as continuous elections happening at local, regional and national level around Europe, Equinet has developed a Recommendation to be considered by political parties, candidates and media outlets (including social media) which focuses on the general principle of equality, prohibition of discrimination, tackling hate speech, addressing sensitive topics and promoting equal representation on electoral lists.
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Non-discrimination and equality are cornerstones of European democracies. Election campaigns are crucial testing grounds for commitment to these values, so it is worrying to see so many of them being increasingly marred by scapegoating, discriminatory language and hate speech across Europe. This causes harm to ordinary people, affecting their dignity and respect at the very least, if they are not also alienated or even attacked. It is clear that discriminatory language and hate speech can also damage the cohesion of society and lead to a downward spiral of intolerance and insecurity.
Politicians have a particular responsibility in this regard because of their capacity to exercise influence over a wide audience. Political rhetoric is a powerful tool for change and strongly protected by provisions for freedom of expression as an essential democratic right. However, if used in a hateful and discriminatory manner, it can cause widespread intolerance and even hate crimes. Politicians should therefore use their right to free speech responsibly, and promote their electoral programme fairly and respectfully.
The media, including social media, also has an important role to play to avoid amplifying discriminatory messages, especially when reporting on language that amounts to hate speech. With due explanation and critical reflection, the media can ensure a healthy and inclusive public debate during election campaigns.
Every individual has the right to equality and freedom from discrimination. Equality bodies are independent state institutions which offer support to any individual who has experienced discrimination, as well as promote equality and counter discrimination and harassment more generally. As the European Network of Equality Bodies mandated to act as the expert voice of equality bodies to advance equality in Europe, Equinet has developed this Recommendation to promote election campaigns which are free from discrimination and hate speech.
Our Recommendation is to be considered by political parties, candidates and media outlets (including social media), and focuses on the general principle of equality, prohibition of discrimination, tackling hate speech, addressing sensitive topics and promoting equal representation on electoral lists. It is an ode to the importance of equality as a common European value, demands respecting equal treatment and non-discrimination at all times, and calls upon the aforementioned to respect the founding values of our democracies and our common constitutional traditions.
Download Recommendation
The “Good Leadership” Campaign
Together with the Recommendation, Equinet launched a social media campaign on 20 March on what it means to be a good leader under the hashtags #GoodLeadership and #ElectHope. This campaign aims to highlight core values that equality bodies promote in their daily work to make the world more equal such as respect, solidarity and justice.
What can you do?
Participate in the campaign that we will launch on our Twitter and Facebook accounts (@EquinetEurope) by:
- Printing the ‘’A good leader…’’ image and filling in the empty space with a description that reflects the values you believe in.
- Taking a photo of yourself with your sign and sharing it on your social media accounts, referencing the campaign hashtags and asking your friends and colleagues to do the same.
- Bring it to the attention of allies and friends online by tagging their accounts and retweeting the pictures they publish.
Materials
