Equinet held a successful training event on the development, deployment and monitoring of effective communication strategies on 30-31 May at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, Copenhagen.
In the current climate of economic and financial crisis across Europe, equality bodies need to more than ever ensure that equality and non-discrimination are kept on the agendas of national political institutions, stakeholders and the media. Despite cuts to financial and human resources resulting in a tightening of budgets, equality bodies continue to strive to effectively promote and communicate equality and the benefits of building an equal society free of discrimination.
The issue of under-reporting also represents a great challenge for Equality Bodies. To address this problem, effective communication strategies need to be devised and deployed by national equality bodies to raise awareness of and provide information about people’s rights and duties.
In order to address these challenges and to support the work of its members through capacity building, Equinet organised its first-ever training on communication strategies. Hosted by the Danish Institute of Human Rights the training took place on 30-31 May 2011 in Copenhagen. The event was open to staff members of equality bodies who have and interest and/or role in communications strategy and activities. The main goals of the training were to:
- Exchange NEBs’ experiences and good practices in devising communication strategies and implementing communication activities aimed at promoting equality, raising awareness and providing information on rights.
- Gain practical knowledge and understanding of strategic issues surrounding communication in the field of equality and non-discrimination
- Reflect on how to involve and collaborate with stakeholders in the field of equality to combat underreporting and lack of awareness of people’s rights
- Exchange insight and experience on how to strategically use social media tools and manage the related risks.
Presentations
- Mags Patten, Communications Consultant – Keynote Expert Lecture
- Marysha Molthoff, Dutch Equal Treatment Commission – Getting the Message Across: Communications Strategies by the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission
- Signe Hinz-Andersen, Danish Institute for Human Rights – Working with the Business Sector: The Mia Award
- Denise Lazar, Romanian National Council for Combating Discrimination – NCCD’s Internal Communication Strategy
- Nathalie Morgenthaler, Luxembourg Centre for Equal Treatment – Communicating Equality Experiences from Luxembourg
- João Paiva, Portuguese Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality – How can Equality Bodies Unleash the Power of Social Media?
- Alan Anstead, Founder and Chief Executive of UK NGO “Equality” – Engagement through Digital Communication
Session 2 was “world café” workshop, facilitated by Cailin Mackenzie of MIMAT. This was the first time that Equinet has used this method. It allowed dynamic discussions to develop around 4 key aspects of equality bodies communication practices. Members of the Equinet Working group on Communications Strategies and Practices acted as table hosts and helped participants to exchange their communications experiences, learning and good practice, to discuss the challenges they face in their work and to explore steps that could be taken in the future. Further information about the world café technique can be found here.
Day two kicked off with a panel discussion. The discussion, led by Jozef de Witte of the Belgian Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism, was taken part in by four representatives from equality body stakeholders. They were:
- Heidrun Silhavy, Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), Austria
- Louise Agius, Head of Diversity, Learning & Development – HSBC Bank, Malta
- Stéphane Lévêque, Directeur, FNASAT – Gens du voyage, France
- Roberto Chinzari, Perugia School of Journalism Alumnus Association, Italy
Further information about the collaboration between the Autrian Trade Union Federation and the Austrian Ombud for Equal Treatment can be found here.
Summary report
A summary report of the training can be donwloaded here.