On 23 October, representatives of European equality bodies met in Brussels to adopt the 2020 Workplan, extend our membership and elect a new Executive Board.
Workplan 2020
The Equinet Workplan for 2020 was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly to guide our work throughout the coming year. For the first time, and in line with the approach taken on our website, it has a grounds based approach, yet we continue to continue to apply the lens of intersectionality throughout our work. Highlights include:
- 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Race Equality Directive 2000/43/EC
- Implementation of standards for equality bodies
- Building capacities of equality bodies on Artificial Intelligence & equality
- Equality bodies collecting equality data and conducting research that supports the design and implementation of equality policies
- Communication for Equality Bodies to better engage with Young People
- Ensuring the implementation of existing rights of people with disabilities
- Engaging in a reflection on women in poverty from an intersectional perspective
- Tackling Antigypsyism and working for Roma Equality
- Tackling discrimination and intolerance against Muslims
- Building capacities of equality bodies on rights and equality of trans and intersex persons
Download the 2020 Workplan here.
Equinet Executive Board 2019-2021
Following Board elections, the new Equinet Executive Board will be made up of (from left to right):
- Konstantinos Bartzeliotis (Greek Ombudsman, GR)
- Valérie Fontaine (Defender of Rights, FR)
- Rhoda Garland (Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, MT)
- Patrick Charlier (Unia, BE)
- Kirsi Pimiä (Non-Discrimination Ombudsman, FI)
- Laurence Bond (Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IE)
- Miha Lobnik (Advocate of the Principle of Equality, SI)
- Tena Šimonović Einwalter (Office of the Ombudswoman, HR)
- Sandra Konstatzky (Ombud for Equal Treatment, AT)
In a short board meeting after the AGM, Tena Šimonović Einwalter was reelected Chair of the Executive Board for a second term.
New Equinet Member
The General Assembly voted to accept the application of the Ombudsperson Institution of Kosovo* as a new Equinet member. This would make them our 50th member!
However, the Italian National Equality Councillor will be leaving the Network at the end of the year, so we will remain at 49 members in 2020.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
High-Level Discussions
Besides deciding on governance and membership issues, equality bodies had the opportunity to engage with the European Commission, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), and the European Network of NHRIs (ENNHRI) to discuss key policy and legislative developments as regards equality and non-discrimination at Europeanlevels.
This was followed by a presentation by Robin Allen and Dee Masters of Cloisters on the research they are currently undertaking for Equinet regarding equality implications of digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence.
Finally, Equinet members broke into discussion groups to go into more detal around the work on implications of Artificial Intelligence in the work of equality bodies, as well as implementing standards for equality bodies.
