Advancing Equality by Making Recommendations to Policy Makers

This Guide focuses on the work of equality bodies in making recommendations to policy makers/legislators on general issues of discrimination and equal treatment. Making recommendations can be seen as an essential element contributing to the promotion of equal treatment, as foreseen in the EU equal treatment legislation. It is directly linked to the independence of equality bodies and requires a proactive stance in order to eliminate discriminatory practices by making suggestions on how these practices can be changed.

While research in this area is lacking, making recommendations to policy makers/legislators seems to be a tool widely used in the work of equality bodies. This good practice guide aims at providing a first analysis of the work and involvement of equality bodies in making recommendations and understanding which factors may empower or limit their potential in the field.

This guide draws on the experience of equality bodies in making recommendations suggesting measures to change discriminatory policies and practices. Moreover, it aims at providing equality bodies with good practices for their potential engagement as well as useful insights to help them defining, promoting and monitoring recommendations in a strategic way. In this context, the guide hopes to provide useful information to:

• Identify the problem;
• Define the potential contribution of the equality body;
• Work out the proposed solutions/recommendations;
• Promote the recommendation and get it implemented;
• Follow-up recommendations.