Equality Today | Issue 54 | September 2025
Check in this issue:
|
|
|
What do Equality Bodies do?
|
|
|
Equality Bodies play a crucial role in addressing discrimination and promoting fair treatment for individuals of all religious backgrounds.
Farah was recruited as airline ground staff through a recruitment company. After being hired, she was informed she could not wear her hijab due to the airline’s neutrality standard in uniform policy, which banned visible religious symbols. Both the recruitment company and the airline upheld the restriction, prompting Farah’s decision to resign from the job and seek the assistance of the Equality Ombudsman.
How did the Swedish Equality ombudsman manage to ensure freedom of religion was not violated on the workplace?
|
|
|
For Equinet Members Only
Equality Bodies at Work: Share your activities!
At Equinet, we are dedicated to sharing our Members' success stories and showcasing how Equality Bodies are catalysts for more equal societies. Please use the link above to submit activities that your Equality Body carried out. Whether it involved bringing a case to court, submitting a decision, making recommendations, drafting a report, carrying out research or an awareness campaign, we want to hear all about it!
|
|
|
|
Members Highlights
Georgia: Report on 10 Years of Equality Mechanism
The Public Defender released the report “Summary of 10 Years of Activities of the Equality Mechanism,” reviewing legislative progress, landmark decisions, and the successful practices of the Public Defender since 2014. While notable advances have been made in anti-discrimination law and practice, the report finds that equality in Georgia remains limited in practice. Key challenges include the absence of a unified state vision, insufficient targeted policies, and low public awareness. Looking ahead, the Public Defender pledges to strengthen the equality mechanism further, aiming to build a fairer society and ensure more effective elimination of discrimination. Access the complete report in English on the link above!
|
|
|
|
Members Highlights
Unia Joins Facing Facts Network to Strengthen Action Against Hate Crime
Unia, Belgium’s independent Equality Body, has become the newest member of the Facing Facts Network, coordinated by CEJI. With 36 members across Europe, the network brings together civil society organisations and law enforcement agencies to advance collaborative approaches to monitoring, preventing, and responding to hate crime and hate speech. Unia’s membership further strengthens this collective effort to ensure safer, more inclusive societies and better protection for victims. Explore the network at the link above!
|
|
|
|
Save the Date: Equinet Annual General Meeting 2025
Equinet’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday, 7 October 2025, in Brussels, bringing together all member Equality Bodies. This year’s AGM will be a key moment to approve the 2026 Work Plan, set priorities for the year ahead, and elect a new Executive Board to serve a two-year mandate. It will also provide an important opportunity for members to connect, exchange, and strengthen our collective voice for equality across Europe.
Geneva Academy Features Equinet’s Equality Bodies Comparison Dashboard
The Geneva Human Rights Platform has spotlighted Equinet’s Equality Bodies Comparison Dashboard, a unique tool offering detailed, interactive comparisons of over 40 equality bodies across Europe. Designed for accessibility and usability, the dashboard supports benchmarking, advocacy, and analysis aligned with EU standards. It complements Equinet’s European Directory of Equality Bodies and helps monitor national implementation of the new EU Directives on Standards for Equality Bodies. Explore the dashboard at this link! |
|
|
Equinet’s Contribution to the EU 2026–2030 Anti-Racism Strategy Consultation
Equinet has submitted its recommendations to the European Commission’s consultation on the next EU Anti-Racism Strategy. The contribution calls for stronger institutional frameworks, improved equality data, and meaningful participation of racialised communities. It also emphasises the importance of equality bodies in addressing structural racism and promoting inclusive policymaking. The submission urges sustained political commitment and better enforcement of anti-discrimination legislation. Explore the submission at the link above!
Equinet's Intervention in Salay v. Slovakia Strengthens EU Case Law on Indirect Discrimination
In the landmark case Salay v. Slovakia, Equinet, through its Equality Law Working Group and alongside the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights, intervened as a third party to support the European Court of Human Rights’ deliberations. Their submission highlighted the European and Slovak legal frameworks, national reports on over-representation in special education, and systemic issues in placement processes, diagnosing, and testing of pupils. This expert input helped shape the Court’s understanding of indirect discrimination and segregation, underscoring the vital role of equality bodies in advancing non-discrimination standards across Europe. Read the blog post at the link above!
|
|
|
Recordings Available: Equality by Design, Deliberation and Oversight Webinar Series
Equinet has published on YouTube the full recordings of its webinar series “Equality by Design, Deliberation and Oversight”, which explored the intersection of AI, equality, and human rights. The sessions gathered experts, Equality Bodies, and civil society to discuss how equality can be built into technical standards, legal frameworks, and oversight mechanisms. This project was funded by the Responsible AI UK Impact Award (UK RAI). Dive into the project at the link above and watch all the webinars on our YouTube channel here!
|
|
|
Have Your Say: Lead Your Way Survey on Employment and Digital Inclusion
As part of the European project Lead Your Way, coordinated by DOWN SPAIN with partners in Croatia, Romania, and Malta, a new survey has been launched to better understand the employment situation and digital tool use of people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities. The results will help identify barriers, create practical training tools, and promote accessible employment opportunities. The survey is open until 5 October 2025. Check it out at the link above and share it with your network!
|
|
|
FRA Publishes Groundbreaking Survey on Being Intersex in the EU
The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has just published its new survey Being Intersex in the EU, the first of its kind to capture the lived realities of intersex people across Europe. The report sheds light on experiences of discrimination, barriers in healthcare, gaps in legal recognition, and challenges to social inclusion. By providing robust data, the survey offers vital evidence to strengthen policies and protections for intersex people. Explore the findings at the link above!
|
|
|
Save the Date – Conference “Challenging Hate: A Human Rights-Based Approach”
On 28–29 May 2026 the University of Limerick, Ireland, in association with the Council of Europe’s CDADI, will host a two-day conference exploring human rights-based approaches to combating hate speech and hate crime. The event will focus on the Council of Europe’s recent Recommendations and their practical implementation. Academics, policymakers, practitioners, and activists are invited to attend and submit papers. Participation is also open without submitting a paper. Further details will follow!
|
|
|
OHCHR Unveils HRC Mapper for Enhanced Transparency and Planning
The Human Rights Council Secretariat has launched the HRC Mapper, a new interactive platform designed to help users navigate the Council’s work. This searchable database consolidates six years of mandates, mechanisms, and reports, tagged by theme and linked to relevant resolutions. It also offers forward-looking insights, including projected resolutions and a three-year programme of work. Developed with OHCHR’s Innovation & Analytics Hub, the tool aims to enhance transparency and engagement. Explore the platform at the link above!
|
|
|
ECNI Publishes Legal Paper on For Women Scotland Judgment
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has released a legal paper analysing the For Women Scotland judgment and its implications for equality law. The paper identifies key legal uncertainties and outlines the Commission’s intention to apply to the High Court for a declaration on the correct legal approach. This move aims to clarify how equality law should be interpreted and applied in Northern Ireland. Read more at the link above!
|
|
|
Strengthening Fundamental Rights: Join the 3rd EU CharterXchange
The 3rd Annual EU CharterXchange, held online on 8–9 December 2025, is a key forum for sharing experiences and knowledge on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. This special edition supports the Danish Presidency’s 25th-anniversary conference, bringing together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to advance rights protection across the EU. Equality bodies can network, exchange insights, and help ensure nondiscrimination and equality remain central to fundamental rights discussions. Join the discussion at the link above!
University of Amsterdam’s EU Legal Clinic Seeks Equality-Focused Partnerships
The EU legal clinic at the University of Amsterdam School of Law is inviting partnerships with NGOs, non-profits, and other law clinics working on equality issues. Guided by faculty and PhD researchers, selected students provide legal research support on topics ranging from equality and sustainability to immigration law. The clinic aims to assist organisations lacking resources for in-depth legal analysis. Interested organisations can reach out to i.isailovic@uva.nl. Explore the initiative at the link above! |
|
|
EUROPE
