Equality Body Strategies

Twenty five equality bodies in 18 countries reported on their work for this perspective. Many identified a high priority for work on hate speech given its prevalence and given it drives discrimination and harassment. The national policy context is not always conducive to their work, with inadequate legislative provision and enforcement frameworks that lack capacity. Most equality bodies did not report comprehensive strategies underpinning their work on hate speech. This limits their focus on root causes of hate speech and their engagement in alternative narrative work.

Equality Bodies Prioritising Hate Speech

However, a wide range of action on hate speech was reported by these equality bodies. This involves casework, research, policy advice, promotion of good practice, and communication. Low levels of casework are the norm, though a few equality bodies reported significant levels. Casework is largely reported by equality bodies with a decision-making function. A concern to deepen the knowledge base on hate speech is evident in the research work of equality bodies. Policy advice has largely focused on improving the legal basis for prosecuting hate speech comprehensively and effectively.

Equality Bodies Taking Action

Good practice work by equality bodies has had a particular concern with supporting better enforcement in relation to hate speech by the relevant authorities. Work has also been done to enable educational establishments to address the issue and to engage political parties on the issue. Positive duties on public bodies, employers and service providers are valuable in driving good practice on hate speech. Communication work has largely been limited to making the issue of hate speech visible as a public concern.

Conclusions and Looking Forward

In looking forward, it would be useful if the European Commission and the Member States could:

• enhance legislation on hate speech to ensure uniform definition, the coverage of all grounds, and a mix of criminal and administrative channels to address cases;
• improve the policy context by developing multi-annual national action plans on hate speech;
• and ensure equality body have mandates that explicitly enable them to address hate speech and are accorded the competences required for this.

It would be useful if equality bodies could:

• explore and devise full and comprehensive strategies to address hate speech;
• develop their communication work to include sustained and substantial action on promoting alternative narratives;
• and engage with the European Commission Code of Conduct and secure funding for this work under European Commission calls for projects.

It would be useful if Equinet could:

• enable peer learning and provide training for equality bodies to build their strategy on hate speech and, in particular, to innovate in responding to this issue.

Download

Equality bodies addressing hate speech (2018)

Cette semaine dans Ouest-France, le Défenseur des droits vous explique tout ce que vous devez savoir sur la personne de confiance.

La chronique est à retrouver dans la page « Vie quotidienne – Droits – consommation » de Ouest-France ainsi que sur internet.

The Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman has informed the Department for Communities that she is proposing, under new powers, to launch an investigation into the way the Department administers Personal Independence Payments (PIPs). The welfare benefit replaced Disability Living Allowance in June 2016.

The investigation would be the first under the Ombudsman’s ‘own initiative’ power, which allows for an investigation to take place where there is a suspicion of systemic maladministration.

Ombudsman Marie Anderson has written to the Department's Permanent Secretary stating that since June 2016 there have been a significant number of complaints about PIPs to her Office.

She also noted the high number of the Department's decisions which have been upheld by Mandatory Reconsideration, but then overturned by an Appeal Tribunal.

Following an assessment of the Department’s procedures, she stated that she was satisfied that the criteria for an own initiative investigation have been met.

Ombudsman investigations are normally only carried out on receipt of a specific complaint.

However, the ‘own initiative’ power allows the Ombudsman to act even when no complaint has been received.

The Ombudsman has received acknowledgement from the Department that they have received  she awaits further information.

Under the terms of the Public Services Ombudsman (Northern Ireland) Act 2016, the Ombudsman must publish a report of any ‘own initiative’ investigation.

Notes:

The Ombudsman’s ‘own initiative’ powers were granted in section 8 of the Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. They allow her to conduct an investigation if she has a reasonable suspicion that there is systemic maladministration, even if no complaint has been received.

The Ombudsman has identified the following criteria for selecting subjects for potential Own Initiative investigations:

1. The issue of concern has been identified by the Ombudsman to be one of public interest.

2. The issue of concern affects a number of individuals or a particular group of people.

Du 16 au 19 décembre 2018 s’est tenue à Niamey au Niger, une réunion du Comité des Experts de l’Association des Médiateurs des Pays membres de l’Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (AMP-UEMOA). Placée sous la présidence de Maître Ali Sirfi Maïga, Médiateur de la République du Niger, Président de l’AMP-UEMOA, cette réunion a vu la participation très appréciable de l’Institution du Médiateur de la République du Bénin en la personne de Bienvenu Padonou, Directeur des recours. La réunion s’inscrit dans le cadre de la mise en œuvre des décisions de la 5ème Assemblée Générale de l’Association et a pour but de se pencher sur la question de l’harmonisation du cadre statutaire de l’organisation et du fonctionnement de l’Institution du Médiateur dans l’espace UEMOA et sur la relecture des statuts et du règlement intérieur de l’Association.

Cliquez ici pour lire l’intégralité de l’actualité