On Monday 15 July, 143 civil society organisations from across the European Union published a joint statement urging EU leaders to include equality and non-discrimination as central priorities in the Union’s work programme for the next five years.
At a time of persistent discrimination, the signatories call for action to continue and consolidate the work already undertaken in recent years.
The requested measures include appointing a Commissioner for Equality and Fundamental Rights, introducing new strategies to deal with grounds not yet covered, strengthening existing strategies and integrating them into all policy areas.
The organisations are also insisting on preserving solid funding for organisations that promote equality and non-discrimination, and are calling for these objectives to be made priorities in the EU’s international cooperation.
In addition, there is support for maintaining the current status of Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, and for creating a new Directorate-General for Equality and Fundamental Rights.
The joint declaration: https://aeur.eu/f/d1p (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)