Back “We are equal but different”: raising awareness on rights of people with disabilities

“We are equal but different”: raising awareness on rights of people with disabilities

The local NGO “Equal Rights Equal Opportunities” (EREO) organised in Vanadzor, Armenia, a Community Forum concluding the results of the action “Challenging stereotypes against disabled people through empowerment in Armenia” being implemented under joint European Union/Council of Europe project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in the Eastern Partnership”, aimed at increasing access to justice for groups that experience discrimination, hate speech and hate crime.

The grant contributed to empowering of persons with disabilities (PWDs) by challenging the negative stereotypes existing at the society level and informing them about the most recent legislative developments in Armenia on this topic. The joint project activities were implemented over the period of December 2021- June 2022.

During the closing event, the Community Forum hosted project beneficiaries, their family members, representatives from the local authorities and civil society organizations. The president of the EREO NGO, Anush Aslanyan, noted that project activities fully reached its goals and united PWDs, their families and other actors for common goals – support and inclusion for all members of society. The representative from the Municipality highlighted the importance of the NGOs-state bodies’ cooperation to promote the inclusion of the PWDs in the Lori region. The official event was followed by non-formal discussions on plans on further encouragement of PWDs to be vocal about their rights and exploit their full potential.

In the scope of the project, a Mural and a Billboard were designed and situated in the visible areas of the city: the Mural has the following statement “We are equal but different”, while the Billboard refers to the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, contributing to raising of awareness on rights of people with disabilities in Armenia.

This activity was implemented in the framework of the regional project “Strengthening access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in the Eastern Partnership”, financed by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe in their Partnership for Good Governance phase II.

Armenia 9 June 2022
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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