Înapoi The impact of hatred on the victims’ life was addressed at the Living Library on the thematic of discrimination

The impact of hatred on the victims’ life was addressed at the Living Library on the thematic of discrimination

A thematic event on raising awareness and combating discrimination was carried out in the context of Council of Europe week in the Republic of Moldova  on 12 July 2023 in the format of Living Library - the storytelling sessions that reflected cases and situations of discrimination and hatred against three vulnerable groups. Experiences and real stories were shared and presented by the following “Living Books”:

  • Maria Scorodinschi – a victim of domestic violence, who shared her life story about surviving hatred and violence since childhood. Maria has become a benchmark of the fight against domestic violence and has been included in the BBC's list of the 100 most inspirational women in the world.
  • Albina Ciuprin & Anhelina Culic – shared their story regarding the prejudice against LGBTI people, based on their own experiences of discrimination and hatred on the criteria of sexual orientation.
  • Natalia Radița – a Roma women who faced discrimination in relation to employment rights, but also confronted hate speech and intolerance as a candidate in local elections, on the motive of her ethnicity.

Following the storytelling sessions, the participants at the event - representatives of state authorities and civil society organisations in the anti-discrimination field, as well as of the international community in the Republic of Moldova, had an exchange of impressions and views on the stories heard, focusing on the challenges that are to be addressed for preventing and combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes, possible solutions for improving relating responses mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova.

In conclusion of the Living Library, the importance of continuing and increasing cooperation of all relevant actors was highlighted, for the ultimate goal of a better protection of victims of discrimination, especially those from vulnerable groups in the Republic of Moldova.

This event was organised in the framework of the of the project “Combating discrimination, hate  speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova”, part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme Partnership for Good Governance, “co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

 

Chisinau 12 July 2023
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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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