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Future steps for the improvement of the data collection on discrimination discussed in Ukraine

On 3 March, the Council of Europe organised a meeting with representatives from state and non-state institutions in order to discuss progress in the collection of disaggregated data on cases of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Ukraine. Two Council of Europe experts presented a report and recommendations on how to improve collection of such data by state and non-state actors and unifying methodology of data collections which should be victim and outcomes focused.

The working meeting gathered the participants from the Office of the Ombudsperson of Ukraine, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Police, Prosecutor’s Office, State Statistics Office, Coordination Center for Legal Aid Provision, and NGOs who discussed together the existing challenges in recording cases of discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes by different agencies and the opportunities for improving the collection of disaggregated data in Ukraine.

Participants have pointed out the need to clearly define the phenomena for data collection purposes and develop information exchange mechanisms and methodology that would help individual agencies collect better data on discrimination in their area of expertise. Suggestions for the next steps included, inter alia, an interagency mechanism for cases of discrimination and a referral mechanism to support those who report discrimination to law enforcement and direct them to the agencies that can provide assistance in such cases.

Participants agreed on future steps responding to the existing challenges in implementation of a unified collection of data on discrimination, hate crimes and hate speech in line with Council of Europe standards and practices. 

The meeting was organised in the framework of the regional project “Strengthening access to justice through non-judiciary redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in Eastern Partnership countries”, which is funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe through the Partnership for Good Governance II programme.

Ukraine 3 March 2020
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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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