A new E-learning Course on Equality and Non-discrimination in Policing, has been launched, bringing together representatives of law enforcement agencies, equality bodies and civil society organisations from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions. The course is based on the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) General Policy Recommendation No. 11 and the Council of Europe Manual for police education on equality & non-discrimination. The course turns European standards into practical guidance on how police officers work in everyday situations, helping them better respond to racism and discrimination, work more closely with local communities, and improve support for victims, including situations where different forms of discrimination overlap.  This e-learning tool provides a practical framework to improve the prevention and investigation of hate crimes, enhance institutional accountability, deepen collaboration between police, equality bodies and civil society organisations, and strengthen public trust. In practice, it helps improve how police respond to discrimination and hate-related incidents and victim protection across local communities.

The online event emphasised the growing role of the e-learning tools in delivering human rights-based police training across the Council of Europe member states. Participants discussed the importance of the sustained use of the Council of Europe e-learning resources to strengthen human rights-based approaches and professional standards.

The initiative is part of the regional efforts to strengthen police capacity to effectively prevent, identify and respond to discrimination and hatred. The tool is being translated and adapted to local context and languages and will soon be available in nine languages across the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions, ensuring wide accessibility and regional impact.

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This event is 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”, which are respectively parts of the European Union/Council of Europe joint programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.