News on combating discrimination
Preventing and Combating Child Trafficking in North Macedonia: Stories of Resilience and Collaboration
When Jana (name changed for protection) arrived at SOS Children’s Village foster home, she carried only a small bag, and an invisible weight of fear, trauma, and mistrust. At just 15, she had endured months of exploitation by traffickers who had promised her “a better future.” Instead, she found...
‘One Team, One Goal’ football match kicks off new phase of ‘Block the Hatred. Share the Love!’ initiative
The second phase of the European Union and Council of Europe awareness raising initiative “Block the Hatred. Share the Love! 2.0” was launched today with a children’s football tournament at the FK Sloga stadium in Vukosavlje, bringing together boys and girls from five municipalities to promote...
A wall of words, a voice for tolerance
When graphic designers Kruna Jevtić and Luka Prstojević first sat down to brainstorm their latest project, before presenting it to the Council of Europe since commissioning it, they knew it needed to be more than just art. It had to speak- clearly, boldly, and without borders. And to speak words...
Montenegro institutions assess progress in aligning laws with the same-sex partnerships framework
Montenegro is taking further steps to ensure that the rights of same-sex couples are fully protected, as institutions met on 9 July to review progress on aligning existing laws with the Law on Same-Sex Partnerships. Organised under the joint European Union and Council of Europe action Combating...
Göç Halindeki Refakatsiz Çocuklara Yönelik Alternatif Bakımın Önemi Gerçekleştirilen Konferans ile Vurgulandı
Dünya çapında yaklaşık 49 milyon çocuk, zorla yerinden edilmiş ve bunların çoğu refakatsiz veya ailelerinden ayrı düşmüş durumdadır. Bu çocukların acil koruma ihtiyaçlarına karşılık olarak, “Göç Bağlamında Refakatsiz ve Ailesinden Ayrı Düşmüş Çocuklara yönelik Alternatif Bakım Düzenlemeleri”...
Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and related challenges to human rights protection in the loop of Equality Bodies.
With the active participation of 22 staff members from the Ombudsperson Institution, a two-day training session took place on in Istog/Istok, focusing on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on non-discrimination and the evolving role of equality bodies. The training aimed to strengthen the...
New informational video about the work of the Commission on Compensation for Victims of Violent Crimes launched in North Macedonia
What are the rights of the victims of violent crimes?
Following the adoption of the Law on Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes in November 2022, the Commission for Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes was established in February 2024. Its task is clear: to examine and grant claims for state monetary compensation of victims of violent...
Towards a cultural shift in preventing human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation in North Macedonia
Between 2019 and 2024, 46 victims of human trafficking for labour exploitation, mostly adult men, were identified in North Macedonia. [1] Reportedly, many of the victims of labour exploitation go undetected, as there is a lack of general understanding of the concept of forced labour, not only by...
In Belgrade, youth and decision-makers join forces to counter hate speech through dialogue and art
In a strong show of solidarity against hate and discrimination, youth representatives and senior officials gathered at the Silosi cultural centre in Belgrade to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. The event featured a vibrant panel discussion followed by the unveiling of a...
United Against Hate: Strengthening Law Enforcement to Combat Discrimination
The regional workshop “Police Operating in Diverse Societies: Addressing Hatred Against Ethnic and Religious Minorities” held in Durres, Albania, underscored the commitment of the European Union, the Council of Europe and the regional partners to combat all forms of hatred and discrimination. The...
Young European Ambassadors unite across borders to counter hatred and promote equality
A two-day workshop held in Tirana, Albania, brought together 55 Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions. The participants included 40 YEAs who joined online and 15 who attended in person. This event aimed to improve their abilities to combat...
Hate speech and bullying have no place in our communities and certainly not in our schools
As key agents of change in shaping both the present and the future, young people have an important role in combating hate speech, bullying and other types of harassment. In this context, several workshops were organised during May and June, across three primary schools in the Municipality of...
United against discrimination in Serbia: Equality Commissioner and the Council of Europe driving change
From classrooms to newsrooms, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the Council of Europe in Serbia are working side by side to challenge discrimination and promote inclusion. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality in Serbia, Brankica Janković, reflects on years of...
Public discussion in Kichevo highlights the importance of anti-discrimination mechanisms
Citizens in Kichevo, coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds were part of another public discussion focusing on different protective mechanisms against discrimination. This activity comes after the successful and productive discussions with citizens in Prilep and Kumanovo, informing citizens and...
Advancing Women’s Access to Justice in the Western Balkans: Reflections on the Swedish experience
From 18-21 May 2025, judges and prosecutors, successful graduates of the Mentoring Programme for Legal Professionals on Women’s Access to Justice, from the six Beneficiaries in the Western Balkans, participated in a study visit to Stockholm, Sweden. The visit focused on how Sweden mainstreams...
Partners join their efforts to fight discrimination and hatred and support youth in North Macedonia
Joint and co-ordinated efforts to improve efficiency and advance the fight against hatred and intolerance, especially among youth in North Macedonia were agreed during the 5th Steering Committee meeting of the action “Combating hatred and intolerance in North Macedonia” which traditionally...
Equipping trainers from Western Balkans and Eastern Europe with legal and technical tools to counter racial discrimination
An expert session was held to strengthen legal standards and practical tools for protecting individuals from discrimination in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions. This event is part of the recently initiated Training of Trainers programme. Bringing together over 30...
Intercultural cities in Serbia: working together for inclusion
Arandjelovac, Prijepolje and Sjenica are the first municipalities in Serbia to use the intercultural cities (ICC) index to evaluate and improve how they promote inclusion, diversity and intercultural dialogue at the local level. The results of the ICC Index for the three towns were presented and...
Celebrating Pride and Standing Up for Equality – IDAHOT kicks off in Albania
The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) will be marked in Albania during a vibrant month-long series of events, celebrating diversity, equality, and the rights of LGBTI people. Under the theme “Side by Side!”, the European Union and the Council of Europe's...
Learning from the Dutch experience: Helping victims of violent crimes get justice through compensation
A delegation from the recently established Commission for Monetary Compensation for Victims of Violent Crimes (the Commission), was part of a 3-days study visit to the Hague - Netherlands supported by the EU and Council of Europe. The visit aimed to study the Dutch best practices and discuss...
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