2010 Work Programme of the Equinet Working Groups

7 June 2010

Working Group on the Promotion of Equality

Moderators: Teodora Matej, Croatian Office of the Ombudsman & Elizaveta Kosenkova, French HALDE (during Néphèli Yatropoulos' maternity leave) and co-moderator: Martin Clement (HALDE)

The working group’s mandate is to pool experience and expertise on good practices, mainstreaming and other relevant tools of promoting equality and non-discrimination.
In 2010 the working group will continue to deepen its work in the field of collecting, processing and using comprehensive data on discrimination complaints and cases. The working group, with the assistance of an external expert, will develop a data collection template for specialised equality bodies that have quasi judicial or tribunal functions. The template will encompass all grounds covered by the EU Directives.

Working Group on Strategic Enforcement

Moderator: John Stauffer, Swedish Equality Ombudsman

The working group aims to contribute to the effective implementation of equality bodies’ mandate through exchanging expertise, experience and information on the most strategic use of the diverse powers available to equality bodies. Last year, the group has collected information on the different powers of equality bodies assessing the experience with and effectiveness of these.
In 2010 the working group will focus on the key question of empowering civil society (understood as individuals and rights groups) and will develop a comprehensive strategy to reach this ambitious goal. In pursuing its task the working group will draft new strategies for the most effective and efficient use of the different powers of equality bodies also identifying possible new avenues and approaches building on their experience and expertise.

Working Group on Policy Formation

Moderator: Mandana Zarrehparvar, Danish Institute for Human Rights

The working group underpins Equinet’s work to engage in a dialogue with EU institutions that supports policy formation at EU level to effectively promote equality, value diversity and tackle discrimination. The working group supports the dialogue of Equinet with the EU institutions through the preparation of Equinet opinions that are developed from the work and experience of national equality bodies at Member State level.
In 2010 the working group will issue opinions and have a special focus on:
•    Making equal treatment legislation work for trans people
•    Analyzing and addressing the interaction between poverty and discrimination
•    Promoting equality in the time of an economic recession

Working Group on Dynamic Interpretation

Moderator: Peter Reading, Equality and Human Rights Commission, UK

The working group focuses on the interpretation of legal concepts and issues in anti-discrimination legislation with a view to harmonised implementation of EU law so as to secure equality for all at the highest possible level. In 2010, the working group will continue to employ a practical approach by using real-life cases as a basis for a comparative analysis of the application of anti-discrimination law in their different countries.
In 2010 the working group will also complete a report on the powers of European equality bodies to provide assistance in discrimination cases and influence the interpretation of national and European equality law. This work builds on a survey of the litigation powers of equality bodies conducted in early 2010.