New International Standards for Equality Bodies

On the 21 March the Commissioner for human rights of the Council of Europe gave his opinion on national structures for promoting equality.

The opinion highlighted the value of the different roles that national structures for promoting equality can play in the field of equality and non discrimination. The Commissioner also emphasised the necessity for independence and effectiveness of national structures for promoting equality to have an impact on discrimination and inequality.

The Commissioner for Human Rights issued a number of recommendations for Member States to implement and enact in the areas of equal treatment legislation; the establishment of national structures to promote equality and the operations of national structures for promoting equality.

Equinet welcomes the opinion of the commissioner and hopes that his conclusions and recommendations will be of assistance to National Equality Bodies in the advancement of equality and non-discrimination across Europe.

To read Equinet's 2008 report on the the importance of independance of national equality bodies  "Between Impartiality and Responsiveness: Equality Bodies and Practices of Independance" please click here.

The opinion of the Commssioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe on national structures for promoting equality can be read in full here

Avis du Commissaire aux droits de l’homme sur les structures nationales de promotion de l’égalité