A two-day seminar on "European Standards on Equality and Anti‑discrimination" has started in Vilnius, Lithuania. The event is organised as part of the European Union (EU) and Council of Europe joint programme "Partnership for Good Governance" and the Council of Europe's "Activity on co-operation with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society in the field of anti‑discrimination". It aims to support Belarusian democratic forces and civil society actors in strengthening their understanding of, and advocacy for, equality and anti‑discrimination, in line with EU acquis and Council of Europe standards.
Addressing the participants during the opening session, Jeroen Schokkenbroek, Director of Equal Rights and Dignity at the Council of Europe, said: "This initiative represents not only a commitment to equality and inclusion but also a significant step forward in empowering Belarusian democratic forces and civil society to advocate effectively for human rights and democratic values. The resources of the training made accessible in Belarusian will help to ensure that Council of Europe standards are effectively embraced by all".
Leanid Marozau, Head of the Legal Department of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic forces, stressed: "This event is more than just a meeting; it is a symbol of solidarity and hope for all Belarusians who continue their fight for rights and freedoms".
This sentiment was echoed by Ekaterina Deikalo, representing the Belarusian Helsinki Committee: "Through this event, we would like to support the capacity and sustainability of those who can contribute to bringing principles and values of equality and non‑discrimination to life in Belarusian society. The adaptation of resources in the Belarusian language will equip our civil society actors to better uphold and promote human rights, given the context of Russia's growing cultural, educational, and legal expansion. This is a tangible demonstration of support for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people".
Cristian Urse, Deputy Director of Political Affairs and External Relations of the Council of Europe, highlighted the seminar's broader implications: "Cooperation with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society is a key priority of the Council of Europe. This project is part of the activities under the auspices of the Council of Europe Contact Group set up in 2022 to provide support and expertise to Belarusian counterparts on European standards. The recently signed agreement between the Council of Europe and the Government of Lithuania to establish an Information Point for Belarusian people in Vilnius will contribute to enahancing our efforts in this area".
Belarusian versions of the HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) online courses on Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of discrimination) and on ECRI's General Policy Recommendations No. 2 (on equality bodies) and No. 7 (on national legislation) were presented to participants. Over the coming months, participants will have an opportunity to complete the online training courses with support from tutors affiliated with the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. This training series is one of the activities agreed upon for 2024 -2025 within the Contact Group and supported by the Committee of Ministers in January 2024.
