Paris, France, June 2018 — Efus has set up a working group on discriminatory violence based on the principle that urban security is a public good, which must be founded on the respect of human rights. Open to all interested members, the group will provide a space for the exchange of knowledge, strategies and practices and allow members to attend online training courses and to take part in the design of recommendations aimed at the whole network.
Linked to rapid urban growth and the heterogeneous composition of urban society, intolerant and discriminatory behaviours can degenerate into violent or criminal acts, undermine social cohesion and affect the tranquillity and security of individuals, communities and the general public.
Acts of this nature can in turn spark violent incidents motivated by intolerance and hate, which, apart from their direct targets, can create fear and hostility far beyond a municipality, a region or even a country. Furthermore, they fuel polarisation and radicalisation processes that can lead to violent extremism.
Encouraging better policies and providing practical tools
In order to continue the work carried out as part of the Just & Safer Cities for All (JUST) European project, which concluded at the end of 2017, Efus wishes through this initiative to promote human rights by encouraging better policies for the prevention of discriminatory violence, thus making cities safer for all.
The objectives of the working group are thus to promote at European level spaces for dialogue and the exchange of strategies and good practices; provide trainings to local and regional practitioners enabling them to better identify and respond to discriminatory acts, and advocate at local, national and European level efforts to tackle the root causes of discriminatory violence and human right violations.
A committee of experts
Coordinated by Efus and directed by the cities of Vienna (AT) and Bordeaux (FR), the group will also be supported by an advisory committee of experts gathering representatives from European and international institutions such as the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union; the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe; the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities (Centre interfédéral pour l’égalité des chances – UNIA) of Belgium; the European Network Against Racism (ENAR); the French Interministerial Delegation Against Racism, Anti-Semitism, Hate and anti-LGBT (Délégation interministérielle à la lutte contre le racisme, l’antisémitisme et la haine anti-LGBT-DILCRAH), and the German Interfederal Agency Against Discrimination (Antidiskriminierungsstelle de Bundes).
If you wish to join the group, please contact Pilar de la Torre delatorre@efus.eu or Moritz Konradi konradi@efus.eu
For more information, see the section on discriminatory violence on Efus Network
