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REGIONAL MEETING FOR THE “EQUAL TOGETHER” PROJECT

22 April 2024

REGIONAL MEETING FOR THE “EQUAL TOGETHER” PROJECT

An advocacy meeting was held in Vidi on 17 April 2024. It is part of the work under the project "Strengthening the role of civil society organizations of vulnerable communities in Bulgaria to counter discrimination, intolerance, hate speech and hate crimes" (EQUALTOGETHER), co-funded by the European Union's programme "Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values" (2021 - 2027).

The meeting was organized by NGO Organization Drom, which is part of the project implementing consortium coordinated by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, in partnership with the Association “INTEGRO", Liberal Alternative for Roma Civic Association, Roma Academy for Culture and Education, Youth LGBT organization “Action”.

The following topics were addressed and discussed at the meeting:

(i) The treatment of minors with behavioural problems in the social assistance and child protection system, on the one hand, and in law enforcement and justice authorities, on the other hand, and

(ii) Relationships between students and teachers and students of different ethnic backgrounds in schools where children of different ethnic backgrounds are co-educated. Relationships in children's and youth groups and communities outside school that bring together children from different ethnic backgrounds. Hostile speech and prejudice between children and young people from different ethnic backgrounds.

The meeting was attended by the following representatives of key institutions: 1) Regional Council on Ethnic and Roma Issues; 2) Child Protection Department at the Social Assistance Directorate; 3) Children's Pedagogical Room (CPS); 4) Commission for Protection from Discrimination (CPD)-local office; 5) Local Commission for Combating Juvenile Delinquency (LCCJ); 7) District Prosecutor's Office-Vidin; 7) Vidin Bar Association; 8) Municipal Department "Social Activities"; 9) Association "Free Youth Center"; 10) Representatives of schools from the region; 11) Journalists and psychologists.

The meeting was opened with a brief presentation of Organization Drom, its history and current work by Ms. Tanya Kaltseva- lawyer consultant on the Equal Together project at NGO Organization Drom, who also gave a welcome to the participants by the Chair of the Board of Drom Organization Ms. Donka Panayotova.

The start of the main discussion was given by the moderator of the event Mr. Rumian Rusinov - political scientist and associate of NGO Organization Drom.

As a result of the discussion, NGO Organization Drom presented its recommendations to the White Paper of the project, which will be presented at the national advocacy meetings at the EU Representation in Bulgaria, Sofia in end-May and early June this year.

Policy recommendations:

  • Increase awareness for the issues related to hate speech, hate crimes, discrimination and intolerance in the wider Bulgarian society, NGO sector and institutions.
  • Stimulate activities for the improvement of media reporting of the most vulnerable groups and minorities.
  • Accelerate the exchange of best practices between the NGO sector and the institutions in the fight against hate speech and hate crime.
  • Organise human rights campaigns by institutions in partnership with the NGO sector.
  • Implement regular monitoring for the conditions of tolerance in the Bulgarian society in order to record the progress and take measures for improvement if necessary.