Holding EU States Accountable: NAPAR Training Highlights
Brussels, Belgium, 8 November – Following the milestone EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, states were urged to adopt National Action Plans Against Racism (NAPARs) by the end of 2022 – yet, many are still falling short. To equip the ENAR Network with the tools to demand action, we hosted a training for anti-racism activists on advocating for and monitoring NAPARs.
EU Anti-Racism Action Plan
In response to global Black Lives Matter protests and long-standing calls from anti-racist organisations, the European Commission launched the EU Anti-racism Action Plan (2020-2025) in September 2020.
This landmark initiative marked the EU’s first explicit acknowledgment of structural, institutional, and historical racism, shifting focus from individual acts of discrimination to systemic solutions.
As part of the plan, EU member states were urged to adopt National Action Plans Against Racism (NAPARs) by the end of 2022.
Driving Change Through NAPARs: Highlights from Our Training
As hostility toward racialised communities intensifies, National Action Plans Against Racism (NAPARs) offer a vital opportunity to dismantle structural racism with systemic solutions. On 8 November 2024, we hosted a training to empower activists with the tools to advocate for and monitor these plans effectively.
Key highlights from the training included:
- A comprehensive overview of the EU’s anti-discrimination framework, led by Nozizwe Dube.
- A panel discussion on aligning anti-racism efforts across EU, national, and local levels, featuring Michaela Moua (EU Anti-Racism Coordinator), Bernice Zarb (Human Rights Directorate, Malta), as well as Danijel Cubelic and Linda Hyökki (European Coalition of Cities against Racism – ECCAR).
- Hand-on exercises on monitoring progress, building advocacy strategies, and addressing the realities of implementing NAPARs across Europe.
By equipping civil society with these insights and strategies, we continue to push for frameworks that drive meaningful, lasting change.
