ENAR Achievements – October-December 2019
ENAR Network achievements
Re-establishment of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup. Following meetings with MEPs and heads of political groups prior to the EU elections, a bureau of co-Presidents of the Intergroup was created. We undertook a campaign (including through social media, formal political meetings) to ensure support for the re-establishment of the Intergroup and encourage MEPs to be members. The Intergroup was officially established by the European Parliament leadership in December.
Putting a focus on race and racial discrimination in technology and AI related discussions. ENAR initiated reflections and discussions on the impact of technology and AI on racialised communities in two separate areas: data-driven profiling in the criminal justice system and the use of AI in recruitment. This has led EU decision makers and the digital rights community to acknowledge the need to take race aspects into consideration, including in discussions on the future EU digital agenda.
Cities’ role in combating racism. Eurocities, the European cities network, organised for the first time a working session on how cities can fight Islamophobia in November. ENAR provided input and called for the adoption of national action plans against racism. As a result of this meeting, ENAR will work more consistently with networks of cities such as Eurocities and the European Coalition of Cities against racism (ECCAR) to get more cities to adopt action plans against racism.
Meeting with EU Commissioner for Equality. ENAR was invited to a meeting with Commissioner Helena Dalli prior to her official designation where we had the opportunity to present our priorities for the coming years and call for a renewed focus on race equality in the new European Commission’s mandate.
Members’ achievements
A new slavery memorial will be created in Lisbon following an initiative of DJASS – Association of Afrodescendants. It aims to promote the historical recognition of Portugal’s role in slavery and to evoke the legacies of this period in Portuguese society.
The first People of African Descent Week took place in Berlin, Germany, thanks to many anti-racist organisations including our members EOTO and ISD-Bund. More than 250 people from 35 organisations of African descent from all over Germany came together to draw the attention of decision-makers to gaps in human rights protection, but also to the achievements of people of African descent in Germany.
A March Against Islamophobia in France took place in France on 10 November on the initiative of a collective of organisations, including some ENAR members. It attracted tens of thousands of people in the streets of Paris.
The Brussels government adopted an Action Plan Against Racism, as a result of the work of the NAPAR Coalition in Belgium, including meetings with members of the Brussels regional government and political parties. Although it fails to include all the recommendations of the Coalition, it is a step forward.
