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6th Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
The Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) meeting is one of the flagship events of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). The meeting brings together participants of the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) – the agency’s network for cooperation with over 300 civil society organisations working on a variety of fundamental rights issues across the European Union.
Objectives
The meeting aims to:
- encourage a European debate on fundamental rights among different civil society organisations;
- facilitate knowledge and exchange of good practices among FRP participants;
- inform the work of the FRA about challenges and promising initiatives on the ground;
- create opportunities for networking and further cooperation between civil society, the FRA and other actors.
Focus themes
This year specific focus will be dedicated to two issues - non-discrimination and hate crime. A panel debate on the first day will consider how civil society organisations together with other actors can contribute to further advancing anti-discrimination policies in the EU. On the second day, victim support organisations and other practitioners will share their experiences helping victims of hate crime and together look for promising practices in the field.
Workshops
As in the past, the meeting will also invite FRP participants to discuss emerging fundamental rights issues, exchange knowledge and good practices at ‘The Floor is yours’, and learn more about the work of the FRA through Thematic workshops.
Open day at the FRA
This year for the first time, the FRA is also hosting a pre-meeting event, offering participants the opportunity to meet its experts face to face. The FRA open day will take place at the FRA premises on Wedneday, 24 April 2013, from 14.30 to 18.00.
Participants
Only organisations which are part of the Fundamental Rights Platform may participate at the meeting. Participation by other guests and observers is by invitation only.
frp2013 programme
Wednesday, 24 April (optional)
| 13.30-14.30 |
Registration |
| 14.30- 18.00 |
Open day at the Fundamental Rights Agency (Schwarzenbergplatz 11) This year for the first time the FRA would like to invite all FRP participants to visit its premises in Vienna, get an up-close look at its work and explore possibilities for cooperation. FRA thematic area experts and project managers will be available the entire afternoon to inform you about the work of the agency and answer any questions you may have. |
| 18.00 |
Informal get-together Drinks will be served in the atrium of the FRA premises |
Thursday, 25 April
| 09.00-09.30 |
Registration and welcome coffee
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Plenary session I |
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Chair: Friso Roscam Abbing, Head of Communication Department, FRA |
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| 09.30 – 10.30 |
Welcome and introduction Maija Sakslin, Chairperson of the Management Board, FRA [ Read speech ] ‘Fundamental Rights Agency: stock-tacking and looking ahead’ Morten Kjaerum, Director, FRA [ Read speech ] Questions and answers |
| 10.30 - 11.00 |
Keynote address European Rights and Citizenship Programme: opportunities for civil society Kinga Göncz, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur on Rights and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020) Questions and answers |
| 11.00-11.30 |
Coffee break |
| 11.30- 13.00 |
PANEL DEBATE Panel debate with policy makers and experts, followed by a discussion with the audience This panel will explore how equality policies can be improved in the on-going absence of an anti-discrimination directive extending beyond the area of employment. Reflecting on the prospects for the draft ‘horizontal’ directive, the panel of policymakers and representatives of civil society will examine alternative ways to improve equality policies, focusing in particular on how civil society can contribute to fostering antidiscrimination policies at both the EU and the national levels. Panellists: • Raül Romeva i Rueda, Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur on the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive
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| 13.00 - 14.30 | Lunch |
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Plenary session II |
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| 14.30-15.00 |
Social Rights - The role of The Council of Europe Presentation on the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) system of collective complaint Luis Jimena Quesada, Chair of the European Committee of Social Rights, Council of Europe [ Download speech (pdf) ] Questions and answers
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Workshops |
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| 15.00-18.30 |
As in past years, 'The floor is yours’ invites participants to present ideas, projects or issues that are important to the fundamental rights debate in the EU. |
| 18.30 | Evening reception |
Friday, 26 April
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Plenary session III |
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Chair: Massimo Toschi, Head of Sector National Human Rights Bodies & FRP-Civil Society, FRA |
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| 09.00 - 11.00 |
Panel debate Evidence collected by the FRA, and others, show that hate crime is a daily reality throughout the EU. Such violence and crimes can be motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance or by a person’s disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and other biases. Hate crime harms not only those targeted; it affects entire communities, and hence strikes at the heart of EU’s commitments to democracy and the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination.Civil society organisations are uniquely positioned to provide first-hand support for victims of bias-motivated crimes and monitor the situation on the ground.They play a crucial role, helping to bring victims of hate crime together with relevant institutions, building their trust in the police as well as providing essential medical, psychological and legal counselling. This panel debate will highlight some of the promising practices in the field and invite participants to explore together, how national and EU institutions can best support the efforts of civil society in providing help to victims of hate crime. Panellists: Joanna Perry, Hate Crime Officer, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), OSCE Harald Kröger, Liaison Officer for LGBT-Issues – Central Office for Crime Prevention – Criminal Investigation Department, Berlin Police Department, Germany Lisbeth Garly Andersen, Project leader, Danish Institute for Human Rights Judith Sunderland, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch Joanna Goodey, Head of Department Freedoms and Justice, FRA Moderator:
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| 11.00 - 11.30 | Coffee break |
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Workshops |
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| 11.30 - 13.15 |
Thematic workshops with the FRA This session will focus on current FRA activities. In total, FRA will hold 12 workshops and invite FRP participants to provide feedback on its current work, while exploring mutual synergies and finding new opportunities for cooperation. |
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Plenary session IV |
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| 13.15 - 13.30 |
FRP Advisory panel - what has been achieved so far and next steps Dominika Bychawska, Member of the FRP Advisory Panel [ Download presentation (pdf) ] |
| 13.30 - 13.45 | Closing remarks Morten Kjaerum, Director, FRA |
| 13.45 | Lunch |
| 13.45-16.30 |
Advisory Panel meeting (For Advisory Panel members only) [ Download draft agenda (pdf) ] |
FRP Speakers 2013
Keynote addresses




Panel debate: Fostering anti-discrimination policies in the EU – tools and measures available to civil society



Panel debate: Victims of hate crime: challenges and promising practices for victim support





Moderator

Chairs of the meeting


frp 2013 workshops
‘The floor is yours’

‘The floor is yours‘ is an open space for Fundamental Rights Platform participants to share the ideas, projects or issues and discuss them with colleagues from across the European Union. It provides an opportunity to openly and critically discuss issues that you feel are key to current fundamental rights debates. It aims to facilitate structured networking and the exchange of promising practices as well as to open new opportunities for collaboration. [download guidelines (docx) ]
Participation
Any FRP participant can sign up to host a session. The afternoon really IS YOURS! FRP organisations are entirely responsible for the workshop’s content. The quality of the discussions depends on the engagement and responsibility of each participant. If you are interested in hosting a session, please complete the registration form below and send it to frp@fra.europa.eu by 15 March 2013.
Please note: registrations sent after the deadline will not be accepted. Before submitting your registration form, please consult the guidelines for ‘The floor is yours’. Information about the workshops will be published in due course.
Session overview
Session I: 15:00 - 15:45
Host:
- Georgia Tsaklanganos, Policy Advisor, Greens – European Free Alliance (GREENS/EFA) Group, European Parliament
The EU is founded on the common values of respect for human dignity and rights, inclusion of people belonging to minorities, equality, non-discrimination (art. 2 TEU). The proposal for a Horizontal Directive (draft) (COM(2008)0426) is blocked in the Council since 2009. This workshop is an opportunity to plan an EU Equality Action Calendar for the next 12 months: participants will be presented with a calendar including scheduled institutional events and political opportunities (like the Council social affairs working party meetings, EPSCO Council, the conclusion of the EP impact assessment, plenary debate in EP, German elections, etc.). Participants will be expected to brainstorm in order to fill in the calendar with relevant actions and/or campaign tools to promote the adoption of the blocked Horizontal Directive within the next year. The objective is to conclude on a common 12 month action calendar and commit to its fulfilment and dissemination through the FRP.
More information about the organisation on: www.greens-efa.eu
Fighting racism and discrimination through human rights education 
Hosts:
- Wolfgang Benedek, Co-Director; and Barbara Schmiedl, Programme manager, ETC Graz - European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy
Human rights have finally “arrived” at the local agenda. Still, there is a gap between human rights legislation and policies on the one hand and rights awareness, implementation measures and the use of redress mechanisms on the other. Human rights education that matters must therefore reach out for everyone - for you and me who are rights-holders - as well as for duty-bearers whose professional positions oblige them to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. On the example of the Human Rights City of Graz, the workshop will present the human rights city concept as a model for implementing and promoting human rights at the local level. Strategies, good practices and challenges of human rights education as a means to fight racism and discrimination will be presented and discussed in the workshop.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.etc-graz.at
Collective complaint procedure at the ECSR
Host:
- Luis Jimena Quesada, Chair of the European Committee of Social Rights, Council of Europe
Non-governmental organisations may lodge complaints alleging violations of the European Social Charter to the European Committee of Social Rights. The workshop will provide information on the procedure, its practical results and its impact at national level. It will also highlight the complementarity of this procedure with the right of individual petition before the European Court of Human Rights and its relation with EU legislation and, in particular, the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
More information about the organisation on: www.coe.int
Community - living - a right for all!
Host:
- Irene Bertana, Policy Officer, European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD)
At this workshop, real-life experiences of care-users will set the context for a broader debate on the deinstitutionalisation of care in EU Member States. A brief introduction of the key findings of a recent study on deinstitutionalisation in the mental health sector is thought to further trigger the discussion on why it is so important to empower people with support needs and ensure that they will be involved in decisions that concern them. The EEG will also share with the audience how EU funds can support national, regional and local authorities in implementing structural reforms aimed at facilitating the development of quality family- and community-based alternatives to institutional care. This raises a number of questions on how to reach out to the Member States and how to raise awareness of the human rights violations that institutionalisation implies.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.easpd.eu
Equality and non-discrimination as well as hate crime documentation with regard to christiatinity in Europe
Host:
- Gudrun Kugler, Director, Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians
The workshop will mainly focus on the concerns of European Christians about equality and non-discrimination as well as hate crime documentation with regard to Christianity in Europe. In addition, the Report on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in 2012 will briefly be presented. The discussion will focus on solutions.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.intoleranceagainstchristians.eu
Introduction to the Fundamental Rights Platform
Hosts:
- Massimo Toschi, FRA and Maria Amor Estebanez Martin, FRA
This workshop will give a brief introduction to the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) and its main activities – annual consultations, cooperation with civil society on a project-by-project basis, knowledge exchange forums – and much more.
[Download workshop presentation]
Session II: 15:55 - 16:40
Host:
- Julien Desmedt, Policy Officer, Directorate General for Justice, European Commission
During this session participants will have an opportunity to discuss the main achievements of the EU's fundamental rights policy. The workshop will retrace the process that led to the Charter entering into force, in December 2009, as a legally binding text for EU institutions and Members States when implementing EU law. Efforts to ensure the effective application of the Charter will be covered drawing on the assessments made by the Commission in the 2010 and 2011 Annual reports on the Application of the Charter.
The open discussion will focus on participants' testimonies on the use of the Charter at Member State level. By looking back at the first results achieved since the Charter gained force of law, participants will be invited to identify possible steps for further strengthening the EU's fundamental rights policy.
More information about the organisation on: www.ec.europa.eu/justice
Police training as a tool to better address discrimination and hate crimes
Host:
- Gaëlle Bistiaux, Advisor - International Training, Association of European Police Colleges (AEPC)
The aim of this workshop is to present the Association of European Police Colleges, its aims, structure, partners and initiatives, with a focus on past and future initiatives linked to human rights and anti-discrimination. Following the short presentation, participants will be invited to discuss opportunities for new cooperation, synergies and initiatives in the field of anti-discrimination and fight against hate crimes between the AEPC and interested organisations.
More information about the organisation on: www.aepc.net
Equality bodies and civil society organisations - natural allies in promoting equality and combating discrimination
Host:
- Tamas Kadar, Senior Policy Officer, European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET)
This workshop will focus on the essential links between national equality bodies (NEBs) and civil society organisations as natural partners in promoting equality and fighting discrimination. The workshop will foster a better understanding of the role and specificities of national equality bodies as institutions that are part of the public administration, yet independent both from government and from civil society. Participants will be asked to share their experiences and novel ideas on effective and fruitful ways of cooperation with NEBs. The workshop will also discuss how NEBs can support and empower civil society organisations, and in what ways civil society could support NEBs, if and when their independence or effectiveness is at risk. The workshop will build on the publication: ‘Effective strategies to empower civil society’, available at the EQUINET website: http://www.equineteurope.org/Effective-Strategies-to-Empower.
More information about the organisation on: www.equineteurope.org
No time for questions?! The right to ask and the right to know about human rights
Host:
- Lydia Medland, Research and Campaigns Coordinator, Access Info Europe
In this workshop we will explore the right of access to information, or the right to ask and the right to know what public bodies do in our name. The workshop will focus on the use of access to information by human rights organisations in order to get information needed for their work on human rights issues. The workshop will be interactive with participatory exercises and games as well as space for discussion on participants’ own experiences of accessing information and obstacles that they have faced. There will be a very short presentation of some of Access Info’s own information requesting strategies for getting access to information about human rights issues.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.access-info.org
Problems of representation of masses of protestors in disputes with the systems of power
Host:
- Lozan Stoimenov, Pensioner, Movement for defence pensioners, jobless and socially weak citizens
International, EU and national legislation define rights for people, but without a reliable system for their protection. This is the reason for individuals to organise collective protests. When protestors are not members of legitimated organisation, gathering is based on announcement by some activists, without any legal authorisation to represent protestors. The claims of protestors can vary. Some are controversial and it is not clear how many people are behind particular speakers. Meetings between unauthorised representatives of protestors and authorities are fruitless and large scale riots with considerable damages and loses of lives can take place. In the EU for millions of people Article 2, p. 1 of the Charter for fundamental rights cannot be implemented, as their spending for physical survival is higher than their income. These millions may not stay peaceful. In this situation ways to establish fruitful negotiations between protestors and correspondent authorities should be found.
[Download workshop presentation]
Applying human rights in the field of juvenile justice: challenges, difficulties and wayforward
Host:
- Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Director, Défense des enfants - International Belgique
Children in the custody of the police or in criminal justice institutions are at a high risk of violence, as a result of the public perception of them as being antisocial or criminals. Much too often States use punitive approaches to respond to the situation of children in conflict with the law. A high number of children are deprived of their liberty and alternatives to detention are usually forgotten. Yet, there are many international standards applicable to juvenile justice that could help in diminishing the level of violence against these children. The workshop will give an overview of the current situation of children in the justice system and will briefly present the relevant international standards. Then, it will try to identify the possible solutions and what can be done to overcome this situation; it will see how we could use the Council of Europe “Guidelines on child friendly justice” and existing monitoring mechanisms.
More information about the organisation on: http://www.defenceforchildren.org/
Session III: 16:50 - 17:35
The EEA Grants – Supporting fundamental rights
Hosts:
- Patrizia Brandellero, Civil Society Coordinator, EEA and Norway Grants, Dovilė Šakalienė, Interim Executive Director, Human Rights Monitoring Institute (HRMI), Lithuania
Support to civil society is one of the key priorities of the EEA and Norway Grants. FRP members operating in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia are encouraged to apply for support for activities on fundamental rights within the Programmes. At Programme level, thematic meetings and initiatives will also be organised on specific topics with the participation of key human rights NGOs. This workshop will provide a general overview of the areas of support of the Grants, including the recently-launched campaign against online hate speech by the Council of Europe, in which the EEA Grants are a strategic partner. Moreover, the Human Rights Monitoring Institute, one of the Grants Operators, will present specific activities supported in the EEA Programme in Lithuania.
[Download the EEA and Norway Grants workshop presentation]
[Download the EEA and Norway workshop report]
[Download the Human Rights Monitoring Institute workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.eeagrants.org
Equality for older LGBT people in Europe

Hosts:
- Rachel Buchanan, Policy Officer, AGE-The European Older People's Platform; and Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director, ILGA-Europe
AGE Platform Europe and ILGA-Europe will present their joint policy position on the various issues which confront older LGBTI people and will open a discussion on how the specific challenges confronting older LGBTI can be further and more effectively addressed. Issues which will be considered include: the lack of recognition of same-sex couples has an impact on their access to social protection and on their financial security (people get older and cannot ensure that their (dependent) partner will have access to their pensions and assets); older LGBTI people, and in particular, older trans and intersex persons, may have specific health needs and may face ongoing stigmatisation in the field of healthcare; some older LGBTI people experience social exclusion and invisibility and cannot rely on the same family support as other older people. This raises specific challenges related to whether long-term care is inclusive of older LGBTI people needs.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.age-platform.eu and www.ilga-europe.org
Exploring civil society interaction with European National Human Rights Institutions
Host:
- Debbie Kohner, Director of Secretariat, European Group of NHRIs
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are recognised by international and regional human rights mechanisms as key players in the promotion and protection of human rights. They hold a unique position between the state and civil society, and yet they must remain independent of both. However, non-governmental organisations are critical partners of all NHRIs, and of the European Group. They can participate in strategic planning and inform NHRIs of their own monitoring and advocating the respect of human rights in their jurisdiction. Civil society also has an important role in the accreditation process for NHRIs. Following the recent establishment of its Permanent Secretariat, the European Group will facilitate a discussion on the interaction between civil society and its future work and the accreditation of NHRIs.
[Download workshop presentation]
Linguistic discrimination in employment in the light of the Racial Equality Directive

Hosts:
- Vadim Poleshchuk, Legal Advisor-Analyst, Legal Information Centre for Human Rights (LICHR), Estonia; and Aleksandrs Kuzmins, Secretary-Executive, Latvian Human Rights Committee (LHRC)
The workshop will be dedicated to the issue of official linguistic requirements in the labour market in the context of fight against racial discrimination and to the relevant discussion. Particular attention will be paid, procedurally, to critical assessment of case-law in Estonia and Latvia, the issue of discriminatory effect of official linguistic requirements, promotion of the principles of proportionality of restrictive measures as well as to national and regional (EU) instruments and mechanisms providing remedies.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.lichr.ee
Trade union movement and the fight against discrimination
Host:
- Klaus Löcher, Human Rights Adviser, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
As the workforce is becoming increasingly diverse, there is an urgent need to ensure recognition and non-discrimination in the workplace of all workers, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origins, religion or disability. Labour market institutions and policies will have to adapt in order to guarantee a fair share in employment of all workers, as well as attention to workers’ specific needs. Trade unions play an important role in fighting against discrimination through a variety of actions and tools: negotiating with employers to ensure that discrimination in the workplace is eliminated and that equal opportunities are promoted; supporting victims of discrimination; monitoring, documenting and denouncing discrimination at the workplace. At EU, national, sectorial or enterprise level they have been carrying out many initiatives to combat discrimination and/or promote diversity.
More information about the organisation on: www.etuc.org
Access to protection and justice for undocumented women survivors of violence

Hosts:
- Rosa Logar, Co-ordinator, WAVE; and Kadri Soova, Advocacy Officer, Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
An undocumented woman and a survivor of violence explained to PICUM her struggle for safety and support in Sweden: “How many organizations I call? I find them on the internet, they say they work for ‘women’s rights’ and I call them and they say ‘Sorry, we can’t help you because you have no paper’. Yes, I have no paper and that’s why I need help! I get very stressed when I see these organisations on the computer, I feel very, very bad because I’m very angry…they’re liars”.
More information about the organisation on: www.picum.org and www.wave-network.org
Session IV: 17:45 - 18:30
Human rights here, Roma rights now
Hosts:
- Natacha Kazatchkine, Senior Executive Officer; and Elena Crespi, Executive Officer ESCR, Amnesty International European Institutions Office
The workshop will present Amnesty International‘s new campaign “Human Rights here. Roma Rights now” launched on 8 April (International Roma Day). The campaign exposes the discrimination and other human rights violations that Roma people suffer in EU member states, from discrimination in housing and education, to racially-motivated violence and forced evictions. It highlights the failures of the EU and its Member States to effectively combat discrimination and racism across Europe, and calls on the EC to step in more strongly to end discrimination against Roma in the EU, particularly by effectively enforcing EU anti-discrimination law. The workshop will provide an opportunity to raise awareness and mobilise support for the campaign. It is also an opportunity to share with participants experiences and practices, and discuss together advocacy and campaign strategies.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.amnesty.eu
Populist parties and the effects on social cohesion concerning minorities
Host:
- Ralph du Long, trainer/consultant, UNITED for Intercultural Action
On 21 March, the international day against racism, UNITED for Intercultural Action and ENAR released a press statement. We called upon political parties to re-affirm the ‘Charter for political parties for a non-racist society’. Next year we will have elections for the European Parliament. In light of the economic crisis we are facing, populist remarks may seem insignificant. But racism and open hostility towards minorities (of any kind) are assured companions of social tensions. We are in a time of great social tensions. Already we are seeing the effects in some EU Member States, where there is open violence by some political parties against migrants. Only a few weeks ago, Mr Juncker, former chair of the Euro Group, warned against nationalistic tendencies, linking them to even greater dangers. He echoed the words of Mr Van Rompuy who issued the same message two years earlier. This workshop discusses our plans to launch a campaign against these tendencies.
More information about the organisation on: www.unitedagainstracism.org
Freedom of association for all?
Host:
- Caroline Henrion, Project Officer, European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL)
The freedom of association, enshrined in Article 12 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union as well as in other international human rights instruments, has been recognised as including the right to establish and join professional associations and trade unions. Some EU member states continue to place undue restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of association for military personnel. This session will present the current situation with regard to the freedom of association for armed forces personnel and the important role professional associations and unions can play in this sector. Participating organisations will be invited to share their experience with regard to the freedom of association in the subsequent discussion.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.euromil.org
Exchange experiences concerning strategic litigation to secure fundamental rights

Hosts:
- Vera Egenberger, Director, Bureau for the Implementation of Equal Treatment (BUG), Germany; and Volker Frey, Litigation Association of NGOs against Discrimination – Klagsverband, Austria
The session aims to bring together NGOs working on discrimination that are making use of legal means to tackle fundamental rights problems. Those might be NGOs focusing on one ground of discrimination or groups working across the board. We will exchange experience on how strategic litigation is used at national level and which obstacles NGOs currently face. Trends regarding litigating equal treatment at EU level will be discussed.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about the organisation on: www.klagsverband.at and www.bug-ev.org
The role of the Advisory Panel: an interactive first-hand testimony
Hosts:
- Members of the Advisory Panel of the Fundamental Rights Platform
Please join members of the Advisory Panel of the Fundamental Rights Agency to discuss the role of the Advisory Panel, the appointment process of non-elected members of the Panel and about FRA in general. The hope of the presentation is to promote among FRP participants a deeper understanding and appreciation of what FRA does and how the Advisory Panel assists them in this process. As the presentation will be interactive, we invite guests to bring their questions in what we hope will be a positive and enlightening meeting.
[Download workshop presentation]
More information about FRP Advisory Panel on: http://fra.europa.eu/en/cooperation/civil-society/advisory-panel
Training on social, economic and cultural rights
Host:
- Elizabeta Kitanović, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Communication, Church and Society Commission of CEC
Upon request of churches in the Euro Mediterranean region, the Conference of European Churches together with the Federation of the Protestant Churches in Italy is in the process of organising a training workshop on social, economic and cultural rights. The training will target at responsible in churches around the Mediterranean who are already engaged in human rights work and it will use material published in the manual European Churches engaging in Human Rights. Present Challenges and Training Material (2012). On the basis of this material and experiences from previous trainings, this workshop will want to explore with FRP participants the value of a rights-based approach to social, economic and cultural issues, models of best practices in the NGO field in addressing these issues and looking ar elements for training sessions which could be of help in different contexts. Participants are invited to share their experiences and materials.
More information about the organisation on: www.ceceurope.org
FRA Workshops
Thematic workshops with the FRA
This session will focus on current FRA activities. In total, FRA will hold 12 workshops and invite FRP participants to provide feedback on its current work, while exploring mutual synergies and finding new opportunities for cooperation.
Sessions overview
Session I : 11:30 - 12:15
- Victim support services for victims of hate crime
- Communicating fundamental rights through social media
- Cutting across discrimination grounds: how to bring horizontal approach?
- Combating violence against women
- Roma inclusion in the EU and the role of civil society organisations
- FRA cooperation with JHA agencies: Frontex consultative forum
Session II: 12:30-13:15
- The role of civil society in monitoring and increasing reporting of incidents of hate crime
- FRA CLARITY project - Complaints, Legal Assistance and Rights Information Tools for You
- FRA LGBT survey - how can we make best use of the survey results?
- Antisemitism today - ways forward
- Fundamental rights at local level - challenges and opportunities when working together with local authorities
- FRA - FRP cooperation
Session I: 11:30 - 12:15
Victim support services for victims of hate crime
- Henri Nickels, Albin Dearing
Evidence collected by FRA, and others, shows that hate crime is a daily reality throughout the EU. Such violence and crimes can be motivated by racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance or by a person’s disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and other biases. Hate crime harms not only those targeted; it affects entire communities, and hence strikes at the heart of EU commitments to democracy and the fundamental rights of equality and non-discrimination.
This workshop will look at civil society organisations’ crucial role in supporting victims of hate crime. It will highlight promising practices and explore how national and EU institutions can best support the efforts of civil society in providing help to victims of hate crime.
Communicating fundamental rights through social media
Hosts:
- Alison Taylder, Tara Morris, Massimo Toschi
How do we engage with our target audience via social media channels ?
This workshop will enable organisations to exchange knowledge about how they are using social media channels as a communications tool.
- What is working well, what not so well?
- Which social media sites do you follow regularly?
- How would you like to develop your social media channels?
Cutting across discrimination grounds: how to bring a horizontal approach?
- Dennis Van Derveur, Maria Amor Estebanez Martin
In this workshop FRA will provide examples of a horizontal approach to non-discrimination and equality research in light of recent policy developments. Participants are invited to contribute to the discussions and provide examples from their organisations on how to bring a horizontal approach to discussions, research and concrete projects promoting non-discrimination and equality.
- Sami Nevala
FRA is in the process of analysing the results from its EU-wide survey on gender-based violence against women. While the survey results will be available in the beginning of 2014, it’s time to identify which policy processes the survey results could feed into, and how cooperation with various organisations can ensure that the survey results can have an impact on policy making on national and European level.
In this session, participants are encouraged to share ideas on modes of cooperation, activities and events, where the survey results could be presented and discussed. The session will also seek to identify processes where the survey results could inform policy makers. These include the revision of national legislation, or efforts to draft action plans to combat violence against women and to implement and evaluate these action plans.
Roma inclusion in the EU and the role of civil society organisations
Hosts:
- Eva Sobotka, Michail Beis, Sheena Keller
What are the next steps for civil society organisations in accelerating the process of Roma inclusion in the EU? Is there new potential that civil society organisations could explore?
The workshop will provide space for civil society organisations to debate:
- What potential do civil society organisations have to accelerate Roma inclusion in the EU?
- How civil society organisations set their priorities and whom they represent?
- What outcomes would be desirable and how to get there?
- How to involve Roma in processes and policies towards Roma integration?
- Aydan Iyiguengoer, FRA
- Stefan Kessler, Jesuit Refugee Service
In this workshop the purpose and objectives of the newly-established Frontex Consultative Forum will be presented.
Discussion will focus around the following questions:
- What other NGOs are active in any comparable body at either national or European level? And what lessons learned, good practices can they share?
- How can the Consultative Forum inform the NGOs work or vice versa?
Session II: 12:30 - 13:15
- Henri Nickels, Albin Dearing
Presenter:
- Melissa Sonnino, Community Affairs Coordinator, A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe (CEJI)
Civil society organisations can play an important role in monitoring and recording incidents of hate crime, in close cooperation with law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. Victims or witnesses can also report hate crimes by using third-party reporting, or systems whereby incidents can be reported through web applications, smartphones and other technological means. The aim of this workshop is to explore how to reinforce the role of civil society in monitoring and increasing reporting of incidents of hate crime to ensure better and more accurate reporting of hate crime incidents.
The workshop will start with a presentation of project ‘Facing Facts’ by the Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe. The workshop aims to engage participants in a discussion on strategies how to increase reporting and monitor hate crime in the EU.
FRA CLARITY project - Complaints, Legal Assistance and Rights Information Tools for You
Hosts:
- Jana Gajdosova, Alison Taylder, Pia Tirronen
This workshop will present the objectives of the CLARITY pilot project and discuss the needs from the civil society perspective with regard to the functionalities of this online tool. The feedback of FRP participants will be highly valued as they are one of the target groups and possible users of the tool. If your organisation represents, and/or provides advice and information to potential victims of fundamental rights violations, we very much welcome you to attend this session, and to share your ideas and suggestions for the design of this pilot online tool!
FRA LGBT survey - How can we make best use of the survey results?
Hosts:
- Dennis Van Derveur, Miltos Pavlou
In this workshop we will present some first observations based on the results of the survey. The workshop will also focus on the way the survey was set up and then discuss ways forward with the participants. In other words, how to use the results on a national level?
Participants are encouraged to share with FRA how the results should be communicated and used by civil society in EU Member States.
Antisemitism today – ways forward
Hosts:
- Sami Nevala, Eva Sobotka
- Andreas Accardo
Fulfilling fundamental rights is a shared responsibility across government levels. Local and regional authorities are responsible for many policy areas which have an impact on people's fundamental rights.
This workshop seeks to explore challenges and opportunities for non-governmental human rights organisations when working together with local authorities.
What are the experiences of civil society with local authorities? Which challenges arise? Are there good examples of effective partnerships to promote and protect fundamental rights at the local level?
- Joerg Gebhard and Ann-Charlotte Nygard
This workshop will invite participants to explore together how civil society organisations can use the Fundamental Rights Platform to better achieve their goals; and how we can all together improve dialogue and cooperation between FRA and FRP participants.
Open day
Open day

On the occasion of the 6th FRP meeting, for the first time the FRA invites civil society organisations to visit the agency’s premises in Vienna and meet FRA experts face-to-face. All FRA thematic area experts and project managers will be available the entire afternoon to inform participants about the work of the agency and answer questions around the agency’s work.
Programme
13:30-14:30 Arrival and registration
14:30 - 15:15 Welcome and introduction: FRA mandate, scope of activities and Fundamental Rights Platform - Gabriel Toggenburg, Maria Amor Estebanez Martin and Massimo Toschi
Info session I: 15:30 - 16:15
- Multiple discrimination - Host: Ludovica Banfi
- FRA Roma programme: participatory action research with local authorities - Hosts: Eva Sobotka and Sheena Keller
- Access to justice - Hosts: Jonas Grimheden and Jana Gajdosova
- Severe forms of labour explotation - Hosts: Albin Dearing and Alice Hamilton
- Meeting with the FRA front-line communicators and co-operators - Host: Waltraud Heller, Joerg Gebhard, Inga Rudecka, Sara Sighinolfi
Info session II: 16:30 -17:15
- Rights of irregular migrants - Hosts: Ann-Charlotte Nygard, Adriano Silvestri and Martina Huber
- Collecting ethnic data - FRA Roma survey - Host: Sabine Springer
- Access to justice - Hosts: Jonas Grimheden and Jana Gajdosova
- Victims of hate crime - Hosts: Albin Dearing and Alice Hamilton
- FRA Gender-based violence against women survey - Host: Sami Nevala
Info Session III: 17:30 - 18:15
- Third country nationals at the EU land and sea borders - Hosts: Ann-Charlotte Nygard, Adriano Silvestri and Martina Huber
- Child participation in FRA research - Hosts: Astrid Podsiadlowski and Silvia Randazzo
- FRA LGBT survey and other projects - Hosts: Dennis Van Der Veur and Miltos Pavlou
- Rights of people with disability - Hosts: Nevena Peneva and Martha Stickings
- Data protection and privacy - Hosts: Mario Oetheimer , Krisztina Baranyos, Niraj Nathwani, Delfina Boni
18:15: Informal get-together
frp2013 practical info
Participation at the meeting is only possible for organisations part of the Fundamental Rights Platform. Participation of other guests and observers is by invitation only.
Contact FRA
For more information about the Fundamental Rights Platform meeting and possibilities to participate, please contact us at: frp@fra.europa.eu
You can find more information on how to get to the FRA premises on our contact page.
Location & how to get there
The meeting will take place on 24-26 April 2013 in Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center in Vienna.

Wien Exhibition & Congress Center
Messeplatz 1 PF 277
AT - 1021 Vienna
www.messecongress.at
The venue is served by two underground stations: U1 (Praterstern stop) and U2 (Prater Messe stop). The venue also has excellent links with the airport, the highway and rail networks. You can reach it in 20 minutes by taxi from the Vienna International Airport.

The meeting is accessible to persons with disabilities. In case you need further assistance, please get in touch with the organisers. We will do our best to cater for your individual needs.
View European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights in a larger map
frp2013 past editions

Questions and answers at the 5th FRP meeting
5th Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
Vienna, 19-20 April 2012
The 5th FRP meeting in 2012 focused on two topics: Cooperation between national human rights institutions, equality bodies and civil society protecting victims’ rights and addressing under-reporting; and "Multiple discrimination: mainstreaming intersectionality into fundamental rights work". The event taking place in Vienna attracted participants from about 180 civil society organisations who took the opportunity for networking and good practice exchange. With interactive sessions like ‘The Floor is yours ‘ where participants presented ideas and Thematic workshops with FRA experts the 5th FRP meeting was a dynamic and interactive event where all participants contributed to discussions and together shaped the meeting’s outcomes.
2012 Programme [EN] [FR] (pdf)
2011 Meeting report (pdf)

Audience at the 4th FRP meeting
4th Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
Vienna, 14-15 April 2011
In 2011 the FRP meeting focused on three themes – access to justice: how civil society organisations can help victims to claim their rights; cooperation between civil society and the FRA; and participation of civil society organisations in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Besides plenary discussions, the FRP meetings are also an opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking. During ‘The floor is yours’, FRP participants hosted over 30 interactive workshops on a variety of fundamental rights issues. ‘Talking Tables’ provided an opportunity to meet FRA experts and give feedback to ongoing FRA projects.
2011 Programme [EN] [FR] (pdf 89KB)
2011 Meeting report (pdf 1332KB)

Plenary discussion at the 3rd FRP Meeting
3rd Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
Vienna, 15-16 April 2010
The meeting addressed the human rights dimension of poverty and social exclusion and the implication of the Lisbon Treaty on the protection of fundamental rights. The meeting also provided feedback and suggestions for the Agency’s Annual Work Programme 2012.
2010 Programme (pdf 89KB)
2010 Meeting report (pdf 635KB)

Working Groups at the 2nd FRP Meeting
2nd Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
Vienna, 5-6 May 2009
In 2009 the meeting discussed the impact of the economic crisis on human rights and looked for solutions addressing under-reporting by victims of fundamental rights violations. FRA’s Annual Work Programmes 2010 and 2011 were also discussed during the meeting.
2009 Programme (pdf 87KB)
2009 Meeting report (pdf 174KB)
1st Fundamental Rights Platform meeting
Vienna, 7-8 October 2008
For the first time the Fundamental Rights Platform gathered in 2008 with an objective to provide feedback and suggestions for the Agency’s work. The first meeting focused on the FRA’s Annual Work Programme 2009, Annual Report 2008; and discussed the means of effective cooperation between the Agency’s and civil society in the future.
2008 Programme (pdf 53KB)
2008 Meeting report (pdf 50KB)
















