Equality, non-discrimination and racism

Online public services can make it easier to get social benefits or find information. But older people sometimes lack the necessary digital skills to use them. This is a potential barrier to their fundamental rights. It can put them at a disadvantage and risks excluding them from our digitalised societies, warns a report from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). EU countries need to ensure access to public services for everyone. Older people should be able to choose how they access public services and receive support to learn digital skills.

Following recent deaths of trans women and attacks on other members of the LGBTIQ community in Europe, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) calls on EU Member States to tackle violence and effectively protect all trans and LGBTIQ people.

FRA attended the first General Assembly of the new EU Children’s Participation Platform on 26 June.

FRA took part in a public hearing on the labour market situation and Roma workers’ rights in a time of economic crisis.

On 13 June, FRA attended a Roma Roundtable event in Romania.

In a high-level statement on 12 June, the FRA Director outlined key proposals on why the EU should adopt the EU’s draft Equal Treatment Directive.

FRA attended the Interservice Group on the Rights of the Child meeting on child protection on 9 June.

FRA delivered a keynote presentation on the employment and training situation of Roma at the closing conference of an EURoma multi-annual project.

FRA was a speaker at a panel discussion on critical perspectives for equality data in combating discrimination.

On 11 May, FRA attended a European Commission workshop on fake news, disinformation and hate speech of the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS).

We – The Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, and the diplomatic missions of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, as well as the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations, UN-GLOBE, and the Vienna School of International Studies – all welcome May 17th as the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), as a celebration of diversity and inclusion around the world.

On 3 May, FRA presented its ageing in digital societies project to AGE Platform Europe’s Task Force on Age-Friendly Environments.

FRA, together with the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), facilitated a workshop on hate crime recording and data collection.

FRA joined the conference on safeguarding older people’s legal and human rights through active citizenship and inter-generational approach on 24 April in Vienna.