Working Group to promote an effective response to hate crime and hate speech in Lithuania

Organisation

Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos vidaus reikalų ministerija).

Start and end date

Start date:

February 2020.

End date:

Ongoing (as of May 2021).

Scope

National.

Target group(s)

• Competent public authorities.
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
• Civil society organisations.

Funding

National (government budget).

Objectives

Increase the effectiveness of the fight against hate crime and hate speech in Lithuania.

Outputs

The work plan of the working group for 2020–2022, which sets out the main areas of focus, tasks to be carried out and measures to be implemented.

Description

• The working group was established by the order of the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania on 24 February 2020.
• The working group has been tasked with:
  • considering the issues of raising public awareness of hate crime and hate speech, promoting dialogue with vulnerable communities and other ways to increase the effectiveness of the fight against hate crime and hate speech and making relevant proposals;
  • monitoring the implementation of the international obligations in the field of prevention of hate crime and hate speech, and preparing proposals on their proper implementation;
  • considering relevant legislation and its drafts;
  • considering the issues involved in improving the monitoring of hate crime and hate speech in Lithuania;
  • preparing and publishing annual reports on hate crime and hate speech in Lithuania;
  • exchanging relevant information on planned and ongoing activities and best practices in the field of prevention of hate crime and hate speech;
  • initiating events to strengthen the public’s capacity to recognise hate crime and hate speech, reduce the latency of hate crime, and strengthen the relevant competences of law enforcement institutions and other state institutions and bodies and civil society organisations;
  • considering the recommendations of international organisations, NGOs and other organisations with regard to the response to hate crime and hate speech in Lithuania and preparing proposals for their implementation. • In 2020, four meetings of the working group took place. • The main information about the activities of the working group is publicly available on the website of the Ministry of the Interior.

Critical success factors

• Common understanding between representatives of national public authorities and relevant NGOs of the challenges and ways of dealing with them.
• Proper capacities of the working group to carry out its activities.

Actors involved in the design and implementation of the practice

The working group consists of representatives of seven national public authorities (the Ministry of the Interior, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the police department, the Department of National Minorities, the Office of the Inspector of Journalist Ethics, the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour) and 11 NGOs.

Monitoring and evaluation

No overall monitoring and evaluation of the practice was carried out.

Publicly available contact details

Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania
Šventaragio g.
2 LT-01510
Vilnius
Lithuania
Telephone: +370 (5) 271 7130
Email: bendrasisd@vrm.lt
Website