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Description
The project „Non-discrimination, beyond words” starts from the need to become aware of the bias strongly embedded in the Romanian society and the need to publicly and constantly fight them, also when it turns into hate speech, to change the current situation of acceptance of this discourse through empowerment and provision of instruments and quick access to accurate information on vulnerable groups. Formal education, also continuous and professional training, not only does not combat discrimination, but it also foster the society bias (school segregation, stereotypical textbooks – see CLR analysis at educatiefaradiscriminare.ro and the research www.crj.ro/nediscriminarea-in-educatie/); the data point to a high degree of discrimination against certain groups and a low degree of reporting and sanctioning rate. In the same time, NGOs need support to continue and enhance skills to become more visible and active in combating discrimination, including through litigation against discrimination and in human rights violations. Thus, the project aims to support groups vulnerable to discrimination in combating hate speech by creating a set of instruments that bust myths, that take apart bias, based on a research report on how antidiscrimination legal provisions are accessed in Romania with reference to hate speech and hate crimes and consultation of those groups; raising awareness and involving the public in a campaign on non-discrimination targeting at least 10 criteria and raising awareness among authorities and public figures on non-discrimination and hate speech, also by reporting and publicly ”sanctioning” people identified as committing hate speech (a minimum of 20 cases). The direct beneficiaries are those who participate in the project’s activities, namely activists and members of groups vulnerable to discrimination, young people and media, as well as human rights and minority rights organisations.
Summary of project results
The project "Non-discrimination, beyond words" addressed the need to raise awareness of the deep-rooted prejudices in the Romanian society, implementing a series of training activities, involvement and providing tools and easy access to information to combat hate speech.
Within the project, 10 meetings with members of vulnerable communities were organized in 10 cities with 115 participants. Eleven brief information materials in accessible language were produced, designed as a set: 1 on hate speech + 10 on LGBTQ+ community, mothers, Jewish minority, Hungarian minority, Roma minority, people living in poverty, people living with HIV/AIDS, people with neuro-cognitive disabilities, homeless people and refugees. Two studies on hate speech and hate crime have been developed, one for 2016-2020 and the other with the same methodology for 2021 - June 2022. The data was presented at a national conference (55 participants). There were 19 public "sanctions" through 10 complaints to the CNCD and 9 opinions in 14 cases of discrimination, as well as a human rights awareness campaign, which included 10 thematic meetings with young people held by 10 activists who discussed dismantling hate speech (163 participants); a competition for young people to produce materials on non-discrimination, 10 of which were awarded prizes, as well as a competition for journalists where 17 materials were created and published. 3 short analyses on criteria for social housing and school textbooks, 3 press releases, 2 press events and an online campaign #sarbatorestedrepturileomului, with a total project audience of 390,000
The direct beneficiaries were activists and members of groups vulnerable to discrimination, young people and the media, as well as human rights organisations or organisations representing various minorities.