The EU-UN’s struggle against discrimination
Fight against discrimination: Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and UN human rights chief Navi Pillay welcome stronger co-operation
On 14 October a one day expert seminar will explore ways to “Strengthening EU-UN cooperation in the struggle against all forms of discrimination”. Hosted jointly by the European Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) participants will address questions like raising awareness of the public, media and stakeholders of the topics of racial discrimination, gender-based discrimination and discrimination based on disability. The close cooperation between the EU and OHCHR on these issues is underpinned by the opening of the new Regional Office of OHCHR in Brussels, the first office in the European Union.
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner emphasized the joint goal of fighting against all forms of discrimination: “The European Union and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights are united in their desire and efforts to make discrimination a feature of the past. We as Commission are one of the most important contributors to the voluntary budget of the OHCHR through our Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. This is a clear expression of our determination to join forces with the OHCHR in the fight against discrimination both in the EU and worldwide.”
“From our perspective, the European Union has a very important role in the struggle against all forms of discrimination, both within Europe itself and elsewhere in the world,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. “No country, rich or poor, is entirely free from the corrosive effect of discrimination – whether it affects women, foreigners, members of a wide range of minorities, or people with different ethnic or racial origins. So I welcome the EU’s commitment to cooperate closely with OHCHR on this key issue which, if left to fester, can do so much damage to so many individuals and to society in general.”
A one day seminar on “Strengthening EU-UN cooperation in the struggle against all forms of discrimination” organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in co-operation with the European Commission will be held at the Charlemagne building on 14 October 2009. The recommendations of the seminar will be taken into account when looking into further cooperation between the EU and the UN on the fight against all forms of discrimination. The European Commission has a longstanding co-operation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and supports its independent and effective role in furthering the UN human rights agenda. With an annual contribution of €4 mio the European Commission is at present one of the most prominent contributors to the voluntary budget of the Office, through its European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. The seminar coincides with OHCHR opening a new Regional Office in Brussels – the first UN human rights office to be established inside the European Union.
Topics: discrimination, European Commission, European Union, human rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR
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