Equinet, European Network of Equality Bodies

✨ Warm wishes from the Equinet Secretariat and the Executive Board! As the year draws to a close, we are taking a short break to rest, reflect, and recharge. Wishing everyone a peaceful and refreshing break. We look forward to reconnecting in January, ready to continue our work towards #Equality for all💙 🗓️ Save the Date! Check out our 2025 events calendar and mark your agenda for a year of collaboration and progress: https://lnkd.in/evVt36GW

🏆 Advancing Inclusion and Diversity in Local Communities Across Europe! The European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award 2025, led by DG JUST, celebrates the efforts of cities and regions in making #Inclusion and #Diversity a tangible reality for everyone. 🌍 This award plays a vital role in recognizing and promoting local administrations’ work towards building fairer and more inclusive communities. 🤝 Equinet has had the privilege of contributing to previous editions through one of its experts serving as a jury member. We are proud to support this inspiring initiative that rewards the commitment of European cities to fostering a more just and inclusive society.

🚨New publication alert! 🚨 📜 Topic: Understanding the new EU Directives on Standards for Equality Bodies – Advocating for a Successful Transposition: Civil Society Toolkit As part of a project funded by Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes (The German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency - FADA), Equal Rights Trust, with the support of an advisory committee and Equinet, has developed a series of resources to strengthen the capacity of #EqualityBodies, #CivilSociety Organisations, and #Equality stakeholders to engage with the transposition and implementation of the new #EUDirectives. The third resource in this series is now available! 🎉 📌The Civil Society Toolkit provides practical tools and guidance for Civil Society Organisations to effectively advocate for ambitious and successful transposition of the new EU Directives on #StandardsForEqualityBodies at the national level. 👏Thank you to the Equal Rights Trust team (Jim Fitzgerald, Sam Barnes, Lara Miriam Ibrahim, Simon C.) for their comprehensive analysis of the Directives and the drafting of these key resources! 👏Equinet extends special thanks to the civil society organisations that participated in the consultation process for this publication. 👏Editorial and publication coordination was carried out by Mariam Camilla Rechchad, Jone Elizondo Urrestarazu (PhD), and Tamás Kádár (Equinet, European Network of Equality Bodies). 🔗 Read and share the publication here: https://lnkd.in/gcwcK8Ew 💪We hope this Toolkit empowers Civil Society Organisations and equality stakeholders to play a key role in strengthening equality frameworks across Europe!

🚀 New Vacancies Alert! Are you passionate about equality and ready to tackle emerging challenges in fields like #ArtificialIntelligence and #ClimateChange? Or are you an experienced professional in #Operations & #Finance, looking to make a meaningful impact? We’re excited to announce two unique opportunities to join our team: 1️⃣ Policy Officer (AI & Climate Change) 🌍 Your role: - Lead on exploring how AI impacts equality and discrimination across different grounds. - Investigate the link between Climate Change, mitigation measures, and equality. - Support work on Economic and Social Rights and their intersection with equality. 📍 Brussels, Belgium (hybrid) 🕒 Deadline to Apply: 5 January 2025 2️⃣ Finance & Operations Officer 🌍 Your role: - Oversee Equinet’s financial and operational processes to ensure smooth functioning. - Manage budgets, accounts, and audits while supporting the team in daily operations. - Contribute to the governance and sustainability of Equinet’s work. 📍 Brussels, Belgium (hybrid) 🕒 Deadline to Apply: Rolling deadline (apply early!) 💼 Join a dynamic team advancing equality across Europe! Excited about this opportunity? Apply now!  🔗Policy Officer (focus on AI and Climate): https://lnkd.in/gnrHE3uC 🔗Finance & Operations Officer: https://lnkd.in/gHYJ-S2N 📢 Help us spread the word - share this post with your networks!

✨ Coding Equality into the EU AI Act: Equality Bodies Rising to the Challenge - it's a wrap! ✨ 📌Last week, we concluded the High-Level Conference on Artificial Intelligence: "Coding Equality into the EU AI Act - Equality Bodies Rising to the Challenge". It was a privilege to host such an inspiring event that brought together #EqualityBodies, #Policymakers, #CivilSocietyOrganizations, and experts to explore how the implementation of the #AIAct can contribute to protecting and promoting #Equality. 👏A heartfelt thank you to all our speakers, panelists, and moderators for their invaluable insights and contributions. Your expertise and commitment have shed light on the critical role of Equality Bodies in addressing algorithmic discrimination and advancing #FundamentalRights. 👏We also extend our gratitude to the participants, both in person and online, for engaging in meaningful discussions and sharing ideas that will shape the implementation of the AI Act. Your active involvement made this event an impactful space for collaboration. 🤝Lastly, we want to express our sincere appreciation to our partners Luminate, Unia, Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet and Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO for their support in making this conference possible. Your dedication to equality and innovation continues to drive progress in this crucial field. 🎉Let’s carry forward the momentum from this conference as we work together to ensure a #Fair and #Inclusive digital future. Stay connected with us for updates and next steps in promoting equality through the AI Act!

💬 The Conversation on AI and Equality Continues! 💬 Our Coding Equality into the EU AI Act - Equality Bodies rising to the Challenge High-Level Conference may have concluded, but the dialogue is far from over. During the event, we raised important questions about the role of #AI in promoting #Equality and protecting #FundamentalRights. We’re bringing these questions to you! ⬇️ Check out the cards below, share your thoughts in the comments, and let’s keep working together to shape a fair and inclusive digital future! 📢 Your voice matters — join us in making equality a cornerstone of AI governance! 🤝 We want to thank our partners Luminate, Unia, Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet and Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO for their support in making this conference possible.

💡 Exploring the Power of the AI Act: Today’s Panels on Equality and Algorithmic Discrimination 💡 Today’s sessions at the Equinet High-Level Conference "Coding Equality into the EU AI Act - Equality Bodies rising to the Challenge" explored how the AI Act can advance equality and tackle algorithmic discrimination. Through 4 engaging panels, experts and practitioners shared insights on implementation challenges and opportunities. 📌Our first panel, "Using the AIA to Fight Algorithmic Discrimination", focused on how to ensure effective monitoring of the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act’s provisions. Speakers discussed how its technical requirements and legal obligations could be used by tech businesses and regulatory authorities to address bias. Prof Brent Mittelstadt, Christiaan Duijst, Rik Helwegen, Radboud van Delft, and Patricia Shaw shared how different actors with an oversight role under the AI Act can coordinate to ensure an equality-proofed implementation of the AI Act. 📌The second panel, "Protecting and Promoting Equality Through the AIA", examined how the Act can drive public oversight and accountability. MEP Kim van Sparrentak, Bjørn Erik Thon, David Reichel, and Caterina Rodelli highlighted critical intervention points to ensure the Act fulfills its promise of advancing equality across Europe. 📌In the third panel, "Strengthening Access to Justice Against Algorithmic Discrimination", Berty Bannor, Mher Hakobyan (he/him), and Nele Roekens explored ways Equality Bodies and civil society can collaborate to create inclusive governance frameworks. 📌The day concluded with "Leveraging Synergies Between Equality Law, Data Protection Law, and Consumer Law". Experts Frederico Oliveira da Silva, Joanna Parkin, and Fabian Lütz examined how these frameworks can work together to combat AI-enabled discrimination, emphasizing the need for inter-institutional collaboration. These panels highlighted the critical role of cooperation in ensuring the AI Act delivers on its potential to protect equality and fundamental rights. Stay tuned as we continue to explore these crucial topics! 🤝 We want to thank our partners Luminate, Unia, Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet and Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO for their support in making this conference possible.

🌍We officially kicked off the High-Level Conference on Artificial Intelligence: Coding Equality into the EU AI Act - Equality Bodies Rising to the Challenge! 📢The event opened with inspiring words from Patrick Charlier, Co-Director of Unia and Chair of the Equinet Executive Board, and Samuel Engblom, Deputy Equality Ombudsman of Sweden (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO). Their addresses underscored the critical role of #EqualityBodies under the #AIAct to safeguard equality and tackle algorithmic discrimination. 🔑We were honored to welcome Brando Benifei, MEP, Co-Chair of the European Parliament Group on the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act, who delivered a powerful keynote. He highlighted the transformative opportunities presented by the Act to advance Europe’s #EqualityAgenda and ensure robust protections against bias in AI systems. 🗣️The morning sessions provided participants with a strong foundation for the day’s discussions. Karolina Iwańska, Digital Civic Space Advisor at the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting, offered an engaging introduction to the AI Act’s architecture and its emphasis on #Equality and #FundamentalRights protection. This was followed by an in-depth exploration of the role of Equality Bodies under the Act, led by Magdalena Maier, Equinet Legal and Policy Trainee, and Milla Vidina, Equinet Senior Policy Officer. Together, they examined how the Act empowers #EqualityBodies to enhance institutional protections and promote fairness in AI governance. 🤝 We want to thank our partners Luminate, Unia, Likestillings- og diskrimineringsombudet (the Norwegian Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud) and Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO (the Swedish Equality Ombudsman) and for their support in making this conference possible. 🔎As the conference unfolds, we look forward to further exploring how the AI Act can create a more equitable future. Stay tuned for updates and join us in shaping the conversation on equality and #ArtificialIntelligence in Europe!

🌟 Equinet was proud to participate in the EIGE Gender Equality Forum 2024! 🌟 What an incredible opportunity to connect with partners and discuss the ongoing journey toward achieving #GenderEquality in the EU during the European Institute for Gender Equality Gender Equality Forum 2024. 🗣️ Equinet was proud to sponsor and support the contribution of our member, the Belgian Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, in a panel discussion titled "Ending Cyberviolence: Creating better safe spaces to protect women online", which showcased the Institute's work in the area and shed light on the crucial role #EqualityBodies can play in preventing and countering cyberviolence against women and girls. 👏We were also inspired by the high-level closing keynote by Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, who emphasized gender equality and the need for good implementation of relevant EU legislation as a core priority in this new Commission term. Together, we are ready to build a more #Inclusive and #Equitable future. 💪 Let’s keep the momentum going!

🌍 Joining Forces Against Racism and Discrimination at the UNESCO Global Forum 🌍 On 10-11 December 2024, Equinet participated in the Fourth Edition of the UNESCO Global Forum Against Racism and Discrimination in Barcelona. This key event brought together global experts to exchange ideas, share best practices, and develop actionable solutions to combat #Racism and #Discrimination worldwide. 🗣️We are proud that our Legal and Policy Officer, Daris José Lewis Recio (he/him), contributed as a speaker on the challenges of tackling bias in #AI systems and the societal impact of #HateSpeech and #Disinformation. Daris emphasized the role of #EqualityBodies in addressing systemic discrimination, both online and offline, and highlighted strategies for fostering #Inclusivity and #Accountability in digital and AI-driven spaces. 🤝This year’s forum also marked the launch of the Global Alliance Against Racism and Discrimination, a powerful initiative to drive collaborative action worldwide. 💪Equinet remains committed to these global efforts, advancing #Equality and tackling #Discrimination in all its forms. Let’s keep the momentum going!