The 2023 Annual Seminar with Equality Bodies, hosted by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), was held on 27 October. It focused on the theme of enhancing the independence and effectiveness of equality bodies, including by means of enhanced co-operation with national parliaments. The event, organised in collaboration with the European Network of Equality Bodies (EQUINET), brought together about 40 representatives of equality bodies of Council of Europe member states, as well as parliamentarians, beneficiaries of equality body work and civil society actors, to exchange insights and expertise.

A central reference point at the seminar was ECRI’s General Policy Recommendation No. 2 (revised) on equality bodies to combat racism and intolerance at national level, which provides guidance for establishing equality bodies, ensuring their independence, and enhancing their effectiveness in advancing equality.

In the opening speeches, Maria Daniella Marouda, Chair of ECRI, underscored the significance of the seminar, recalling that the functioning of equality bodies is “the very first topic that is dealt with in each and every country report in the context of ECRI's current, sixth monitoring cycle." and referred to the very specific challenging environments in which the Armenian and Ukrainian equality bodies currently operate. John Howell, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), emphasised the pivotal role of ECRI and equality bodies, especially in countries facing challenges related to equal access to rights. Marja Ruotanen, Director General of Democracy and Human Dignity at the Council of Europe, highlighted the role of equality bodies as crucial partners for Council of Europe institutions, often acting as “early warning mechanisms and defenders of equal dignity and rights for all”, which are foundational elements of democracy.

George Tugushi, former Public Defender of Georgia (Ombudsman) and former Member of the Georgian Parliament, and Adam Bodnar, former Polish Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) and newly elected member of the Polish upper house of Parliament (Senate) gave keynote speeches on co-operation between equality bodies and parliaments and the challenges faced by equality bodies, based on their respective professional experiences. During the seminar, two victims of discrimination shared their personal stories and described the efforts of equality bodies in supporting them.

Among the other speakers, Annelisa Cotone, from the Cabinet of European Union (EU) Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, presented the proposed EU legislation on equality bodies and the related adoption processes. Tamás Kádár and Daris Lewis Recio, from EQUINET, presented a survey on the “Interaction between Equality Bodies and Parliaments”, offering key policy and legal recommendations, and Robert Rustem, from ECRI’s Secretariat, presented the results of a survey conducted by ECRI among equality bodies regarding their interaction with governments, parliaments, and other institutions as well as civil society.

The participants held more in-depth discussions in the framework of two workshops on co-operation between equality bodies and parliaments, as well as on the main contemporary challenges and limitations equality bodies are confronted with. These discussions included contributions by Mariia Mezentseva, Chair of the PACE Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination and Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, and Mykhaylo Spasov, who spoke on behalf of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine (Ombudsman), Dmytro Lubinets.