At its meeting of 24 March 2023, ECRI’s Working Group on relations with Civil Society and Equality Bodies held a series of online exchanges with the President of the Council of Europe’s INGO Conference, the Ukrainian Ombudsman and with the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE). 

In an exchange with Gerhard Ermischer, President of Council of Europe’s Conference of International Non-Governmental Organisations, ECRI’s working group explored areas of mutual interest and discussed opportunities for further co-operation.

In a separate meeting, ECRI’s working group held an extensive exchange with Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman), who shared extensive information on his institution’s activities under his equality body function and on challenges in the face of Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine. 

The ECRI working group also held a meeting with ETUCE senior representatives, namely Ekaterina Efimenko (Co-ordinator for Working Conditions, Equality and Environment) Rossella Benedetti (Chair of the ETUCE Standing Committee for Equality and Alexandra Cornea (Vice-Chair of the ETUCE Standing Committee for Equality), with the discussion focusing on topics of mutual interest, such as inclusive education and diversity in educational establishments.