About Equinet

Equinet, the European Network of Equality Bodies, develops co-operation and facilitates information exchange between Equality Bodies across Europe to support the uniform implementation of EU anti-discrimination law and the levelling-up of legal protection for victims of discrimination.

The aim of Equinet is to help Equality Bodies fulfil their mandates by establishing a sustainable network and resource base for the exchange of legal expertise, enforcement strategies, training and best practice as well as a platform for dialogue with the European institutions.

Equinet brings together 33 organisations from 28 European countries, empowered to counteract discrimination as a national equality body across the range of grounds including age, disability, gender, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

Equinet builds upon the two year project "Strengthening the co-operation between specialised bodies for the implementation of equal treatment legislation" (2002-2004) and is currently funded by PROGRESS, the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (2007-2013).

What are national equality bodies?

National equality bodies are independent organisations established on the basis of EU equal treatment directives – Racial Equality Directive 43/2000/EC and Gender Equality Directive 2002/73/EC - with a mandate to provide an independent assistance to victims of discrimination, conduct independent surveys concerning discrimination and publish independent reports and make recommendations on any issue relating to discrimination in their country.

Our vision

Equinet aims to enhance and contribute to the implementation of EU anti-discrimination law at the highest possible level. Equinet seeks to engage in advancing equality in practice by facilitating the contributions and a stronger voice of national equality bodies to the wider European debate.

Our mission

Equinet supports equality bodies in fulfilling their unique mandate at national level by creating a sustainable European network for exchange and cooperation relating to the implementation and promotion of non-discrimination and equal treatment. Equinet facilitates:

  • Exchange and sharing of practical experience, expertise and good practices in the implementation of EU anti-discrimination law
  • Peer support among national equality bodies
  • Capacity–building and training
  • A platform for dialogue with European institutions and stakeholders
  • Studies on selected themes relating to the work of national equality bodies.
    Equinet  is an international not-for-profit association (Aisbl) with an operational secretariat based in Brussels since end 2007.

Our activities

Equinet seeks to engage in advancing equality in practice by facilitating the contributions and a stronger voice of national equality bodies to the wider European debate, by promoting and organizing:

  • Ongoing information exchange and sharing of data and expertise from and among national equality bodies
  • Regular training seminars for staff members and experts within national equality bodies
  • Ongoing collaboration, exchange and research within Working Groups structured around thematic work areas of relevance to national equality bodies, namely:
  1. Dynamic Interpretation of anti-discrimination legislation
  2. Strategic Enforcement
  3. Policy Formation
  4. Promotion of Equality
  • Publications and opinions on relevant themes and policy developments relating to equality and non-discrimination at European level.

  • Studies on selected themes relating to the work of national equality bodies

The structure

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) consisting of all national members is the highest decisionmaking body within Equinet. An elected Executive Board led by the Chairperson of Equinet is responsible for the overall management and the strategic leadership of the network. The operational structure consists of Working Groups of staff of national equality bodies (Equinet members) and a Secretariat headed by an executive director (Anne Gaspard) based in Brussels.

EQUINET – European Network of Equality Bodies is an international not-for-profit association (Aisbl) with an operational secretariat based in Brussels since end 2007

Download the Equinet presentation leaflet

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