Newsletter N° 58, May 2017

Come out for Human Rights

Dear Subscriber,

Recent news of alleged anti-gay purge in the Chechnya republic of the Russian
Federation illustrate the risks young people can encounter coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI). While violent repression is decreasing, the ILGA rainbow map 2016 and TGEU Transgender Map shows that LGBTI individuals are confronted with laws, policies and practices that limits equal access to their rights in many European
countries. On 17 May, International day against homophobia and transphobia, the Council of Europe calls for policy makers, authorities, and citizens to speak up for the protection of the human rights of LGBTI persons.

Speak up!

On 17 May the Council of Europe launches the action page www.coe.int/idahot dedicated to the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
For more background information check also Standards on combatting discrimination and useful resources on the Council of Europe Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Unit site or the Campaign information page on Homophobic and Transphobic hate speech.

News

Combatting antisemitic hate speech

—

Campaign activists, coordinators and partners met at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg to discuss manifestations of antisemitism online in Europe today and shared experiences with countering it. They identified future
actions to take up, including the use of counter narratives and the 9 November Action Day on countering antisemitic hate speech.

Euro-Arab youth cooperation: overcoming hate speech and extremism together

—

On 24-29 April at the 6th Euro-Arab Youth Forum in Fez, Morocco, young leaders and multipliers from youth organisations
from the League of Arab States and the Council of Europe engaged in dialogue and cooperation against violent extremism and hate speech. The Fez Declaration, summarising the conclusions of the forum, calls for common
approaches and definitions of hate speech and for increased provisions for human rights and peace education. Participants have also planned a joint action day between the No Hate Speech Movement campaign and the campaign
of the League of Arab States against Violent Extremism for 10 December. Check also the alternative narrative video made by participants!

National Campaigns

Romania: Ready? SET? NoHate!

—

On 10 May the Campaign was introduced to Romanian Youth in Bucharest during the European Youth Week. The programme included a mini-training for youth workers on using Bookmarks.

Belgium: Universities join the campaign

—

On 3 May the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) were the first universities to institutionally endorse the campaign in the presence of Flemish Minister for Youth and Media Sven Gatz.

Greece: CHAriSMA training

—

On 21-25 April youth NGO Youthnet Hellas started the project “CHAriSMA: Combating Hate Speech by training Multipliers and Ambassadors”
with a training course for 24 teachers, educators, youth workers, activists and volunteers. The 6 months project, supported by the EYF, aims to promote
solidarity, democracy, and human rights among youngsters for a more diverse and respectful local society.

JÄRJEHOIDJAD + BOOKMARKS

—

On 5 May, Järjehoidjad the Estonian version of Bookmarks was launched during a forum on “Value dilemmas in youth work” organised by the Archimedes Foundation Youth Agency in Tallinn. The Romanian version Bookmarks was published on 2 May. These and all other translations are available on the campaign platform.

Campaign Partners

ENAR report

—

The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) has released a new report,
focusing on the role of racism in migrants’ exclusion and violations of rights in the European Union. It finds that anti-migrant political discourses and exclusionary migration policies are having a disproportionate
impact on migrants. Migrants are increasingly the targets of racist violence and speech; and face discriminatory policies and attitudes.

Georgia: School students against bullying and hate speech

—

In April the Georgian youth NGO Human Rights Association organised a mini campaign “Let’s bookmark it” against bullying and hate speech in their school in Chibati, Georgia.
The school students, in this EYF-supported pilot activity, produced a video expressing the students’ need to fight against bullying at school.

Lithuania: Make Love Speech

—

On 13-23 may, association "Active Youth" aims to strengthen the campaign through the training course "Make Love Speech" that supports youth to set up social initiatives in Kaunas, Lithuania. The project reaches out to youth leaders, youth workers and local policy makers.

Upcoming Events

Ireland: Youth Ambassadors Training

—

From 27 May to 1 June 2017, the National Youth Council of Ireland will organise a residential training engage course for youth activists to form a NHSM Youth Ambassador to fight hate
speech, discrimination and advocate for human rights. The project is supported by the EYF.

Mexico: Youth camp on Hate Speech

—

On 5-9 June 2017 in Mexico City the Mexican campaign "Sin Odio" will organise National Youth Camp on Counter and Alternative Narratives to Hate Speech" in cooperation
with the Mexican Institute of Youth (Imjuve) and National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH).

Blog posts

Word of the Day

Refers to each person's deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender.

“No one should ever be made to feel afraid to express their sexual orientation. The authorities have a duty to protect all individuals against hate crimes.”

Jonas Gunnarsson, General rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the rights of LGBT persons, and Frank Schwabe member of the PACE.
Published 5 may 2017

SOCIAL FLOW

2012-2017. Directorate of Democratic Citizenship and Participation, Council of Europe, Youth Department.

Privacy policy | Unsubscribe | youth.nohatespeech@coe.int

Created with Latte Creative