The Union of Equality's valuable contribution to combating intersectional discrimination
The Greens co-president Satu Haapanen and the Greens member Katja Meier welcomed the steps for a Union of Equality in the debate with EU Commissioner for Internal Equality Helena Dalli during the 144th CoR Plenary Session on 6 May. They expressed their support for equality for all and emphasised that Europe is only united in diversity. Accordingly, they endorsed the CoR opinions on anti-racism and on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Haapanen and Meier welcomed that gender equality, anti-racism, Roma equality, LGBTIQ equality and rights of persons with disabilities are at the heart of the Union of Equality. The Union of Equality should ensure that decision-making takes into account the needs of everyone. Meier emphasised that horizontal principles, such as pursuing an intersectional approach, are necessary when implementing the strategies.
With regards to the EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025 Meier called for joint efforts in tackling the underlying problem of structural racism. As the impact of structural racism is as profound and harmful as individual racism, its existence needs to be acknowledged and addressed through proactive policies. An intersectional perspective deepens the understanding of structural racism and makes responses more effective.
According to Meier, such responses must be accompanied by measures on all levels: financial resources from EU funds under Next Generation EU; design and implementation of concrete regional and local action plans; and dialogue with civil society on the design as well as the implementation of such action plans. Haapanen underlined that these and other measures have to include minorities from the design phases onwards and to promote acceptance of diversity at all levels.
Meier emphasised the ongoing debate about removing the politically and scientifically unsupportable concept of ‘race’ from the German constitution. This concept has no basis and contributes in itself to discrimination. According to the Jenaer Declaration ‘the concept of race is the result of racism, not its prerequisite’. Meier argued that also at the European level, racial discrimination should be tackled without using discriminatory vocabulary.
Haapanen expressed the importance on guaranteeing and endorsing the rights of persons with disabilities. She stated that certain groups, such as persons with disabilities, can be impacted more significantly by the Covid-19 pandemic than others. Actions need to be taken to ensure that persons with disabilities can always exercise their rights, like to health-care services and to public health information.
Haapanen called for the detection and the removal of all barriers persons with disabilities face. Disability results from the interaction between people with impairments and attitudes as well as barriers that hinder their full, effective and equal participation in society. The EU has to guarantee the right of each person to respect and recognise individual differences.