Carried out by the German network of municipal anti-discrimination offices in cooperation with the European Coalition of Cities against Racism (ECCAR) and funded by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency as part of respekt*land, the study “Fair vor Ort. Studie zu Standards für kommunale Antidiskriminierungsstellen” (Study on Standards for Municipal Anti-Discrimination Offices) was presented in Berlin on 28 June. In addition to numerous municipal representatives from all over Germany, Ferda Ataman, Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination, as well as representatives of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency, the Antidiskriminierungsverband Deutschland (German Anti-Discrimination Association) and many other experts were present.
Local authorities play a central role in enforcing the right to equal opportunities and in combating discrimination. A growing number of cities in Germany are setting up specific anti-discrimination offices for this purpose, actively committing to equal opportunities and equal participation at municipal level.
The structure of these anti-discrimination offices, particularly with regard to their mandate, tasks and equipment, varies greatly. Until now, local authorities had to start from square one for every new office. To change that, the network of municipal anti-discrimination offices was founded in 2019, inspired by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency. Its aim is to support local authorities in setting up and structurally developing equality bodies and corresponding strategies.
In cooperation with the network of currently 36 municipal anti-discrimination offices, ECCAR developed a study to focus on local authorities as key actors in the enforcement of the right to equal treatment and in taking further steps towards a standardised model for municipal anti-discrimination work. Based on this study, guidelines for the establishment of municipal anti-discrimination offices are proposed. With regard to the establishment of further independent consulting services at local level, the study focuses on the opportunities that cooperation may offer as well as the different roles and tasks of municipal and independent bodies in order to provide people who experience discrimination with the best possible support in their local communities.
Based on the study, a series of training courses is currently being prepared for employees of local anti-discrimination offices in order to strengthen work on the ground and initiate a process for structural changes on the ground.
For questions about the project and the network of municipal anti-discrimination offices contact
Danijel Cubelic: chancengleichheit@heidelberg.de
Christine Burmann: diskriminierungsfragen@stadt.nuernberg.de