The 10-Point Action Plan, adopted in Nuremberg on 10 December 2004, must be signed by cities wishing to join the European Coalition of Cities against Racism. The signatory cities commit them-selves to integrating the action plan into their strategies and action programs and to providing the human, financial, and material resources necessary for its effective implementation.
Each city should focus its implementation on the points and measures that appear most relevant in the context of its local work against racism. The commitment to implement the 10-Point Action Plan is intended to promote and strengthen the development, implementation, and evaluation of mu-nicipal measures to combat racism.
In order to enable regular monitoring of the measures implemented, each city undertakes to re-port to the ECCAR Scientific Advisory Board, in which UNESCO is also represented, every two years on the individual implementation of the 10-Point Action Plan using the ECCAR Online City Reporting Tool. At least one concrete measure must be reported on.
Cities can use the example measures from the accession and commitment declaration as a guide and supplement them with their own proposals. We recommend that cities that have implemented the proposed measures or wish to set different priorities add these measures when setting out the action plan.
The signatories also undertake to designate a contact and coordination point for the implementa-tion of the 10-Point Action Plan and ECCAR membership. ECCAR's services can be accessed and used by any number of people and departments within the city administration. However, it is im-portant that at least one person within the city administration is the official ECCAR contact person.
10-Point Action Plan to Fight Racism on the Municipal Level in Europe
Greater Vigilance concerning Racism
To set up a monitoring, vigilance and solidarity network against racism at city level.
- To establish a mechanism for consultation with the various social actors (young people, artists, NGOs, community leaders, the police, the judiciary, etc.) in order to take regular stock of the situation as regards racism and discrimination,
- To set up a monitoring and rapid response system to identify racist acts and hate crimes/speech in collaboration with civil society organisations, and to bring them to the at-tention of the competent authorities,
- To put racism and discrimination on the agenda of the various consultation mechanisms that exist within the city (e.g. youth parliaments, elders’ councils).
Assessing Racism and Discrimination and Monitoring Municipal Policies
To initiate, or develop further the collection of data on racism and discrimination, establish achievable objectives and set common indicators in order to assess the impact of municipal policies.
- To set up formal means of collecting data and information on racism and discrimination in all fields of municipal competence by introducing relevant variables in their data collection,
- To establish partnerships with research entities in order to analyse regularly the data and information collected, conduct studies at local level and develop specific recommendations for city authorities,
- To define achievable objectives and apply common indicators in order to assess trends in racism and discrimination and the impact of municipal policies,
- To set up a research council for an on-going dialogue between researchers and policy makers.
Better Support for the Victims of Racism and Discrimination
To support victims and contribute to strengthening their capacity to defend themselves against racism and discrimination.
- To support victims in organising themselves to seek remedies, initiatives (counselling, monitoring, etc.) and preventive measures in counteracting racism and discrimination,
- To establish a formal capacity within the city authority (ombudsperson, anti-discrimination unit, etc.) to deal with complaints about discrimination made by local residents,
- To provide support to local entities which provide legal and psychological support to local victims of racism and discrimination,
- To establish disciplinary measures as part of the standard procedures of the city authority in regard to racist acts or behaviour by city employees.
More Participation and Better Informed City Dwellers
To ensure better information for city dwellers on their rights and obligations, on protection and legal options and on the penalties for racist acts or behaviour, by using a participatory approach, notably through consultations with service users and service providers.
- To publish and disseminate as widely as possible a brochure or municipal bulletin giving relevant information on local residents’ rights, the obligations of a multiethnic and multicultural society and the city authority’s anti-racist commitments, as well as penalties for racist acts and behaviour. To disseminate in the various public places, forms or contact information that victims or witnesses can use in case of racist acts or behaviour to get in touch with competent authorities or support groups,
- To organise, on a regular basis, municipal forums against racism, in collaboration with existing bodies and mechanisms, in order to offer an opportunity to discuss the problems of racism and discrimination in the city, local policies, and their impact,
- To commemorate each year, on the 21st of March, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, with a range of initiatives to promote awareness and mobilisation among city dwellers,
- To empower local NGOs to pursue their actions in providing information on and developing actions against racism and discrimination.
The City as an Active Supporter of Equal Opportunity Practices
To facilitate equal opportunities employment practices and support for diversity in the labour market through exercising the existing discretionary powers of the city authority.
- To use the existing powers of the city as a contractor through the inclusion of non-discrimination clauses in local contracts,
- To set up a certification procedure for local firms, shops and local professional entities who are committed to challenging racism and willing to accept the implementation of the local mechanisms for dealing with complaints about discrimination,
- To establish a micro-credit, sponsorship and mentoring programme, in partnership with businesses, to support economically viable activities developed by discriminated groups,
- To set up a partnership with businesses interested in supporting the city authority’s anti-racist policies and in promoting diversity as an economic strategy and a commercial asset,
- To support, in association with professional bodies and trade unions, the development of relevant learning and development programmes aimed at enabling employees to deliver culturally sensitive and appropriate services,
- To make licenses (e.g. to serve alcohol) conditioned on non-discriminatory practices of equal access and perform tests (or audits) to check whether places of entertainment follow a non-discriminatory practice in order to ensure equal access to places of entertainment.
The City As An Equal Opportunities Employer and Service Provider
The city commits itself to be an equal opportunities employer and equitable service provider, and to engage in monitoring, training and development to achieve this objective.
- To engage in routine diversity audits in order to inform the development of appropriate policies and practices on the basis of an accurate data base,
- To implement impact and needs assessments (anti-discriminatory check list) when developing any new initiative; A simple protocol could be developed in order to standardise this process,
- To identify and provide support for the learning and development needs of municipal employees by setting up introductory and advanced training for local authority staff in order to: enhance their ability to manage ethnic and cultural diversity, promote intercultural dialogue, develop competence in anti-discriminatory practices, and acquire the necessary competences in order to provide culturally sensitive and appropriate services,
- To implement positive action in order to improve the representation of discriminated groups or communities among city authority staff, particularly in executive bodies,
- To establish a special scholarship and training programme for young people from discriminated groups with a view to preparing them for employment by the city.
Fair Access to Housing
To take active steps to strengthen policies against housing discrimination within the city.
- To draw up legal normative instruments (ethical charter and a code of practice) for public and private bodies involved in renting and selling accommodation in order to combat discrimination in access to housing,
- To grant incentives to owners and estate agents who commit to the municipal Code of Practice concerning Anti-Discrimination,
- To establish or support advisory services that assist residents who are affected by discrimination in seeking accommodation on the public and private market.
Challenging Racism and Discrimination Through Education
To strengthen measures against discrimination concerning access to and enjoyment of all forms of education, and to promote the provision of education based on mutual tolerance and understanding, and intercultural dialogue.
- To intervene to ensure equal opportunities, especially in terms of access to education, through affirmative action policies,
- To enact an anti-discrimination charter and an institutional mandate for teaching and training establishments run by the city authority in order to combat racism in access to education and racism at school,
- To create an “Equality School” certificate to reward local schools for their anti-racist work and a “Mayor’s Prize” awarded regularly to the best local school initiative against racism,
- To develop teaching material (textbooks, guides, audio-visual or multimedia documentation, kits) on mutual tolerance, respect of human dignity, peaceful coexistence and intercultural dialogue that is suited to strengthen the ability of pupils, teachers and trainers to operate in a multi-ethnic, multicultural and intercultural environment and to deal with the pressures and opportunities of such diversity.
Promoting Cultural Diversity
To ensure fair representation and promotion for the diverse range of cultural expression and herit-age of city dwellers in the cultural programmes, collective memory and public space of the city au-thority and promote interculturality in city life.
- To facilitate the production of audio-visual material (feature films, documentaries, programmes, etc.) in collaboration with professionals from groups who are affected by discrimination, that enables them to express their experiences within and ideas for their city; To facilitate distribution of such material at local, national and international level,
- To fund on a regular basis cultural projects and meeting places (e.g. events, cultural centres, etc.) that represent the diversity of city dwellers (music, theatre, dance, painting, etc.) and to integrate them in official city programming,
- To name places (streets, squares, monuments, neighbourhoods) and / or to commemorate events specifically relevant to groups affected by discrimination, in order to recognise their contributions and to integrate them into the memory and collective identity of the city.
Hate Crimes and Conflicts Management
To support or establish mechanisms for dealing with hate crimes and conflict management.
- To establish a pool of experts (researchers and practitioners including those of discriminated groups) with relevant competence to provide the local community with advice, and carry out an analysis of the situation before responses are determined,
- To establish an inter-agency group of skilled employees, representing agencies with potential ownership to such conflicts (police, education sector, youth workers, social workers, civil society organisations, etc.) with responsibility for coordinating actions at an early stage when racist crimes or group conflicts arise,
- To provide training on racist crimes and conflict management to selected employees from relevant agencies and institutions (schools, youth programmes, integration offices, etc.).