ENAR draft strategic plan (SP) 2004 - 2006

1. The political and social needs of ENAR

The European Union with its current 15 Member States is faced with the fact that people of minority ethnic and religious backgrounds and third-country nationals are exposed to discrimination and difference in treatment compared to EU nationals from majority ethnic or religious groups. The practical consequences for a significant number of people resident within the borders of the EU include potential different treatment in public and private life, less favourable treatment in employment, access to goods and services, education or training. Such a situation undermines a peaceful society and is unacceptable.

From 2004, an additional 10 states are set to join the Union, each with its unique pattern of ethnic and religious communities. The newly enlarged EU will require additional or even new strategies to deal with such diversity.

Article 13 gives the EU the legal duty to tackle these issues. As well as legal powers, funding has also been agreed to tackle these social questions. ENAR wishes to see proactive and co-ordinated measures to guarantee non-discrimination and equal treatment for all, especially for minority groups, ethnic and religious communities regardless of the ‘political hue’ of the national governments.

A large number of civil society organisations, such as grassroots organisations, trade unions, information centres and advocacy, as well as church-based organisations, have developed powerful and creative strategies to fight racism in all its forms in the past and continue to do so. However, a new dimension of co-operation and networking has taken place since ENAR, as an EU-wide network structure, was established during the European Year Against Racism.

2. ENAR’s vision

Europe has always been a continent of great cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity.

ENAR believes in a world without racism and that a co-ordinated co-operation of NGOs in the fight against racism in the EU can and does make a significant contribution to the campaign to eliminate racial, ethnic and religious discrimination.

3. ENAR’s mission

ENAR is the EU-wide network of organisations working to combat racism. We promote the cause of anti-racism of all kinds and equal treatment for ethnic minorities and non-EU nationals residing in the EU. ENAR receives co-funding from the European Commission for this work. The network has a central role to play in voicing the concerns of its members as well as in influencing decision-making based on the legal tools available or to be developed, with the aim of supporting the elimination of racial discrimination in the short, mid and long term.

ENAR takes a radical stand against all forms of discrimination on the basis of colour, national or ethnic origin and religion. ENAR is committed to the fight against all forms of racial discrimination and the promotion of equal treatment. Our aim is to:

• Act against the exclusion of individuals based on their ethnic, cultural and religious background in the EU
• Promote equality of individuals with non-EU nationality and their full participation in EU society on an individual as well as a collective level
• Eliminate discriminatory practices in EU immigration policy
• Stand up for cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity
• Lobby EU institutions to achieve the aforementioned goals

4. ENAR’s operating principles

a. Inclusive: bringing together organisations of victims of racism, and human rights, anti-racist and migrants’ organisations.

b. Pluralistic: associating and supporting a wide range of organisations, including: grassroots organisations, NGOs, welfare organisations, churches, trade unions, migrants’ organisations and other established organisations.

c. Programme oriented: developing and carrying out lobbying and campaign work on the European level and/or supporting campaigns of other networks.

d. Democratic: associating all organisations which adhere to (part of) the programme.

e. Product oriented: organising the work in a professional way by producing tangible products and results, which are regularly reviewed.

f. Focussed: concentrating on a limited number of activities (in relation also to the available budget).

g. Flexible: responding adequately to new challenges and the changing needs of the associated organisations.

h. Transparent: reporting regularly to the associated organisations and the European Parliament and the European Commission.

i. Structured: establishing a light structure to implement the adopted programme of action and to guarantee continuous co-operation, while maintaining the autonomy of the associated organisations.

j. European: linking local/national initiatives with initiatives (to be) taken on the EU level, while remaining open to co-operation with anti-racist organisations from countries which are not EU Member States and with the Council of Europe.

Of vital importance for the network is the involvement of groups, which represent minorities, migrants, and victims of racism.

5. In order to work towards delivering our mission, in the next three years we aim to

achieve the following objectives:

1. Further strengthen and strive to complete the development of our network of NGOs across the Union. In order to shape a just and inclusive society all groups in civil society should join forces. This requires representation of all these groups in the different bodies of the network and in relation to the EU institutions.

2. Carry out a range of information, lobbying and campaigning work on the issues as stated in the following section. This will strengthen the positions of NGOs in their national context and give added value to civil society. To achieve this, ENAR needs to create a common understanding and common action programme/work programme. Creative and sustainable strategies to fight racism need to be discussed promoted and established. The network is aware of the fact that successful anti-racism work must be publicly visible and echoed by public authorities. This requires strong co-operation between the European and the national level as a prerequisite for the successful work of ENAR.

3. Grow the organisation’s funding and staffing base to deliver this programme

4. Create a learning network and organisation

The aforementioned objectives and goals shall be tackled in the context of the strategic objectives to take political action in the following areas:

Ø Objective 1

A. Developing an ENAR structure in the new member countries of the EU

- Contact and invite NGOs active in new member countries of the EU to join the network and to promote ENAR policies

- Networking and coalition building

B. Enhance ownership of the ENAR policy work and guarantee transparency in decision-making within the network

- Develop internal regulations and code of conduct for internal procedures

C. Guarantee a democratic structure and representation

- Maintain and improve the internal structure to guarantee that the views of members are represented in ENAR policies

D. Enhance co-operation with EU institutions

- Establish and maintain contacts with all EU institution and emphasise timely and reliable policy material

E. Coalition building with NGOs and other stakeholders

- Establish and maintain contacts with relevant EU NGOs working on racism, migration, asylum, social exclusion and anti-discrimination

F. Enhance the visibility of the network

- Carry out public relations and media work at EU as well as national level

G. Support capacity building of member organisations

- Offer training to provide the opportunity to enhance skills for the stronger involvement of member organisations in the work of ENAR

H. Support membership

- Provide a set of services, such as information on EU policies and funding, to encourage and support member organisations to become actively involved in the work against racism in the EU

Ø Objective 2

I. Measures to fight discrimination on the ground of ethnicity, religion and belief

a) Transposition of Article 13 measures and its follow-up

Ethnic discrimination:

i) Support exchange of information on the transposition of the two relevant Directives as well as implementation on the national level

ii) Achieve transposition of Directives

iii) Empower member organisations to work effectively with such legislation

iv) Encourage member organisations to work with the Community Action Programme on Discrimination

v) Encourage coalition building on other grounds of discrimination in order to achieve more Community law with specific focus on multiple discrimination

Religious discrimination:

i) Promote concrete strategies to fight religious discrimination in spheres selected by the network

ii) Promote specific legislation on religious discrimination in areas beyond employment

iii) Encourage dialogue with all involved stakeholders

b) Racism, xenophobia, hatred and violence

i) Put pressure on decision makers to develop legislation to tackle racism and xenophobia from a penal perspective

ii) Strive for a proper adoption of the Framework Decision on Racism & Xenophobia

iii) Strive for a balance between the fundamental right of freedom of speech and incitement to racial hatred

c) Others

i) Monitor racism from the perspectives of NGOs

ii) Exchange information concerning the follow-up processes of the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) on the national level and make information on national action plans available

iii) Monitor incitement to racial hatred on the internet

iv) Work on aspects of multiple discrimination

J. Promote equal treatment for people of minority ethnic origin

a) Equal treatment for third-country nationals

i) Promote equal access to rights of EU citizenship for third-country nationals

ii) Monitor legal initiatives of the EU supporting or restricting the equality of third-country nationals

iii) Carry out activities supporting equal treatment of third-country national in the context of political, social and economic rights

iv) Equal treatment in criminal matters

b) Equal treatment in employment

i) Monitor EU employment measures (Employment Strategies, CSR, etc)

ii) Promote equal treatment of non-EU nationals in all areas of employment

iii) Support the development of diversity programmes

c) Legal and social measures to combat social exclusion and promote integration of migrants and their descendants

i) Work towards a harmonious and respectful integration of third-country nationals and ethnic communities reflecting on the needs of majority and minority populations

ii) Monitor EU policies on social exclusion

d) Migration aspects

i) Monitor and analyse discriminatory practices

ii) Act where appropriate in the context of legal initiatives concerning migration where differences treatment occur

K. Mainstreaming of anti-racism and equal rights policies

i) Monitor any related EU policies if mainstreaming approaches concerning anti-racism and equal treatment are implemented with a specific emphasis on education

ii) Develop benchmarks (equality schemes) for legislation, regulations, organisational standards

The aforementioned policy areas might be implemented by designing and carrying out appropriate activities such as publications, meetings and events to enable the member organisations to contribute to the achievements of these policy objectives at national level.

Ø Objective 3

Further development of ENAR’s structure and Secretariat:

L. Funding and voluntary input

i) Secure funding for ENAR’s work programme and operational structure.

Such an ambitious list of strategic goals needs an appropriate structure in the network in order to be implemented. Volunteers (such as Board members and representatives of member organisations) will be required to contribute on a regular basis and to support the Secretariat with information and practical support. Bureau members might need to contribute at least 40 full days per year and Board members at least 30 days a year to fulfil the basic requirements of their post.

ENAR needs to investigate funding possibilities beyond the duration of the Community Action Programme and secure external funding to cover the at least 10% (up to 30% at a later stage) internal resources required to receive EC funding.

A margin to be envisaged for an increase in funds for a period of three years from the date of adoption of the strategic plan could be set as approximately 12% of the current budget.

M. Staff

i) Based on goals identified, an appropriate size for a competent staff team and office needs to be defined.

The current Secretariat, equipped with five full-time staff members, will need two further full-time posts in the policy and service sector to be able to achieve the goals defined.

Sufficient resources (salary costs approximately €107,000 per annum, as well as equipment such as computers and office space) will be required to carry out these activities.

N. Co-operation between the network and Secretariat

i) Develop a stable culture in the network for the Secretariat and in co-operation with elected representatives (Bureau, Board, Substitutes)

Ø Objective 4

O. Implementation and evaluation

i) The defined long-term goals will guide the Secretariat in drafting the future annual work programmes and will steer the representatives of NCs at AEAs in the coming years to adopt annual work programmes according to agreements made in this respect.

Performance indicators and evaluation systems need to be put in place to evaluate the effectiveness of the network and its impact made in each area analysed. The current first round of defining performance indicators for ENAR in 2002/2003 will be used as experience and serve as the basis of and indication for future developments of performance management and evaluation. A stable reporting system to relevant ENAR bodies (Board and AEA) will need to be put in place.

A detailed specification for this objective will be developed at a later stage.