On April 23-24 in regional town Druskininkai, HRMI has held first seminar “Closer Look at Multiple Discrimination” for journalists. Seminar series for regional and local media are part of the project implemented by the Office of Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights and the Human Rights Monitoring Institute within the EU funded PROGRESS programme.
Research results and public opinion pollls show that Lithuania is one of the most intolerant states within the European Union. However, Lithuania is lacking effective national policy to counter-act harmfull stereotypes, prejudice, racist and sexist attitudes and resulting discrimination. One of the main reasons for intolerant attitudes and acts of discrimination is a mere lack of objective and unbiased information. For that reason, of crucial importance is sufficient knowledge and understanding of issues related to intolerance and discrimination among media, one of the main channels of influence on public attitudes and behaviours.
Series of seminars intend to provide in-depth knowledge about the different manifestations of intolerance, in general, and about the phenomenon of multiple discrimination, in particular, so that regional and local media could report on these issues in objective and balanced manner.
During the first seminar, participants were introduced to the general concept of human rights, including the right to equality, they analyzed European Council directives prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of sex, age, disability, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation, race and ethnic origin, and became acquainted with the studies carried out in the field of multiple discrimination. Introductory topics were followed by the in-depth analysis of the concept of multiple discrimination, with the emphasis on (re) production of social mechanisms for discrimination. Participants had an opportunity to become aware about the concept of strategic litigation in pursuit of equality. At the end of the seminar, acquired knowledge has been integrated into topics on professional development.
The seminar has been conducted by Henrikas Mickevičius, Executive Director of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Laima Vengalė, Legal Adviser to the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, Margarita Jankauskaitė, Project Manager of the Center for Equality Advancement, Jolanta Samuolytė, Research Director of the Human Rights Monitoring Institute, and Romas Sakadolskis, lecture of the Journalisms Institute and former correspondent of the radio Voice of America.
The next seminar for the same group of jornalists is planned in June.
© 2012 Human Rights Monitoring Institute