Annual Report 2004.pdf - Equality Authority

NDP/CSF Evaluation Unit’s document, theEquality Authority met with theimplementing bodies with responsibilityfor the specified measures during thesummer of 2004 to conduct measurereviews. These reviews provided anopportunity to work closely with measuremanagers in evaluating how the WiderEqual Opportunities Principle has beenaddressed so far and to consider ways inwhich the principle could be moreeffectively addressed in the future. Anumber of the changes identified in themeasure review meetings by the EqualityAuthority and the implementing bodieshave subsequently been reflected inamendments to measure ProgrammeComplements. In addition as part of thisprocess, a reporting template for the WiderEqual Opportunities Principle has beenagreed and the prioritised measures willbegin reporting in this new format inspring 2005.AdvocacyThe Equality Authority worked with theSligo Advocacy Working Group. The groupdeveloped the first accredited advocacycourse (distance learning). This waslaunched in conjunction with Sligo IT,Comhairle and the Equality Authority. Thisdistance learning course targets peoplewith disabilities or people who aremarginalised in any way. It aims todevelop advocacy skills for use in a rangeof settings and includes a module onequality studies.The Equality Authority continued toprovide training to community basedadvocates through Comhairle and thenetwork of Citizen Information Centres.Training took place on a regional basis andcovered staff and volunteers. It includedissues such as equality legislation, racismand disability rights.Training on equality legislation was also atheme in training courses organised onemployment issues through joint workwith Congress and individual TradeUnions.EU InitiativesThe Equality Authority worked with theEuropean Union Monitoring Centre onRacism and Xenophobia (EUMC). The maintask of the EUMC is to provide theEuropean Community and its MemberStates with objective, reliable andcomparable data on racism, xenophobia,islamophobia and anti-semitism. TheEquality Authority and the NationalConsultative Committee on Racism andInterculturalism acted jointly as thenational focal point of the Raxen networkwhich has been set up by the EUMC. Themain work of the network is the gatheringof information and data in Ireland on thethemes selected by EUMC across theEuropean Union in relation to issues ofEquality Authority Annual Report 2004 • 115